The alliance will include non-government and government organisations and is set to be formally launched later this year.
Trent McCarthy, councillor at Darebin City Council – the world’s first council to declare a climate emergency – told Government News that most of the 31 councils who have declared a climate emergency have backed a plan to form the alliance.
A new online tool which allows councils to share examples of best practice initiatives modelled from UK councils will also be launched as a part of the alliance.
The league of councils will work together to encourage local, grassroots action on climate change by sharing resources and best practice examples of green initiatives while pushing for state and federal funding.
Communities are increasingly calling on their local leaders to act on climate change, with many councils at the precipice of the issue, Cr McCarthy told Government News.
Another international alliance of councils from across the globe is also being formed.
Darebin City Council has launched a framework and resource to help councils with their climate emergency response.
→ Government News – 5 August 2019:
Aussie councils form nation-first climate alliance
“For everyone working in the construction industry, meeting the needs of our society without breaching the earth’s ecological boundaries will demand a paradigm shift in our behaviour. Together with our clients, we will need to commission and design buildings, cities and infrastructures as indivisible components of a larger, constantly regenerating and self-sustaining system.”
~ Architects Declare Australia
“Australian architects are joining an international declaration recogniwing the existence of a global environmental and biodiversity climate emergency. Wtating that “the research and technology exist for us to begin that transformation now, but what has been lacking is collective will,” the architects seek to “advocate for faster change in our industry towards regenerative design practices,” “establish climate and biodiversity mitigation principles as the key measure of our industry’s success,” and “upgrade existing buildings for extended use as a more carbon efficient alternative to demolition,” among other goals.
The Royal Institute of British Architects has joined the international declaration. In June, the American Institute of Architects passed its own resolution calling for “urgent and sustained climate action”.
→ Archinect – 31 July 2019:
Australian architects declare climate and biodiversity emergency