Max Hatzoglou
Community concerns about new residential developments causing warmer temperatures in St Albans has led Brimbank council to discuss its climate targets.
Questions were raised during last week’s council meeting asking what was being done to tackle the issue as residents believed that new developments in St Albans were causing an increase in heat trapping through materials such as concrete, brick and steel.
Brimbank mayor Jasmine Nguyen said trees were a key part in fixing the problem.
“Brimbank council continues to implement the urban flora strategy which seeks a 30 per cent tree canopy cover across Brimbank, and has recently adopted the Brimbank tree policy and significant tree policy to further strengthen greening of Brimbank as a key strategy to tackle the heat island effect,” Cr Nguyen said.
“Council’s annual street tree planting program has seen the planting of over 7000 street trees in St Albans since 2011 with further street planting planned in 2022.
“Significant street planning has also occurred in parks and reserves.”
Cr Nguyen also discussed other ways in which the problem was being minimised.
“Council also installs shelters and drinking fountains in parks and activity centres so that residents can have access to water and shade when visiting these places,” she said.
The Brimbank Climate Emergency Plan for 2020–2025 says it needed to change its approach to how residents used their energy in order to keep Brimbank green and cool.
“We need to stop using the dirty, such as coal and gas, and rapidly ramp up the clean, such as solar and wind,” the Brimbank Climate Emergency Plan said.
“One hundred per cent renewable energy is critical and achievable.”
The plan has three targets set for Brimbank.
“Legislated Victoria Renewable Energy Target of 100 per cent for 2030. Zero-net emissions for Council operations by 2030. Zero-net emissions for the municipality by 2040; 70 per cent by 2030,” the plan said.
Despite the global pandemic, the targets are planned to be achieved simultaneously with covid recovery economically.
“This plan, inclusive of the position statement, principles, and five themes, provides at our municipal level, a framework to guide the social and economic stimulus needed to recover from COVID-19, and address concurrently the climate emergency,” the plan said.
