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Mar 22, 2023

Council achieves certified carbon neutral domain

A New South Wales council has become the first council in Australia to achieve a

A New South Wales council has become the first council in Australia to achieve a carbon neutral public domain, alongside being certified Climate Active carbon neutral.

City of Parramatta Lord Mayor, Sameer Pandey, said the Council was committed to reducing carbon emissions by 60 per cent by 2038.

"We are the first council in Western Sydney to achieve Climate Active carbon neutral certification, one of three in New South Wales," Mayor Pandey said.

"Even more significant, we are the first council in Australia to achieve carbon neutral certification for services in a public domain for Parramatta Square.

"Parramatta Square is one of Australia's largest commercial business precincts, so meeting our carbon neutral targets on everything from waste collection and cleaning to horticulture and general maintenance is a real achievement."

City of Parramatta has made significant efforts to reduce its carbon footprint, by commencing a 100 per cent renewable electricity supply contract, and installing solar panels together with energy efficiency upgrades across its portfolio of assets.

The Council aims to transition its passenger vehicle fleet to electric vehicles by 2030 with its first battery electric vehicle now in use, together with 32 hybrid passenger vehicles and a further 54 to be rolled out in the coming months.

"We are proud of the progress Council has made in reducing our environmental footprint," Mayor Pandey said.

"From moving to more efficient LED lights on our sporting fields and across the street light network to phasing out single use plastics at Council events, to our plans to divert organic waste from landfill, every step matters."

To ensure the City continues to meet the requirements of certification, the Council will provide annual emissions calculations, public disclosure statements and third-party certifications, which will be published annually by Climate Active – an ongoing partnership between the Federal Government and Australian businesses to drive voluntary climate action.

Featured Image: Mayor Pandey beside one of Parramatta's electric vehicles. Image provided by the City of Parramatta.