The City of Sydney has become Australia’s first carbon-neutral council after achieving formal certification from its greenhouse reduction programs.

 

Climate Change and Energy Efficiency Minister Greg Combet presented the certification, on behalf of Low Carbon Australia, to Lord Mayor Clover Moore at a forum on the carbon price at Sydney Town Hall.

 

"This carbon neutral certification demonstrates the City of Sydney's commitment to sustainability and tackling climate change and is part of a set of ambitious sustainability goals that the City has adopted," Mr Combet said.

 

"I commend the City of Sydney for this achievement and congratulate the Lord Mayor and the city councillors for the leadership they have shown on climate change."

 

The City's carbon neutral status was officially confirmed under the new National Carbon Offset Standard, introduced by the Australian Government in July last year.

 

The programs have seen the council reduce and offset its carbon pollution by 210,00 per year, which the Federal Government’s Green Vehicle Guide estimates is the equivalent to taking 70,000 cars off the road per year.

 

Carbon neutral' means the City's net emissions are zero. Carbon emissions by the City's vehicles, the coal-fired electricity it uses and other emissions sources are reduced by actions such as improving energy efficiency and installing solar panels. Remaining emissions are offset by buying carbon pollution credits from projects such as wind farms.

 

"This national accreditation is the seal of approval for the City's commitment to achieving real reductions in carbon emissions," said Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP.

 

"We are on track to reach one of the most ambitious emissions reduction targets of any Australian government - 70 per cent by 2030 from 2006 levels.

 

"We've already reduced the City's 2006 carbon emissions by 6 per cent and, we're on track to reach our 20 per cent target by 2012."