FAQs

Climate change mitigation means reducing the release of greenhouse gas emissions that are responsible for warming our planet. Strategies include improving energy efficiency in buildings, adopting renewable energy sources like solar or wind energy, electrifying transport and planting trees, amongst other measures.

Rising emissions of greenhouse gases lead to long-term impacts such as rising sea levels and increased temperatures, as well as more frequent catastrophic events such as bushfires, droughts, floods, and heat waves. Unless we take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, a changing climate can result in loss of life and property, disruption of our food supply, and loss of biodiversity. We need to urgently reduce emissions to ensure a safe climate, which means working to keep global temperature increase to less than 1.5ºC above pre-industrial levels.

‘Net zero’ means that greenhouse gas emissions produced by organisations and communities are balanced by greenhouse gas mitigation.

The Wollongong Local Government Area emissions profile (2016-2017) is made up of:

• Stationary energy 78% - this involves mainly electricity consumed by residential, commercial and institutional facilities, and manufacturing and construction activities.
• Transport 19%
• Waste 2%
• Waste water 1%

Emissions in the Wollongong Local Government Area are spread across industrial processes, electricity and gas use, transport and waste. To reduce emissions from these sources, the community should consider actions such as:

• Purchase electricity from renewable sources
• Install solar panels and battery storage
• Change from gas to electricity, such as switching to induction cooktops and heat pumps
• Implement energy efficiency such as LED lights, efficient appliances, insulation and building management systems
• Improve waste management practices and reduce waste to landfill
• Buy an electric or ‘green’ hydrogen car and use public transport
• More active transport, such as walking and cycling
• Work from home, where possible
• Invest in climate projects, such as planting trees
• Buy products and services that are carbon neutral
• Reduce water consumption
• More sustainable business practices

While climate change impacts us on a global scale and must be a collective effort, local governments, like Wollongong, are on the front line in dealing with climate change impacts.

Due to our local knowledge and close connection to our community, Councils are often best placed to support people reduce their emissions. However whilst we’ve set the Net Zero target for the community, Council has limited influence on many of the sources within the community, a coordinated effort from all levels of government as well as businesses and individuals is critical to achieving our Net zero targets.