14/11/23
On Tuesday the 14th of November a number of climate action supporters attended the council chambers to support a motion by Mendie Urie, supported by Jane Greacan.
A. That East Gippsland Shire Council seeks a report and recommendation from officers regarding the benefits and costs of establishing a climate change advisory body to Council with TOR to be considered to include
– Supporting the delivery of the Environmental Sustainability Strategy 2022-2032 and Action Plan 2022-2026
– Working with other East Gippsland agencies on climate adaptation and mitigation and reporting measures
– Hosting a public climate change forum
– Developing a communication strategy to discuss Climate change issues in our communities
B. That East Gippsland Shire Council makes public through its website the current scientific evidence-base, Local Government statutory requirements and trusted sources of climate change science used as a basis for policy development.
The motion was passed 5-4 votes. Those in favour were: Councillors Tom Crook, Mayor, Jane Greacan, Deputy Mayor, Mendy Urie, Kirsten VanDiggle and Mark Reeves. All spoke in some capacity for the motion.
Opposing the motion were Councillors Sonia Buckley, John White, Arthur Allen and Trevor Stowe. Councillors Buckley and White spoke against the motion.
Tony: Lethal heating
I am sad that I am not here speaking to a motion calling for a declaration of a climate emergency in East Gippsland.
However I am pleased to be able to speak to this modest motion that outlines some actions aimed at raising awareness of climate changes impact on our region.
Andrew Twiggy Forrest, the well known mining magnate who has, through his many mining ventures emitted millions of tonnes of CO2 is advocating taking serious action might be an indication that we are getting somewhere. At a recent speech he detailed the impacts of even a small amount more warming: many parts of the world are already experiencing increased deaths from heat. Forrest explained the concept of ‘wet bulb’ temperature and the impact of a wet bulb temp above 35ºC on human bodies.
“Forrest focused on the impact on the body as it loses the ability to thermoregulate.
“Your core temperature rises and it rises really quick,” he said. “Your heart rate accelerates. One hundred per cent more blood starts sloshing through your system, you get a pounding headache, vomiting. This is really well documented in human science.
“Within minutes to hours, you start to reach a point where those wonderful, complex blood proteins start to unravel. It’s a chemical reaction. This is a lethal humidity death.
“Your blood thickens. You internally haemorrhage. Those structures inside your body are like chemical reactions, they’re not coming back. They’re like an egg. When it’s cooked, it can’t be uncooked.” ‘
It is clear that large parts of Australia will be adversely affected by the rising temperature. We need urgent planning and education of our communities to minimize the harm that can be caused. We still have the memories of the 2019-20 bushfires fresh in our memories.
We must do all we can to protect our beautiful region and all who live here. I ask all of you to support this motion. I also ask that all of you ensure you have the latest scientific information on global heating and aim to include the actions recommended in that advice in every decision you make.
Robyn: Support for the motion
I would like to lodge a note of appreciation to council regarding the Notice of Motion “Climate Change Initiatives” 2.1 on the agenda for discussion at today’s meeting.
Thankyou to council for your concern around climate change and considering best ways forward in shifting gears to greater awareness and increasing rate of transition to a low carbon economy in East Gippsland.
The Motion has my approval and I would simply like to highlight that support for the science behind climate change by community leaders on council is critical.
I would like to lodge my support for council making the voluntary Climate pledge.
Thank you for including this item – a voluntary climate pledge- on today’s agenda. (5.1.1) Council’s involvement in programs over the past decade of major energy efficiency upgrades, commitment to the Take2 Climate Change Pledge and the development of the 2022-2032 Environmental Sustainability Strategy demonstrate concern for addressing impacts of climate change.
The costs of making this voluntary pledge seem negligible. A public pledge builds on the steady work undertaken thus far. It also reflects changing social attitudes and signals Council’s leadership on climate change to the people of East Gippsland. I fully support Council adopting the first Option – make the voluntary climate pledge.
Angela: The era of global boiling has arrived
We and the rest of the world are experiencing a climate crisis that is only going to get worse unless governments at all levels adopt real and effective strategies to fix the problem. The International Panel on Climate Change estimates around 3 and 1/2 billion people live in ″contexts that are highly vulnerable″ including exposure to acute food insecurity, floods, drought and storms.
I would like to share with you an edited statement made by António Guterres UN Secretary General when scientists confirmed that July 2023 was the hottest month in human history.
The era of global warming has ended, the era of global boiling has arrived.
The air is unbreathable, the heat is unbearable and the level of fossil fuel profits and climate inaction is unacceptable.
July has already seen the hottest three week period ever recorded, and the highest ever ocean temperatures.
The consequences are clear and they are tragic. Children swept away by monsoon rains, families running from the flames, workers collapsing in scorching heat.
Leaders must lead. No more hesitancy, no more excuses. No more waiting for others to move first. There is simply no more time for that
He added :
This should not result in desperation, but action. It’s time to convert the burning heat into burning ambition and speed up climate action. The future of our planet depends on it.
From these words, there is no doubt that if Antonio Guterres were here today, he would join us in supporting Notice of Motion 2.1 at the very minimum.
Rosemary: Hottest year in 100,000 years!
Dear Counsellors,
I am here this evening to show my strong support for the motion to create a Climate change advisory committee.
The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) makes it abundantly clear that the impact of climate change is intensifying. It’s not something we just read about, something that may happen in the future. We can feel it, we can see it, here in Gippsland and beyond.
There is no doubt that our lives are going to be changed by this crisis. A recent report in Bioscience says that this year is the hottest in the past 100,000 years and that we are seeing an alarming and unprecedented succession of climate relatedrecords broken.
They go on to say that these record-breakingtemperatures increase the likelihood that the world will reach 1.5 degrees warming above the long-term temperature average as early as next year. And that warming past this level means we move into uncharted waters. Further warming will have a profound impact on all of us and cause untold suffering.
To meet this challenge as individuals and as a community we need knowledge and support. People need to know what is happening, why, what is at stake, what are the options and where to get help.
Knowledge and understanding are empowering, brings people together and helps people make informed decisions.
To enable this to happen we also need leadership. Leadership that is inclusive and transparent so there is trust and misinformation has nowhere to go.
I think that this motion to form a Climate change advisory committee is a very positive move towards achieving these points and has the potential to make this a stronger and together community.
Hence my strong support for this motion.
Nola: Council must develop a plan to manage heat stress
East Gippsland Shire Council apparently have made the decision not to declare a Climate Emergency, and my understanding is that this was due to concern about raising the anxiety levels among the community.
However it still remains of vital importance that there are some means of dynamic communication to both inform and educate the local community about the issues involved in global warming. One such pressing and important issue is the need for Council to have a current and active Heatwave Plan.
The Bureau of Meteorology have declared an Al Nino weather event of severe and unprecedented heat for the summer of 2023 – 2024, and it is looking like 2023 will be declared the hottest year on record. Last year 60,000 people in Europe died from the impacts of extreme heat.
Extreme heat is often connected to other health impacts such those from smoke and bushfires, exposing communities to compounding disasters. These events are likely to increase in frequency very quickly over the coming years as the impacts of Climate Change rise. Modelling shows that towns like Orbost will have a 50% increase in the number of days the temperature is above 35 degrees by 2030, just 6 years away.
Heat is not equitable. Renters and those who can’t afford air-conditioning, or even to run air- conditioning, are the most severely hit. Small children, the elderly, and those with disabilities or complex medical conditions are vulnerable to effects of extreme heat and heat related illnesses. Even some medications such as anti-depressants can have a compounding effect on a person’s ability to manage heat adequately. Gippsland has a high percentage of people at risk due to it’s higher than the Victorian average rates of obesity, chronic disease, and high risk health behaviours. Further the number of people aged over 60 years is projected to be 30% of the population by 2026.
The current East Gippsland Shire Heatwave Plan was developed in 2014 with an upgrade made in 2015. It states that they do not offer any “Cool Zones” or “Hot Day Out Centres”. These centres are common in many parts of the world. Rural areas such as East Gippsland often do not have venues such as large shopping centres, cinema complexes, or other places people can easily or cheaply access in order to stay cool. The elderly are unlikely to want to spend the day at the pool.
A comprehensive Heatwave Plan would have the benefits of –
- Reducing the demand on emergency services
- Reducing heat related deaths
- Reducing isolation, anxiety, and other mental heath impacts that occur as a result of extreme
heat. - Ideally a Council Heatwave Plan would include the provision of access to appropriate cool spaces for vulnerable people. “Hot Day Out Centres” could be developed utilising both Council and Community facilities including clubs, places of worship, or senior services organisations. They could also provide information and education about Climate Change impacts as well as access to health and mental health supports.
Ideally a Council Heatwave Plan would include the provision of access to appropriate cool spaces for vulnerable people. “Hot Day Out Centres” could be developed utilising both Council and Community facilities including clubs, places of worship, or senior services organisations. They could also provide information and education about Climate Change impacts as well as access to health and mental health supports.
It is difficult to address problems and issues that are not acknowledged. By not declaring a Climate Emergency the East Gippsland Shire become even more responsible for the community as they become complicit in maintaining a community that is both ill-informed and under prepared to meet Climate Change challenges such as those from increasing Heatwave frequency.
The potential possibility for people in the East Gippsland community to be adversely affected by a climate related impact at some stage is very high. By seeking to protect the community from the current reality, and not ensuring that people are adequately prepared to deal with climate impacts, means the risk is very high that those very people will be even more traumatised when something happens.
The Council must develop a suitable means of risk management by doing whatever possible to ensure the citizens of East Gippsland are fully informed.
Climate News 