The City of Belmont council has backed calls for the State and Federal governments to do more to help local government deal with climate change while pointing out their own shortcomings.
At its April 28 meeting, the council unanimously backed the WA Local Government Association seeking funding and other support from the Federal and State governments to reduce emissions and address the impacts of climate change.
A report to the council said the city had already felt the effects of climate change, including more damage from storms, urban heat islands and declining water availability.
“These impacts are expected to intensify over coming decades, with climate projections indicating the frequency and severity of extreme weather events and heatwaves to increase,” the report said.
“Local governments are legislatively required to plan for and mitigate climate risks, yet often lack access to the necessary data, modelling, expertise and funding to effectively deliver this.”
Cr Jarod Harris said the city also needed to show it was doing its part, citing the lack of EVs in the city’s fleet.
“While asking for assistance on EV transition, we’ve not tried electric fleet vehicles or installed public chargers,” he said.
“Our handful of EV chargers in the basement of the Hub have largely sat idle for six years, while each fleet vehicle is instead filled with ever-costlier fuels.
“We’re being reminded daily that our supply of fossil fuels is high cost and highly volatile, dependent as it is on the whims of foreign leaders.
“Reducing fossil-fuel use would, yes, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but would also be saving us money and that means spending ratepayer money more responsibly and efficiently.”
While endorsing the city’s stance on climate change, mayor Robert Rossi was less cool on the idea of providing free EV charging, saying it would come at a cost to provide and raised a question of fairness.
“Offering free charging, for example, means all ratepayers effectively subsidising a small group of EV owners,” Mr Rossi said.
“We wouldn’t do the same for petrol users.
“I’ve also seen examples where free charging can be misused, with the same vehicles occupying bays for long periods when charging stations first arrived in WA, although now it’s more pay user, which is good.
“Through planning, we can encourage more EV-charging infrastructure using incentives and requirements in new developments.
“This is an area where the WA planning department and commission could play a stronger role, not just the city doing all the lifting.”
He said he was proud of what the city had done and was planning to do.
“Is there room for improvement? Of course there is,” Mr Rossi said.
“But it’s just as important to recognise how far we’ve come, acknowledge what’s being achieved right now and keep building on that progress.
“Advocacy is the key. We need to keep on working with the State Government and relevant agencies to help deliver on these goals.”
Cr George Sekulla said the provision of EV chargers should be left to the market and not the city.
“A lot of charging of EVs can be done privately from a standard plug quite effectively, two overnight charges a week will get a family by in terms of the distance they need to travel on a weekly basis,” he said.
He agreed the city should have more EVs in its fleet.
“That’s certainly a no-brainer sort of investment that I think we should be looking at, particularly given the change in market conditions relating to the cost of fuel,” Cr Sekulla said.
The city’s strategic community plan 2024–2034 promotes sustainable practices and “climate resilience”, while its environment and sustainability strategy 2023–2033 supports a transition to sustainable energy and transport.
“The city is committed to future proofing its operations, assets and services by embedding consideration of emerging climate related hazards into its planning and decision-making processes,” the report said.