Published on Wednesday, 23 September 2020 at 10:29:28 AM

The City of Vincent is aiming to run its vehicle fleet entirely on renewable energy, completely offset its greenhouse gas emissions and stop sending waste to landfill by the end of the decade.

These are just three of the ambitious targets included in the City’s Sustainable Environment Strategy - which will guide critical decision making on environmental matters in Vincent for years to come.

Bold but realistic targets covering five key focus areas - energy, transport, water, waste and urban greening and biodiversity –have been set for both City operations and the community.

These are backed up by a comprehensive implementation plan and a commitment from the City to lead by example when it comes to prioritising the environment and tackling climate change.

The City is aiming to reduce groundwater use by 8% by 2029 and achieve 23% canopy cover on public land by 2023 by planting more trees.

Community targets include a 10% reduction in household electricity use by 2024 and a 9% cut in groundwater use by 2029.

Climate change is a major concern for the Vincent community and that is why the City has set an overarching target of zero net greenhouse gas emissions from its operations by 2030.

This target covers the vehicle fleet, energy use at all City facilities and the waste that is collected and managed.

“We want to lead by example when it comes to tackling climate change,” said Mayor Emma Cole.

“We may be a small inner-city Council, but we believe local action and changes to the way we operate are an important part of the solution.

“We’ve set our own ambitious targets and we are taking action to minimise our operational impact on the environment.

“This includes replacing our fleet with electric vehicles, planting as many trees as possible and composting to divert waste from landfill.

“We also need to build awareness and empower community action, so we will provide advice, education and programs to support community members and local businesses.

“Working together, we can achieve local change for a more sustainable community.”

Over the past year, the City has already made major progress on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing our sustainability. Key achievements include:

• continued transition of the vehicle fleet to renewable energy, with 50% of passenger vehicles now hybrid or fully electric
• acquisition of the City’s first hybrid truck
• re-endorsement of the City as a Waterwise Council, with retention of gold status
• expansion of the Adopt a Verge program to further reduce community water use
• completing solar installations under phase one of the City’s solar PV program
• upgrading Beatty Park Leisure Centre indoor space heating to geothermal energy
• avoiding the landfilling of more than 150 single-use vinyl banners by switching to cardboard promotional banners
• a significant shift away from paper-based systems and processes within the City
• eco-zoning of Lynton Street Reserve, replacing more than 50% of the turf area with native plantings and nature play
• maximising canopy cover on Green Street through a major planting of WA native peppermint (Agonis flexuosa) trees – totalling 1.4km of greenway planting

The City’s greenhouse gas emissions were reduced by 130kg between October 2019 and July 2020 through the introduction of e-bikes for rangers.

The e-bikes, which are charged through solar panels, reduced the rangers’ driving distance by 758km and saved over 54L of fuel.

Sustainable Environment Strategy

Back to All News