ENVIRONMENT

SUMMARY…

In 2007, the City of Melbourne has asked the community:What would you like to see as an ‘environmental future’ for the City of Melbourne?

We have been hearing the answers through a number of Future Melbourne forums, including:* Community values a ‘green’ city * There is a need for a proactive and opportunistic response to climate change to maintain our environment• A 21st century public transport system is required to facilitate sustainable access

To continue listening, we will host more engagement opportunities as we need to expand the sample size, moving beyond an industry focus to engage the general public of those issues and options, building up the water and waste components of this agenda as we go.

Consultation

Activities to date under the Environmental Talking Point have to this date centered on the undertaking of the following methods of engagement:

• Reference groups• Forums• Direct engagement, e.g. Sustainability Street• General promotion, e.g. quarterly Environment Newsletter• eVillage

Achievements

Partnerships• Sustainable Cities Round Table – Victorian Eco Innovation Lab

[VEIL]

PHASE 1 – Consultation & achievements

Identification of… Key issues and values were identified through:

• “Big Ideas” competition• Letters• Forum seat sheets• Other Drivers’ surveys• The Environment & other Talking Points on eVillage• University of Melbourne analysis

IssuesKey issues raised included:• A need for a proactive and opportunistic response to climate

change to maintain our environment• The provision of a 21st century public transport system to

facilitate sustainable access

Other areas of focusGreen space, Landscapes,Energy – Production & Consumption, Green Buildings, Water Management,Food Production, Population Growth, Waste, Global Warming Adaptation, Economic development and more

Useful starting point for discussion, but is it representative?

Phase 1 – Key issues & values

ValuesEven you humans want to see a ‘green’ city!

Phase 2 – Emerging options

Responding to Climate Change ForumFirst conversation - Forum held 27 November 2007, representatives from:

• Residents’ groups• Schools• Universities• Non-government organisations • Business

Environmental, social & economic aspects covered by…• Arron Wood, Firestarter Pty Ltd• Chris Loader, Bus Association of Victoria• Gavin Dufty, Society St Vincent de Paul• George Pappas, Committee for Melbourne• Professor Jim Falk, Climate Adaptation – Science & Policy Initiative [CASPI],

The University of Melbourne

Discussion of options/ key ways forward regarding…• Transport• Our Way of Life• Infrastructure –including energy• Food supply & distribution• Buildings• Health • Commerce

Phase 2 – Emerging options

Food Supply & Distribution

• Increase positive subsidies those that encourage sustainable practises• Educate for sustainability – better labelling to reflect embodied energy/water of products, e.g. meat

Infrastructure

• Changing ways we interact with environment• Use of recycled water• Community leadership, government leadership• Regulation, innovation, pricing, trade • Distributed energy• Grow food locally • Innovation• Council investment• City of Melbourne needs to take risk

Our Way of Life

• Requires shift in social norms• Urban densification• Community gardens

Transport

• Advocacy for sustainable transport• Investment in sustainable transport• Prioritising use of road space to allow for sustainable transport options• Road pricing

Health

• Heat wave plans - Provide warnings• Cooling sectors/centres in the city• Link up with sister city Thessalonika

Buildings

• Dress code - Behaviour change – key challenge• Retrofitting• Energy - Put into grid• Gross leasing of apartments• Improve design of and material selection

Commerce

• Partnerships• Exposure to other markets• Shift from ownership to rental (i.e. focus on service provided rather than goods)• Cradle to cradle response for products• Review work versus leisure balance• Clusters - Localised globalisation, e.g. of particular industries• Biomimicry, technology - Opportunity for retraining of workers

CLIMATE CHANGE

WATER

WASTE

Equity

FOOD

Pricing

Water quality

Conservation

Biodiversity/habitat

Catchment health

ENERGY

Infrastructure

Peak loads

Land use change

Health

Infectious disease

Heat stress

TRANSPORT

Air quality

Peak oil

Security/supply Greenhouse

emissions

Organic

Recycling

Purchasing

Amenity

Packaging

Apartments / consolidation of dwellings

Commercial

Energy generation

Waterway pollution

Embodied energy

Housing

Phase 2 – Exploring options

So you think your branch can’t help out in the response to climate change?

JUN – SEP 2007

Phase 1: Identifying the issues, revealing the values

OCT 2007 – JAN 2008

Phase 2: Considering the options

JAN – MAR 2008

Phase 3: Evaluating the choices

MAR – JUN 2008

Phase 4: Negotiating the results

JUN – SEP 2008

Phase 5: Achieving agreement

27 June Environmental Shocks Forum

27 November 2007Responding to Climate Change Forum – invite only

OVERVIEW

THEME

WATER

ENERGY

CLIMATE CHANGE

WASTE

12 September Sustainable Cities Round Table - invite only

TBC (March)Responding to Climate Change Forum – Public forums

TBCResponding to Climate Change Forum – Public forum,27/11/07

14 AprilFuture Energy Forum 1: Renewable Energy (Public forum)

28 April 2008Future Energy Forum 2: Baseload, nuclear, geosequestrations (Public forum)

Phase 2 – Our plans…

31 October Sustainable Cities Round Table “Visioning a sustainable future” - invite only

TBC (March)Responding to Climate Change Forum – Student led forum Can your branch assist

with this consultation – i.e. fill in the gaps?

A final thought…

A healthy environment underpins a healthy Future Melbourne

Conclusion

Engagement opportunities

Continue to engage those people who can not only make a difference to the identified issues, but also those who must live with the problem and/or the proposed solutions.