Media release: Department of Planning and Environment
Funding grants for NSW Joint Organisations totalling nearly $1.4m have been announced for nine groups of councils to fast-track their move towards Net Zero.
Sustainability Director, Emily Yip, said the Government funding for the pilot program for the nine groups which cover 65 regional councils, will enable them to each employ a staff member for up to a year to drive net zero outcomes for the region.
“Projects will include developing a regional Electric Vehicle (EV) plan, implementing emissions reduction plans and establishing Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) for renewable energy purchase for member councils,” Ms Yip said.
“Supporting all nine applicants means about 70% of regional NSW council areas will receive support through the program, demonstrating a strong commitment to cutting emissions in the regions.”
“The grants are part of the Sustainable Councils program which helps local governments in regional NSW save energy and money, cut emissions, and set a path to net zero.”
The grants will improve the capacity of the nine joint council groups to coordinate and lead net zero outcomes with their member councils.
There now are 13 regional Joint Organisations covering 87 NSW councils.
The JOs strengthen collaboration and engagement between State and local governments and improve infrastructure and service delivery to regional communities.
By combining resources and focussing on the unique challenges and strengths of their region, joint organisational members can drive better outcomes for local communities and deliver outcomes on a regional scale.
Councils can find more information and support to help them take action on the Climate action for Councils page.