Friday December 14, 2007

It was powerful, it was passionate and it was with a great deal of purpose. He presented a compelling case for  not just ‘going far’… but ‘going far quickly’…together!

It was Al Gore’s time at the COP and he posed not a political question but a moral one. He cited examples of war and famine, flood and fire and posed following each example the question ‘Is this a political issue? He concluded by stating, 'No it is a moral issue.’ One people one planet struck a chord with the over 1000 people who had crammed inside the auditorium to see and hear Gore speak. There were many hundreds outside, as the doors had been locked down half an hour before Gore strode into the auditorium to rapturous and expectant applause to his speech. And in a wide ranging speech that concluded almost an hour later he covered the trials, the tribulations, the truth and importantly the hope for the future of the planet.

There are 2 different questions our generation could be asked by future generations…’Why did you do nothing against all of the evidence…the 4 IPCC reports, the melting of the ice caps and the permafrost, and the climatic catastrophes that we were already experiencing?’ Or ‘How were you able to gather the moral courage to act and act decisively, to take a moral stand for the planet to survive?’ He was listened to in almost stunned silence broken only by spontaneous applause such as when he called on the United States, 'the elephant in the room', to move and sign the Kyoto Protocol. He admonished the US Government strongly and with a sense of betrayal of its citizens.

Gore’s speech wove the science, the scenarios and the solutions through his speech. He has taken up the cause with dignity and determination for the planet and for the people who will be most effected. He has a strong moral streak; he is not presidential but rather prophetic in his style. It is really quite stunning and certainly refreshing. There is an evangelical sprinkling of pauses and....rhetoric. He only seldom looks down at the notes on his lectern. He gesticulates and moves more easily than when I last saw him in Melbourne and certainly more at ease than in his role as gold logie actor. He is a person that is growing in his role as a spokesperson of our time seeking to change the times. In the COP atmosphere of politicians playing out their road map to Copenhagen his is a leading role.

Gore made it clear that there was no road and certainly no map to Copenhagen. And he called on leaders to do something and do it now! The time frame for the post Kyoto Agreement would be too late…why wait 5 years for the problem to get worse when we have to act. As one sits in the Plenary Sessions and listen as leader after leader provides a 10 minute grab on climate change there is a feeling that this is postering not positioning. No doubt the latter is being played out elsewhere.

Gore says the science is clear. The planet is dying. Past civilisations disappeared into the dust; the planet may disappear altogether as a place for human habitation. This is an incomprehensible concept and certainly one that may result in a wave of denial. Gore saved his best till last calling on the leaders of the world to go around the US ‘blank’ stating that there would be a change in the US stance on Kyoto. The US would be a different place with a different President he said emphatically.

As I listened to Al Gore I pondered what might have been had the shards fallen his way. There is no doubt that Gore would have been a different President but would his political stance have diminished his moral one. He said at the outset that he was a free agent and could speak his mind! We have managed to create politicians who for reasons known to us all, often don’t and even can’t call it as they see it! The question is can Al Gore the campaigner make a difference to the global politic on climate change. He maybe just a prophet and they have not had a good track record of being listened to in the past!

Monday December 3, 2007

Yes the UN Conference on Climate Change is upon us and for those fortunate enough to be travelling to Bali from local governments around the world to the ICLEI Climate Sessions and the COP13 meetings, the expectations are high. And for those 10 delegates from Australia and New Zealand the expectations following the election of the Rudd Labor Government, and now the bi-partisan support for signing the Kyoto Protocol, provide an additional sense of optimism to the outcome of the roadmap negotiations to take us to the post Kyoto arrangements that will be delivered at COP15 in Copenhagen in 2009. 

Attending the UN Conference from Australia and New Zealand are: Mayor Tim Rogers, Mornington Peninsula Shire Council, Lyn Green, Town Planner and Jeff Green, Executive Manager Coffs Harbour City Council, Craig Perry, Sustainability Officer Mandurah City Council, Louise Petchell, Senior Sustainability Planner and Cr Karen McKeown Penrith City Council, Bob Verhey, Strategy Manager NSW Local Governments and Shires Associations, John McGrath Manager Policy Unit and Cr Ray Ahipene-Mercer Wellington City Council NZ. Attending from the ICLEI Oceania office are Wayne Wescott, Michelle,Isles, Stephen Kenihan and myself.

Cities will play an important part in Bali as national governments from around the world thrash out how we can achieve the transitional targets so necessary to achieve what all accept as a 60% or thereabouts reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The challenge in the negotiations will be to find common solutions to a common problem, climate change. ICLEI’s 2 day parallel sessions will focus on the work of local governments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change and to build partnerships that add value to the work of cities.

Wednesday October 10, 2007

Today I visited Ballan in Victoria and briefed the mayor and councillors on their work on the CCP program and the Water Campaign. As with all councils there is a committed and passionate manager supported by senior staff to get council to the pointy end of the program and campaign - actions. The Moorabool Shire Council will consider at their next Council meeting the adoption of their Local Action Plans (LAPs) for greenhouse emission reduction and water consumption and quality actions to meet their goals. The briefing was interactive...where is there a council that just sits and listens? It is great to hear the breadth of views and  the range of experiences that elected representatives bring to the Council Chamber.  Moorabool will have a final workshop of the respective actions and then take a vote on the adoption of the LAPs. And then move on......

Wednesday October 3, 2007

The ICLEI briefing breakfast on Friday October 19 7.15 am to 8.30 am will be held at the Local Government Association of South Australia - Annual General Meeting 2007 and focus on State and Local Government's responses to climate change. Local councils in South Australia have been active over the past 10 years working with ICLEI Oceania. ICLEI Oceania currently works with 20 local councils participating in the Cities for Climate Protection® (CCP®) Program and 19 councils participating in the Water Campaign™. The briefing breakfast will provide an opportunity to hear representatives from the South Australian Government, the Local Government Association of South Australia and the Australasian Mayors Council for Climate Protection on approaches to global warming. For further information or to register phone Effie on (03) 9639 8688

Wednesday September 19, 2007

Wollongong is a city of diversity.....ocean views, industrial landscape and framed by a rising escarpment overlooking the city! This is a regional city that is well and truly out there to be a leading city. Wollongong is Australia's ninth largest city with a population approaching 200,000, and is located on a narrow coastal strip bordered by a national park to the north, a lake to the south, the sea to the east and the escarpment to the west.

The Sustainable Economic Growth for Regional Australia Conference this year was held in Wollongong and its theme was 'Climate Change Response - the essentials'.  Speakers covered a range of topics and crossed international, national, regional and local perspectives. In a session that included my presentation on the Cities for Climate Protection program there were presentations  on the National response to an emissions trading scheme, offset program by Professor John Tisdell, Griffith University; Best practice responses to climate change by Dr Chris Briggs Department of Environment and Climate Change, NSW; the Politics of Climate Change by Dr Keith Suter and Implications for Planning Practitioners by Annie Kentwell, Planning Institute of Australia.

Saturday 8 September, 2007

Last Thursday was Adelaide day and it required some tight meeting arrangements to cover all bases. The first port of call was the LGASA offices to discuss with staff the CCP Sustainable Public Lighting Program and a proposal to build on the work completed in Phase 1 of the program and broaden participation and support in the program through a LGASA Research and Development Grant. The timing for the expansion of the program is timely given the SA Government's Climate Change Strategy - 'Tackling Climate Change 2007 - 2020' and the LGASA's soon to be announced 'LG Climate Change Strategy'. Public lighting is well placed to get LGASA, council and SA Government  support  in work to address the significant greenhouse gas emissions from public lighting.

The next stop was Mayor Robert Bria, Norwood Payneham &St Peters. Robert has agreed to be a member of the AMCCP Advisory Group. NP&PS is a CCP, Water Campaign, TBL participant and ICLEI member and therefore can be catagorised as a strong supporter of ICLEI!  Robert will play an important role in SA to ensure that the advocacy role of the AMCCP resoonds to SA local government issues and interests.

Cr Justin Lang, Campbelltown City Council and Sustainability Advisor with the SA Government's Sustainability and Climate Change Division is always good to catch up with to find out what is happening locally and statewide on climate change. This meeting was no exception. Then on to lunch with Mayor Miriam Smith, Tea Tree Gully. Miriam has also agreed to be a member of the AMCCP Advisory Group. She is a
very active mayor locally and is taking on a state local government role.
Council is a CCP participant and following this discussion may consider participating in the Water Campaign and add strength to our work in SA.

The final stop was the Adelaide Town Hall and the Colonel Light Room for a meeting of the Environmental Sustainability Reference Panel chaired by the CEO and attended by the Lord Mayor Harbison and representatives from a range of city / state organisations. I could not but notice at the entrance to the Town Hall a bike parked on the footpath with a slogan writ large - 'Harbo for Lord Mayor'. Yes an election is well and truly in the air. The topic this month was car emissions and greenhouse It was a lively and productive discussion covering how to make Adelaide city and environs less car dependent. The discussion included the community signals needed to discourage private car use and more sustainable transport options. This also requires urban planning issues to be addressed. Watch this space! The flight back to Melbourne gave me time to unwind before touch down.

Sunday September 2, 2007

The City of Melbourne ‘Melbourne Awards’ 2007 last Thursday evening had it all…entertainment, recognition and emotion! Held in the Melbourne Town Hall the venue was decked in to take in the sights and sounds of the evening.  The event commenced with a spectacular display of acrobatics played out above the audience and concluded with the 'Choir of Hard Knocks’ moving rendition of Leonard Cohen’s ‘Halleluiah’! The award recipients were representative of a cross section of Melbourne individuals, companies and community.  In between courses were the amazing ‘Strange Fruit’ performance and a lively routine featuring 4 dancers and 2 cellists. The Award winners were: Lyn Swinburne – Melburnian of the Year founder of Breast Cancer Network Australia; Arron Wood – Contribution to the Environment for his innovative educational schools programs; Glenn Birt – Contribution to the Community for his work with the Horn of Africa community; Daniel Adams – Contribution to Profile for the event Generation 2015; Make Poverty History Concert; University High and Carlton Primary for Community Blitz for environmental works; ANZAC Day Council – Contribution to community for the ANZAC Day events; L’Oreal Fashion Festival – Contribution to profile for the yearly fashion designers event; Sustainability Victoria and Kangan TAFE – Contribution to environment for the state of the art Automotive Centre of Excellence in Docklands; Multicultural Arts Victoria – Contribution to community for the Mix it Up showcase of Melbourne cultural diversity; and Federation Square – Contribution to profile for being there and providing Melbourne with a stage. It was quite a night!

Thursday August 23, 2007

The launch of Sustainability Victoria's Business Plan was a well attended and slick event. Geoff Mabbett, CEO and Bob Welsh, Chairman kicked off proceedings with a call for clear and measurable goals and partnerships to achieve them. The Business Plan 2007-2010 sets out the challenges and the targets for moving Victoria toward sustainability or at leats reducing our current footprint from 8 to 1.8 hectares! We do have the world's worst greenhouse gas emissions per capita, we are among the world's most wasteful nations and we do consume more water in households than any other nation! So we are starting from a low base. The The Plan focuses around greenhouse, energy, materials and water...yes the big 4. The Business Plan is very graphic; providing pie charts, bar graphs  and tables to show us where we are and what we have to do to be more sustainable. Developing green solutions to the way we act will need education, regulation and above all, partnerships. The issues we face need to be considered long term though this should not be seen as code for taking our time! The Business Plan is worth a read: www.sustainability.vic.gov.au

And then over to the Minister, Gavin Jennings. In a no notes, at times passionate, certainly straight talking speech the Minister identified the challenges of his new portfolio. But the Minister does come to his role with a great deal of experience having been a senior advisor to the Cain and Kirner Governments in developing and implementing their Conservation and the Environment Strategy. We are going to hear and see  a lot more from this Minister who does see his portfolio as a whole of government!

Friday August 10, 2007

The day started early at Campbelltown City Council with Mayor Simon Brewer, CEO Paul Di Lulio and Kris Swaffer, Water Campaign Manager SA. This was a ‘meet and greet’ with the ‘new’ mayor and ‘new’ CEO. Campbelltown is the host for our Water Campaign and with the impending employment of an additional staff member for the state wide campaign. We initially discussed the work of Campbelltown on CCP, the Water Campaign and the TBL Capacity Building Program followed by the work of ICLEI nationally. Campbelltown is a fully fledged member, participant and supporter of ICLEI Oceania and as our host council in SA leads by example.

Then across town to Unley City Council to meet with Mayor Richard Thorne, CEO Ray Pincombe to discuss Council’s participation in the Water Campaign. It was a full and frank discussion of the value add of the Water Campaign to Unley's current water initiatives and plans; its framework, its methodology, its data management, its resultant actions and outcomes. Mayor, councillors and management will consider the City's priorities at an October workshop. Participation in the Water Campaign will be considered at this time.

Mitcham City Council was the next port of call for me and a briefing with Mayor Ivan Brooks, CEO Ron Malcolm and Sarah Gilmour on CCP and the Water Camapign. Following our discussion I discussed with Mayor Brooks the work of the AMCCP and the setting up of an Advisory Group in South Australia.

Then on to Adelaide City Council and a meeting of the Environmental Sustainability Reference Group and this month’s topic – Green Building and Urban Form. It was a lively discussion of the opportunities, options and outcomes for Adelaide City to initiate and facilitate sustainable buildings and precincts. The wide ranging discussion did reach a point of concensus – the need to build on existing built and urban form strengths of the city and grow!

Saturday June 23, 2007

Yesterday I was provided a full day of briefings and site visits on the City of Newcastle's environmental sustainability agenda, programs and projects. And it was informative and impressive. 

The day commenced with briefings on the City's Environmental Sustainability Action Plan and the Energy Strategy including 'Warm Zone', a 4 year program to address 'fuel poverty' and improve energy efficiency in all 120,000 homes across the city including the 34,000 judged as 'fuel poor'. Warm Zone is an independent social enterprise trust with British Government, Energy Company, EU and City funding. www.newcastle.gov.uk/warmzone

Carbon Neutral Newcastle has been established to promote carbon neutral events and facilitate community buy in. Carbon Neutral contributions provide funding toward Newcastle Warm Zone, Clean Energy (the installation of photovoltaics on a block of 25 flats), and tree planting in 3 local forests.  The aim is for Newcastle to become the world's first carbon neutral city www.carbonneutralnewcastle.com  

The Enviroschools program works with 100 of the 120 schools across the City and provides an extensive range of information for curriculum development and school promotional materials.  The program seeks not only a school response to sustainability but also a wider community involvement. The use of GIS to assess the work of the school on litter reduction within and outside the school boundary was indicative of the type of support provided. 

The Eco - Management and Audit Scheme operates across the Neighbourhood Directorate and will be expanded to cover all 5 Directorates over time. This environmental management system provides council and community with a detailed report on a range of indicators covering energy and water, office waste, transport, natural environment and biodiversity, purchasing, parks, civic and citywide services, street management, highways, city construction, city design, cleansing services and leisure.

The day concluded with a meeting with Cr Wendy Taylor, Executive Member, Environment and Sustainability. Wendy has been a councillor for some 20 years and in the most recent election the Liberal Democrats won control of the Council and her previous role as spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats on the environment was elevated to Executive. We discussed the strategic policy work underpinning the work of the City on sustainability and the support provided by the Council to the work being undertaken locally, nationally and internationally. There was clearly a desire to be active on the international front and Wendy's attendance at the Kyoto Climate Change Conference reflected this agenda of both learning and sharing the Newcastle experience.

Newcastle is a City determined to place itself in the frontline of cities working toward sustainable futures. www.newcastle.gov.uk

Monday June 11, 2007

There is much to be said about hanging about a place and getting a feel for the ebb and flow, the ins and outs of a community and a  society. In that way you are able to come across all manner of customs and events that shape a way of living.

Sweden Day is not so much celebrated as enjoyed by the Swedes. A few faithful and those on the 'right' give it homage whilst others go about the day barbequeing and relaxing. The shops close and a few cafes and restaurants take advantage of the passing crowds. The day recognises the founding of the Kingdom of Sweden on June 6, 1523. Sweden Day or Flag Day was proclaimed a holiday in 2005.

However an event that takes over cities and towns across Sweden is their answer to 'schoolies day'! It is the day Swedish secondary school students celebrate their final year. They wear white caps from a time past and 'parade' through their towns and cities. And what a hoot! It started in Malmo around 10 am and no doubt disappeared into the evening and beyond nightfall at 10.00 pm.

It built like a crescendo around the city along the malls and then onto the streets with trucks and vehicles of all manner of makes skirting the city with horns and loud music.

There is no doubt that this event's history has real currency amongst Swedish students....more so than Sweden Day!

Monday June 4, 2007

Copenhagen is a city with an ambitious vision. ‘Eco-metropole – 2015’  aims to position Copenhagen as a global leader in sustainability. There are four themes for Eco-metropole – World’s best City for Cycles; Centre for World Climate Policy; A Green and Blue Capital City; and a Clean and Healthy Major City.  And it has targets and will report on its progress to achieve these goals.

So it was with great interest that I met with the Director of the Environmental Department to talk about Copenhagen today and tomorrow.  It was a spirited and informative exchange of plans, ideas and hopes. It is always good to sit down with those who through their work life experience have chosen city government to be in the first part of this watershed century. We need politicians and administrators who not only can talk but know that talk must lead to action. Mikkel Aaro-Hansen has worked for the European Commission, the Danish Government and now for the City Government.

Copenhagen City has 4,300 full time employees and some 1,600 work in the Environmental Department. Their Mayor chairs one of 7 key committees under the Lord Mayor who chairs the Finance Committee. Mayor Klaus Boudam is passionate about the environment and the Lord Mayor Ritt Bjerregaard comes to the position from the European Commission and the Danish Parliament with a similar view. Experience counts; and commitment matters!  Together the Lord Mayor and Mayor share a similar agenda to take Copenhagen to the next step in its quest to be a global leader in sustainability. Copenhagen is a city of 600,000 in a region of 1.8 million. It is linked to southern Sweden and the City of Malmo by a bridge across the Oresund Sea. The Oresund Region so created, has a combined population of 3 million and is one of Europe’s fastest growing regions specialising in bio-technology, IT. digital media with universities and science parks driving eco-innovation. 

Mayor Boudam was in New York for the Clinton Climate Initiative launch and Copenhagen has observer status in the C40. There is strong interest in the work of the City of Melbourne and my discussions with Mikkel opened up some opportunities to be followed up on my return. They also are looking to ICLEI for support in their hosting of COP 15 in 2009. Wayne is involved in these discussions given our work on COP 13 in Bali Indonesia in December this year and the work being coordinated by Michelle on the sustainable Indonesian cities project focussing on energy efficiency.  I left the Department of the Environment after a top floor view over the river; it has been returned to health and now boasts swimming and fishing!

It is testament to what can be achieved and the iconic role waterways play in connecting our lives.  

Friday May 11, 2007

The Melbourne Awards Environmental Roundtable Luncheon was held yesterday and the topic was ‘Melbourne as a sustainable City 2030’. Guests included a range of business and community people. Rob Gell,  facilitated the roundtable. Keynote was Dr Peter Ellyard who provided a robust and enthusiastic presentation on Melbourne in 2030. It looked good! Peter Ellyard was followed by responses by Professor Tom Kvan, Dean, Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, Melbourne University, Rob Adams Director Design and Culture, City of Melbourne and Shelley Penn, Associate Victorian Government Architect. They each gave their view of a sustainable city from built form, transport and economy. The gap in the analysis seemed to be government. If government is important to how we will live and do business in the future then we will certainly need to make changes to our current political structures, processes and maybe boundaries that constrain government’s ability to integrate, coordinate and provide leadership and political commitment to sustainability. And we will need to do something about current thinking that puts electoral terms and partisan politics ahead of long term planning. It was a luncheon to start the thoughts rolling!

Sunday May 6, 2007

.........you need  to talk to 246 mayors from across Australia and New Zealand  whose councils participate in the CCP program now in its 10th year and over 400 delegates who attended the 'Accelerating Now!' conference held in Melbourne last week. And the message is clear...we need to build on the work to date in energy efficiency, waste minimisation and transport alternatives. The conference was an opportunity to reflect, review and recharge for the next decade and build toward 'Carbon Neutral Communities'. The launch of the Australasian Mayors Council for Climate Protection was a landmark occasion for ICLEI Oceania and the local government movement for a sustainable future. Ian Kernan, Chair Clean Up Australia and Clean Up the World called on local governments to work with their communities to take on the global challenge of climate change. The launch had the support of the ALGA, the LGNZ represented by Mayor Bob Abbot and Mayor Bob Harvey respectively and Lord Mayor John So, Vice Chair World Mayors Council on Climate Change. Mayor Nick Berman and Cr Fraser Brindley, members of the ICLEI Executive rolled out the banner and launched the AMCCP. The launch was preceeded by the AMCCP Workshop session opened by Professor David de Kretser, Governor of Victoria and keynote speaker Ian Porter, Victorian Department of Sustainability of Victoria. 'Accelerating Now!' is not a slogan..... it is now our agenda!

Sunday April 1, 2007

When the President of ICLEI arrives in your regional office the word goes out to set up meetings.  And so it was when David Cadman, Deputy Mayor Vancouver arrived in Melbourne on Friday. As an ICLEI world traveller the President has many stories and experiences to share and collect. David chairs a Board representative of the ICLEI regions around the world including Europe, North America, Africa, South America, the Asia Pacific and Oceania! His schedule has therefore been a hectic one since his arrival on Friday morning, meeting with ICLEI staff along with our partners and stakeholders. The meeting we had with Deputy Premier John Thwaites provided an opportunity to provide the Minister with an update on ICLEI international activities and to discuss a number of opportunities arising out of the Australasian Mayors Council for Climate Protection, Conference of the Parties Bali, Indonesia,  ‘Accelerating Now’ Conference, and the work of CCP Victoria encompassing currently 64 councils. The end of the day meeting with staff followed by attendance at the Melbourne versus St Kilda football match at the MCG (Michale Oke provided the commentary and the obligatory scarf) ended day one for the President. On Monday there is an ICLEI members briefing at CH2, City of Melbourne, a meeting with Lord Mayor John So and an afternoon Green Building Workshop before a Vancouver City Council meeting calls David home following 3 weeks on the ICLEI road.

Friday March 30. 2007

The Australasian Mayors Council for Climate Protection session  at the 'Accelerating Now' Conference will be a landmark for accelerated action on climate protection. The session will be held on Friday May 3 from 11.15 am to 3.30 pm and will be opened by the Governor of Victoria, Professor David de Kretser. Following the Governor's presentation we will move to the work of the Planning Group comprising mayors from across Australia and New Zealand and a report back on the submissions received from mayors of the 240 participating CCP councils. The session will be presented with the 'Carbon Neutral Communities' agenda that has been developed and participants will move into workshops to discuss, debate and determine the pathways neccessary for their council and community to set and work toward this agenda through energy efficiency, renewables and offsets. Keep in touch through the ICLEI website for further information on the papers being prepared and to be presented at this session. The lunchtime break will have a number of panelists from across the local government sector to respond to the AMCCP initiative and the 'Carbon Neutral Communities' agenda. The launch of the AMCCP by Ian Kiernan, Founder and Chair of Clean Up Australia and Clean Up the World will conclude the session and set the course for future council actions to reduce greenhouse emissions and address climate change .

Thursday March 15, 2007

The rooster behind the Harvey Hotel started crowing at 5.30 am; I could only assume that he was from Melbourne! It was the day for ICLEI A/NZ's first recognition event in a 'Shire' and the Harvey Recreation and Cultural Centre was the ideal place for such an occasion. The Shire of Harvey was hosting the event as a participant in the Water Campaign. There are 29 councils participating in the Water Campaign in WA and 12 of those are in the south west region. With the support of the South West Catchments Council and with funding from the WA Government the Water Camapign is growing. Yesterday I visited the Shire of Collie and discussed with the CEO their interest in participating in the campaign. The South West Recognition Event and Actions Workshop kicked off at 10.30 am with over 50 in attendance; shire presidents, mayors, councillors, council staff and staff from the Catchments Council and the Department of Water. Unfortunately Minister Kobelke was unable to attend at the last moment and Rob Hammond, Director of Water Resources stepped in. Cr Greg Campbell on behalf of the Harvey Shire President welcomed participants to the Shire and Jenny Bicknell, Water Campaign Australia Manager, gave a rounded summary of the Water Campaign. The Minister's speech was presented and it provided an update on national, state and local water initiatives including the support given to ICLEI's Water Campaign. A cheque was presnted which proved it! The councils awarded were - Waroona, Harvey, Bunbury, Mandurah, Serpentine-Jarrahdale, Kwinana, Rockingham. Peter Jones, South West Catchments Council Water Campaign Project Manager, presented a regional report on the initiatives and challenges for the region. The afternoon was spent workshoping Regional Water Plans, Water Conservation in the Shire of Serpentine-Jarrahdale and the catchment module.  The day reaffirmed the partnerships and political support for water management in the south west and the integral role played by ICLEI.

Thursday March 8, 2007

The City of Adelaide has embarked on a review and development of an Environment Strategy Plan 2007 – 2012. At a meeting today at the Town Hall a meeting was convened of a Reference Group to oversee and advise on its development. Members included Stuart Moseley, Acting CEO, Lord Mayor Michael Harbison, Cr Anne Moran, Trixie Smith, Capital City Committee, Stephen Mylius, University of Adelaide, David Craven, Green Building Council of Australian Moulds, Property Council of Australia, Peter Jackson, Urban Development Institute of Australia and myself representing ICLEI Oceania. Unable to attend were Stephen Smith, Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges NRM Board and Jane Corin, Conservation Council of South Australia. The Group were briefed on the development of the Strategy and its relationship to the development of an economic and social strategy to provide the City with a sustainable agenda. The Reference Group members will meet monthly and respond to the City’s environmental agenda for the next decade and beyond. 

Thursday February 22, 2007

Breakfast came none to soon yesterday morning, as I woke at 5.00 am (or 7.00 am my time) to my first day in Jeju. It was a familiar night to back home as the thermostat in my room maintained the temperature at a balmy 30 degrees! I had hoped for cooler climes. Nevertheless the day had begun so breakfast Asian bistro style. I found the scrambled eggs; no good trying to be adventurous as I had much to do and my physical well being along with my mental state was no good testing at this time. I was collected from the CityCon Hotel at 8.15 am there was  short drive to the Provincial Government’s Administration building to meet with Mr Kim Yang Bo, Environment Policy Director to discuss the format and content of the interviews for the position of ICLEI Korea Director. I met briefly the Director General Environment Bureau, Mr O, Moon and was welcomed to Jeju.

The interviews commenced at 9.30 am and concluded at 12.30 pm. The experience was most informative on the opportunities and challenges that the ICLEI Korea Office would be taking on with one of these excellent candidates.  And then on to lunch in a Korean restaurant to discuss the candidates and a decision was made. A short break to catch up on some emails and then to the Workshop held in the Halla Arboretum.  In attendance were around 35 senior local government officials from cities across Korea. The presentations I gave included a look at the ICLEI world followed by CCP Australia and the Water Campaign. The session concluded at 5.30 pm with a robust Q&A session! Then to a vegetarian Korean Restaurant to wind down and back to the hotel……and a new room in which to cool down!  

Sunday February 18, 2007

Kirsty Bailey and Richard Jennings yesterday celebrated their marriage with friends and family in 38 degree heat. Not that the heat was going to dampen the enthusiasm of a partnership made in the World’s End Hotel, Adelaide following an ICLEI CCP Forum in 2001. Yes ICLEI can lay claim to facilitating many partnerships and even to a select number of MoUs…but a marriage? No that must be a first! Kirsty moved on from ICLEI having laid the foundations for the 2 year TBL Capacity Building Program now being implemented by 15 councils across Australia. Kirsty was the CCP Program Manager at the time of meeting Richard, who was at that time working on CCP at Moreland City Council and came as a panellist to the Forum. I am glad I was there at both ends!

Saturday February 17, 2007

Following Monday's Water Campaign briefing luncheon hosted by South East Water, I pack my bags for a 6.00 am flight to Sydney, followed by a flight to Seoul followed by a flight to Jeju airport. Jeju is an island off the southern tip of South Korea and Jeju Province is the host of the ICLEI - Korea Office. My role is to represent ICLEI International on the interviewing panel for the new Director. I also will be speaking at a forum for senior government officials on the campaigns and programs of ICLEI Oceania and build appropriate bridges for our on going liaison and support. Jeju Province was proclaimed in July 2006 as a 'free international city of peace and province', writes the Governor Kim, Tae Hwan. Jeju has a population of around 500,000 and is 73km wide and 41km long and is the largest island in South Korea.

Sunday February 11, 2007

There is certainly a groundswell of interest in tackling climate change by local councils and hardly surprising given the extensive coverage that climate change is receiving in the media and the focus of the upcoming federal election.

The impact was certainly evident in Sydney last week where I met with a number of mayors, councillors and council staff and discussed the request by the AMCCP Planning Group for submissions on their actions and initiatives. Meetings with Mayor George Newhouse, Waverley Council, Mayor Rex Stubbs, Hawkesbury Council and Cr John McInerney, Sydney City Council confirmed the political will and commitment to addressing climate change as a global issue at a local level. It also was a reminder of the call on council current staffing resources to handle what is a rapidly emerging priority.

I also met Lord Mayor Clover Moore, Cr Robyn Kemmis and Cr John McInerney at a Sydney Council event and discussed the work of ICLEI and  the City on their sustainability agenda. I had earlier in the week briefed the Lord Mayor’s advisor on the work of the AMCCP and the May Conference. Wayne will be briefing the Capital City Council of Mayors meeting in Melbourne in March on the AMCCP and the important role to be played by capital city governments in providing leadership.

A visit to Blacktown and I met up with Alex Gooding, Executive Director, Western Sydney ROC and was briefed on the work of the ROC on infrastructure and urban transport planning, the Metro Strategy and the State Plan. The decline in manufacturing is a major concern to the region with the resultant job losses. A meeting with Bob Verhey and Bridget Dwyer, LGA&SAs NSW, began our discussions on an MoU with the Associations and an Local Government Associations meeting of environmental managers auspiced by the ALGA provided an opportunity to brief them on ICLEI’s current campaign work and in particular the Adaptation Initiative to be developed for CCP councils and the wider local government sector. This work will be closely aligned with the activities of LGAs on climate change issues.

Friday February 2, 2007

I have completed nine 'milestone' years at ICLEI A/NZ - Oceania.........and what a ride it's been!