What was the Cities for Climate Protection Program?

Cities for Climate Protection (CCP^TM) Program was an international program that assisted local government in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In Australia, the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) delivered the program in collaboration with the Australian Greenhouse Office (AGO).

What has Council achieved?

Through the CCP^TM program we have:

• Calculated base year greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for Council and the Woollahra local government area (LGA)
• Adopted GHG reduction goals for Council and the LGA
• Prepared the Woollahra Greenhouse Action Plan
• Conducted a re-inventory of Council and LGA emissions to assess progress towards reduction goals and to highlight where further action is required
• Prepared annual progress reports for the implementation of greenhouse gas emissions reduction actions.

Council joined the CCP^TM PLUS program in July 2005. This program assisted Council to continue its progress towards achieving their emission reduction goal - a 30% greenhouse gas emissions reduction by 2010 (from base year 99/00). While the CCP program has now closed, Council is developing a new emission reduction strategy based on the foundations and learnings of this program.

Overall outcomes of the program

The most current data, from 2007, revealed that CCP^TM local governments reported 3.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emission reductions, compared to 2.9 million tonnes the previous year. As well as cutting carbon emissions, the 2600 actions reported by participating councils in 2006/07 include:

• saved money
• reduced water use, air pollution and traffic congestion
• improved community health and fitness.

Total emission reductions over the life of the program exceed 13.3 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.