City Develops ESP to Look Into Future of Environment

At the 20 November Council Meeting, the Council agreed to release its draft Ecological Sustainability Plan (ESP) for public comment, from 23 November 2007 to 31 January 2008.

The proposed ESP outlines ways for the organisation and local community to be more sustainable to help tackle environmental issues such as climate change while maintaining progress. It builds on the strong foundations laid by the Sustainability and Greenhouse Action Plan adopted by the Council in 2000.

Mayor Russell Aubrey said for almost a decade, the City of Melville had not only recognised but embraced its duty to become more sustainable, working with International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) and other associations to implement a range of projects and initiatives to reduce greenhouse emissions across the organisation and municipality. “Highlights include developing a vehicle fleet policy where we aim to buy vehicles powered by alternative fuels where possible; introducing building design guidelines to ensure all new, extended and refurbished premises incorporate energy saving designs and equipment; and establishing an energy taskforce that regularly undertakes energy audits of all City buildings and facilities to ensure equipment is running as efficiently as possible and energy is not being wasted,” he said.

Mayor Aubrey said the City was now stepping up its commitment to the environment and the City’s future to ensure sustainability was first and foremost when it came to considering and implementing the core business and planning functions of the City of Melville.

Earlier in the year, the City employed an officer dedicated to sustainability issues who has developed the draft ESP and is working across the organisation to ensure sustainability principles are embedded into the organisation.

Sustainability Officer Lisa Ebbelaar said the State and Federal governments had released a multitude of strategies, plans and action statements over the past few years in an attempt to combat climate change, water scarcity and other sustainability issues. “The ESP identifies how the City of Melville can progress on the sustainability agenda in line with WA and the nation,” she said.

Ms Ebbelaar said the ESP had been developed using the comprehensive WA State Sustainability Strategy (WASSS) framework and addressed many of the environmental well-being aspirations of the community, as identified in the City’s Community Plan 2007-2017. “Once the ESP is adopted, we will develop action plans to tackle the specific issues covered in the plan,” she said.

Copies of the draft ESP can be viewed at the City of Melville Civic Centre and the City of Melville’s five libraries or can be downloaded from www.melvillecity.com.au.

For more information, phone Ms Ebbelaar on 9364 0695 or email lisa@melville.wa.gov.au.