HOW would you like to imagine Bendigo in the future?
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A thriving regional hub that is socially connected and a leader in clean and sustainable technologies, or a dry, hot, desolate city in a state of decline and social dysfunction?
The recent report from the International Panel on Climate Change issues a stark warning of what our future is likely to be under climate change scenarios. Under current business as usual practices, the world is on track to 4 degrees Celsius warming by later this century.
The IPCC forewarns this will have devastating consequences on most regions globally.
At the G20 – and following the announcement by the US and China of their joint emissions reduction pact – US President Barack Obama said that we cannot ignore our responsibilities to address climate change, warning that Australia in particular faced more aggressive weather including longer droughts.
Already in the last decade, central Victoria and Bendigo has experienced prolonged drought where Bendigo was weeks away from running out of water in 2007; extended heatwave conditions leading to the Black Saturday bushfires in February, 2009; extreme rainfall in 2010 and 2011 leading to record flood events; and more recent record heatwaves and seasonal temperature conditions culminating in the hottest calendar year on record.
And all this from a global temperature rise of only 0.8 degrees above pre-industrial times. Imagine what Bendigo would be like under a 4 degree rise – or perhaps we would rather not imagine. This is not an option we want to consider.
Instead, perhaps we should be imagining the benefits of avoiding a 4 degree rise. The Bendigo Sustainability Group has a vision for Bendigo to become powered by 100 per cent renewable energy. Not only will this stimulate a move to clean technology and low carbon economy, but will also contribute our share of emission reductions globally.
The Bendigo community has demonstrated a willingness to take on the challenge and is one of the leading areas for solar installations around Australia.
A number of Bendigo’s innovative industries and businesses from Keech Castings, MSD, BB Truss, Victoria Carpets and others have incorporated sustainability principles into their manufacturing and business processes. We also have the Bendigo Bank and BankMECU who display an ethical approach to investment by not supporting fossil fuel industries.
Now imagine Bendigo as a central hub for research and development into clean technology, providing leadership into new energy systems and meeting the ambition of the “Thinking City”.
This is possible with inspired leadership and strong community support. However, we need leadership from businesses and politicians to take us to that next level.
So as you think about the candidates for this election, let’s Imagine Bendigo as an innovative “Thinking City”.
Keith Reynard is president of the Bendigo Sustainability Group.