SWITCHING central Victoria onto clean energy could leave vulnerable people behind if not managed well, a climate leader says ahead of a forum on accelerating climate action.
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Annika Kearton will warn of risks on the road to zero net emissions, not just the benefits of region-wide collaboration, when she delivers a keynote address at next month's Regional Zero Emissions Forum in Castlemaine.
The rapid shift to solar power and energy storage has already left some behind including renters and people priced out of the market, the Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance executive officers says.
"The first session of the day will focus less on technology in the region, but rather on that question of energy equity and how to make that into part of the transition," Ms Kearton said.
That is not all the forum will focus on.
Climate progress can be slow
Difficulties weaning central Victoria off fossil fuels were thrown into the spotlight last December when a report found the region's biggest population hub had a "poor" chance of hitting zero carbon targets by 2030.
"Community emissions remain high," a City of Greater Bendigo report found.
Both the council and an action group it has helped found - the Greater Bendigo Climate Collaboration - are helping organise Castlemaine's forum as they search for ways to speed things up.
Bendigo is not the only community trying to halt its heavy reliance on fossil fuel burden in sectors like transport and energy.
March's forum is shaping as a key staging post for a roadmap to help people throughout the Loddon, Mallee and Grampians region.
Organisers want to walk away with draft priorities for action fueled by councils, businesses and not-for-profits.
A follow-up forum in Bendigo this May would flesh those ideas out into projects and strategies.
Advantages to Loddon, Mallee and Grampians uniting
Finding ways to collaborate now could stop people being swept up at a later date in one-size-fits-all approaches from Melbourne or Canberra-based policy makers.
Enticing landlords, for example, to install solar and batteries on rentals might not work in areas marred by housing shortages, despite success in places they must compete for tenants.
"So it's really important we have these conversations locally and start understanding what the implications are," Ms Kearton said.
Uniting the Loddon, Mallee and Grampian regions could also help amplify the changes individual groups were working on, City of Greater Bendigo's climate change and environment manager Michelle Wyatt said.
It also simply made sense to collaborate, she said.
"Scientists have told us we need to accelerate the rate of emission reductions if we are to have any hope of limiting global warming," Ms Wyatt said.
To find out more or register to attend the forum visit https://events.humanitix.com/greater-bendigo-climate-collaboration-regional-zero-emissions-forum
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Tom O'Callaghan
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
