GreenARC - EOI For Climate Emergency

Do you want to help Council Respond to the Climate Emergency?

Call for Expressions of Interest

The severe effects of the recent unprecedented drought and bushfires demonstrate the urgent need for our region to play our part in adapting to climate change and protecting our future and our planet’s future. Armidale Regional Council Residents are invited to express their interest in membership of the Climate Emergency Working Group (CEWG) that will help Council and our region manage the risks posed by a changing climate.

If you think you have the ability, skills and enthusiasm to serve on the CEWG, please email an expression of interest (EOI) of 1 – 2 pages explaining how you can contribute to the CEWG's goals and addressing the Selection Criteria below to the Chair of ESAC drobinson@armidale.nsw.gov.au and to council@armidale.nsw.gov.au

We’d appreciate it if EOI could be submitted as soon as possible. Preference may be given to applicants who are most likely to help achieve one or more of the CEWG’s goals or core responsibilities. Applications may be distributed to ESAC members for assessment.

The CEWG will be a sub-committee of the Environmental Sustainability Advisory Committee. Young and Indigenous community members and those involved with UNE’s Project Zero30 are encouraged to apply.

Goals The CEWG will research, encourage, explore funding opportunities and seek to implement initiatives in the short, medium and long term that our community and Council can undertake to:

1. Reduce greenhouse emissions, aiming, by 2030, for no additional contribution from our region to the global temperature rise

2. Adapt to current and anticipated climate change impacts

3. Reduce atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases, e.g. sequester and store carbon in trees and soils

4. Respond in other ways to the Climate Emergency, declared by Council on 23 October 2019.

Core Responsibilities The core responsibilities of the working group are to:

• Recommend actions that Council and the community can undertake, after considering the costs vs benefits of those activities

• gather a list of current activities and future actions for Council and the community to reduce global warming and adapt to current and anticipated climate change impacts, including those proposed in EcoARC

• engage the community and stakeholders to develop this list, after considering whatever information is available on the costs vs benefits of each action

• explore funding options for Council and the community

• inspire action and seek to implement initiatives that will achieve the goals set out above

• by April 2020 prepare an initial report that will be used as input to the report required by ARC Resolution 266/19 (11 December 2019, see the meeting minutes on ARC’s website).

• prepare further reports as required.

Expenses will not be reimbursed

Unless Council resolves otherwise, working group members will not be remunerated for their time and no reimbursement of travel expenses will be payable, except in special circumstances. However, it might be possible to attend meetings via video-conferencing.

Further Information

Relevant documents are available in a dropbox folder. Please email Cr Robinson, Chair of ESAC - drobinson@armidale.nsw.gov.au if you would like further information on Council's Environmental Sustainability policies or have difficulties accessing the files.

1. The EcoARC ‘GreenPrint’ strategy that was adopted on 11 December 2019 and will guide Council’s operations and assist groups in the community to improve sustainability in our region

2. Information on Project Zero2030, a partnership with UNE that aims for no additional contribution from our region to the global temperature rise by 2030

3. Background report to the Climate Emergency Declaration adopted by Council on 23 October 2019

4. Adapt NSW website. Understanding and adapting to climate change in NSW https://climatechange.environment.nsw.gov.au/.

Selection Criteria

a) Strong understanding of the local community

b) A passion for making a positive contribution to climate change mitigation and adaptation locally

c) Knowledge of climate change and the types of activities that can reduce emissions on individual and community levels

d) A capacity to dedicate sufficient time and energy in March and April 2020.

e) The ability to work together with the other members of the working group to produce the recommendations and report

f) Demonstrated success in achieving difficult outcomes in a complex political environment

g) Weighting will be placed on youth and indigenous applications to ensure representation.

Expanded Selection Criteria (unanimously approved by the Environmental Sustainability Advisory Committee)

The most important selection criterion is the ability to contribute to the goals of the working group and act on Council’s Climate Emergency Declaration. For this, you will need skills, knowledge and enthusiasm, e.g.

• Knowledge of climate change and the types of activities that can reduce emissions

• Being passionate and able to make a positive contribution to climate change mitigation and adaptation in the current political environment

• The understanding and ability to gather ideas from the community, and to inspire and implement action to achieve the goals set out above

• The ability to explore funding opportunities and work towards obtaining funding for the activities needed to achieve these goals. What skills and experience can you offer?

• An understanding of Environmental Sustainability policies, and the ability and sufficient free time before the initial report is due, to work with other members of the CEWG and ideally with UNE’s project Zero30, to recommend actions on climate change, and to produce reports that will be used as input to the report required by ARC Resolution 266/19 (11 December 2019 – more details in the meeting minutes on ARC’s website)

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