Bellingen Chamber of Commerce

Community Emission Reduction Target

Bellingen Shire Council is calling for suggestions or comments on a proposed community emission reduction target. A community meeting was held at Bellingen Uniting Church on Saturday 29 August 2009 to provide a recommendation to the Bellingen Shire Council on a Community Emission Reduction Target. The key outcome of the meeting was the recommendation that Council adopts a community goal of One Earth Living by 2015. The current Australian average ecological footprint (how much land we need overall to sustain our lifestyle) is four earths! So to get to the target of one earth living, Bellingen Shire residents would need to contribute to a reduction in ecological footprint of around 75%.

This target is proposed to be part of the Bellingen Shire Emission Reduction Program (BERP) which is aimed at reducing Council and the community’s greenhouse gas emissions through a five phase implementation process. Adoption of emission reduction targets is Phase 2 of the BERP.

Further information on the target is available on Councils website at http://www.bellingen.nsw.gov.au/environment/3151.html. Council is keen to receive further input from the community on the community emission reduction target of ‘One Earth Living by 2015’ or alternative recommendations and viewpoints on what Community Emission Reduction Target should be adopted. Please send your comments, either supportive or constructive to ndenshire@bellingen.nsw.gov.au.