Sydney made this change as a result of community pressure to act on climate change. Australia’s most populous city is now powered 100 per cent by renewable energy.
A model to follow
The city of Sydney, the Central Borough of Australia’s largest metropolis, will now be powered by 100% renewable energy, a change that is expected to save $500,000 and 200,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere over the next ten years.
Two solar farms and a wind farm in the New South Wales region will exclusively power the city’s 115 buildings, 75 parks, 23,000 streetlights, various sports facilities and depots. This landmark agreement is the largest green energy agreement by a city council in Australia.
Effective measures to combat climate change
This initiative is expected to help Australia meet its emissions reduction targets more quickly and create new job opportunities in regions where solar and wind farms are located.
We are in the midst of a climate emergency. If we want to reduce emissions and develop the green energy sector, all levels of government must urgently switch to renewable energy, » said Mayor Clover Moore in a press release. « Cities are responsible for 70% of global greenhouse gas emissions, so it is essential that we take effective and evidence-based climate action ».
Sydney, a green city since 2007
The City of Sydney has long taken action against climate change. The city became carbon neutral in 2007 and was officially listed as the first local government in Australia to be certified carbon neutral four years later. In 2019, the City of Sydney was one of 43 cities to be recognised for its commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and planning for extreme weather events, such as sea level rise, fires and drought.
This recognition was awarded by the CDP, an environmental non-profit organization, which praised the city’s recent tree planting initiatives and strong climate policies. The new clean energy agreement should enable the city to meet its target of reducing emissions by 70% by 2030, six years ahead of schedule, and inspire other cities across the country to take similar action.