Docklands blows out greenhouse target

Docklands Community News

Issue 32, June, 2008

The inclusion of Docklands within the City of Melbourne has contributed to a major blow-out in the city’s targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

City of Melbourne community CO2 emissions have jumped 54 per cent since 2002 – seriously challenging the council’s ambition of zero emissions by 2020.

In a recently-released revision on its emissions policy, the council says the emergence of Docklands as a residential, commercial and entertainment district provided a significant contribution to this emissions growth.

Last year, the Australian Conservation Foundation labelled Docklands residents as Victoria’s highest greenhouse polluters.

The council paper shows that residential emissions have jumped from 3 per cent to 10 per cent of total emissions – with commercial users contributing 55 per cent of the total.

The council is planning three ways to tackle residential emissions:

A house-to-house audit program targeting space, water heating and insulation in approximately 12,000 households;

Commissioning retrofits on common areas in 75 per cent of all high-rise residential developments and communal hot water and space heating where feasible and appropriate; and

A behaviour-change program to encourage resident involvement in the audit program, and provide broader energy efficiency advice and information to residents about living and working in Melbourne.

Among other strategies to curb emissions, the council is proposing a congestion charge on motor vehicles entering the municipality with funds raised to be spent on an integrated bicycle scheme in an attempt to double the number of bikes on Melbourne roads.

For further information, download the Zero Net Emissions by 2020

– Strategy Update 2008 document from http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au