Australia: Declarations lead to stronger climate response from local government

Academic research from the RMIT University in Melbourne shows that climate emergency declarations do signify a stronger climate response from local government, and that emerging action plans do reflect many of the attributes needed for robust and viable climate emergency strategies.

The 16-page paper, which was published on MDPI – a Swiss publisher of open access scientific journals – examines “the emerging phenomenon of climate emergency declarations”. A case study based on 30 councils in the Australian state Victoria which have declared a climate emergency, particularly focusing on three of them, examines the drivers, meanings, and implications and to what extent the subsequent plans reflect a reframing of local government roles and actions.

The authors found that the emergency declaration movement is catalysing councils beyond symbolic declarations potentially opening up space for change and disruption.


Abstract
“This paper examines the emerging phenomenon of climate emergency declarations. We focus on the case of Victoria Australia and the 30 councils who have declared a climate emergency with a particular focus on three councils.

We explore the drivers, meanings, and implications and to what extent the subsequent plans reflect a reframing of local government roles and actions.

We find the emergency declaration movement is catalysing councils beyond symbolic declarations potentially opening up space for change and disruption.

Of interest in this paper is also the principal and theoretical implications for citizens, local government, and for research that is connected with this emerging trend.

We highlight conclusions, ideas, and perspectives that can be drawn from this study of the Australian practice of climate emergency declarations.”


→ Anthony Greenfield, Susie Moloney and Mikael Granberg: ‘Climate Emergencies in Australian Local Governments: From Symbolic Act to Disrupting the Status Quo?’