The Community Emissions Reduction Plan (CERP) is a plan Shellharbour City Council is creating with help from the community. It will guide how we reduce greenhouse gas emissions (gases like carbon dioxide that trap heat in the air and warm the planet) across the city.

The goal is to reach net zero emissions by 2050. That means balancing the amount of greenhouse gases we put into the air with the amount we take out, so the total is zero. This will be achieved by both reducing emissions and actively removing them through methods such as increasing tree cover in our area and switching to zero emissions transport.

The CERP is part of a bigger plan called the Zero Emissions Shellharbour Strategy, which sets Council’s long-term goals for climate action both operationally, and within the community. While the Strategy shows the big picture, the CERP focuses on local, practical steps we can all take to tackle climate change together.

Shellharbour produces around 562,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases each year. These emissions contribute to climate change, which affects our environment, health and future.

Council has committed to helping the community reach net zero emissions by 2050. To do that, we need a clear plan that includes everyone. That means homes, transport, businesses and more. The CERP helps us plan how to reduce these emissions together.

Council will:

• Work with the community to understand needs and ideas for action on climate change

• Facilitate partnerships between different stakeholders

• Advocate on behalf of our community for priority actions

The plan builds on Council’s existing commitments, including using 100% renewable electricity by 2025 and aiming for net zero emissions in Council operations by 2035. Now we’re turning the focus to the wider community, with the CERP helping guide the next stage.

Everyone has a role to play in shaping and delivering the CERP.

You can:

• Share ideas on how to reduce emissions

• Tell us what support you need, like workshops or rebates

• Highlight barriers to taking action

• Get involved in surveys, events and activities

Your input will help shape a plan that reflects Shellharbour’s values and needs.

Net zero means we’re putting no more greenhouse gases into the air than we take out. We can do this by:

• Reducing emissions (e.g., switching to electric appliances and cars)
• Removing carbon from the air (e.g., planting trees)

Climate change is the long term shift in our planet’s weather patterns. This includes things like rising temperatures, changes in rainfall, and more extreme weather events like floods, heatwaves or bushfires.

It is mostly caused by human activities such as burning coal, gas and oil, which release gases into the air that trap heat, kind of like a blanket around the Earth.

These changes affect our environment, our health and the way we live, which is why it is so important we take steps now to reduce the impacts and protect our future.