Macedon Ranges to consider declaring a climate emergency

Deputy mayor Mark Ridgeway will ask his elected colleagues to back the first step in a declaration by directing the shire to prepare a formal report by March.

The push comes a year after Castlemaine's Mount Alexander Shire declared its own emergency, intensifying its language and targets to drive down emissions.

More news:

The City of Greater Bendigo has not declared an emergency but in 2019 voted to "recognise and urgently respond" to environmental and climate breakdown.

It has since argued that the vote was equivalent to an emergency declaration and that it tied council spending to risks surrounding climate change.

Cr Ridgeway's proposal would have some resemblance to both Bendigo and the Mount Alexander Shire's actions, which also included reports showing what resources would be needed for a declaration, how it would sit against the council's current policies and what adjustments might need to be made going forward.

Scientists are predicting rapid changes to central Victoria's temperatures and rainfall temperatures to continue in coming decades.

A 2019 report expected the average number of days over 38 degrees each summer to rise to 10 by the 2050s, compared to four now.

The same report found those changes would likely happen in "jumps" or "steps", rather than gradual changes over the next 10 years, which decision makers would need to take into account as they planned for the future.

Cr Ridgeway's emergency push comes as the federal government comes under increasing pressure from Pacific Island leaders to do more on climate change.

Many are concerned that low-lying islands are at risk without firm action at the international level.

Voices within the government are also beginning to speak up about support for a net zero carbon emissions target by 2050, in line with targets that states and territories are chasing.

The Macedon Ranges wants to arrive at its own net-zero target by 2030, according to a strategy put in place three years ago.

- With AAP