What is Net Zero and why do we need it?

Net zero refers to the concept of balancing the amount of greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere with an equivalent amount removed through different actions.

IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report (2013) states that limiting global temperature change requires substantial and sustained reductions in greenhouse gas emissions which, together with adaptation, can limit climate change risks. Based on the outcomes of Fifth Assessment Report, negotiations from COP 21 resulted in the adoption of the Paris Agreement on 12 December 2015.

The overarching goal of the Paris Agreement is to hold ‘the increase in the global average temperature to 'well below 2^oC above pre-industrial levels’ and pursue effort ‘to limit the temperature increase to 1.5oC above pre-industrial levels.’

Article 4 of the agreement also highlights that the parties undertake rapid reductions in accordance with best available science, so as to achieve balance between anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks of GHGs in the second half of this century. This is why there is a global race to reach this balance (Net Zero) by 2050.

The primary goal of net zero concept is to limit the global temperature increase to 1.5^oC above pre-industrial level. It’s really important to note that, because it’s a global average, even small fractions of an increase in warming can have massive impacts to our global climatic systems. It will expose millions of people to more extreme climates, rising sea levels and more frequent weather-related disasters including heatwaves, drought, flooding and wildfires. The frequency and severity will drastically increase with catastrophic effects.

What is Council doing to reduce emissions and plan for our future?

Corporate Net Zero Emissions by 2040

Council has adopted a corporate net zero emissions target by 2040. The term 'net zero' refers to the balancing of greenhouse gas emissions with actions that remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. The first step should always be to minimise greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally a target has been set for the Wagga Wagga community to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

Several projects have been implemented to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from Council business and across community assets that Council maintains. Projects have also commenced on how our community can adapt to a changing climate. These include:

• Implementation of a combined food organics and garden organics waste service
• Installation of rooftop solar on Council’s Civic Centre and the Livestock Marketing Centre
• Upgrade to energy efficient LED lights in Council buildings
• Upgrade of street lighting to energy efficient LED lights
• Purchase of an electric vehicle as part of Council’s vehicle fleet
• Development of the ‘Adaptation Action Plans for Priority Infrastructure and Vulnerable Communities’ through Local Government NSW’s ‘Building Resilience to Climate Change’ program
• Partnering with Wagga Wagga Urban Landcare to trial the planting of climate adapted species
• Developing an urban canopy cover and heat map strategy
• Delivering the 'One tree for me' campaign to increase vegetation cover

Wagga Wagga Community Net Zero Emissions 2050 Roadmap

While there’s a global race to net zero, Wagga Wagga City Council resolved to set a community target of achieving reduced emissions of 50% by 2030 and net zero by 2050. It is crucial because it will help us minimize the overall impacts of human activities on our environment and climate system.

This generally involves a combination of actions like reducing emissions, investing in renewable energy or green power, and employing strategies to capture and store carbon. In our daily life, they can include simple actions and making some adjustments to:

• How we get around
• What we eat
• How we use energy
• What we purchase
• What we throw away

The Community Net Zero 2050 Roadmap includes different pathways that are available for our community to engage in climate solutions. We encourage our entire community - whether you are an individual, a small business, or a large corporation to engage in as many pathways as possible which feels realistic and relevant to own specific circumstances. Together, we can achieve net zero emissions and enjoy the different co-benefits that can come with it like healthier lives, financial savings, and being proud to contribute to protecting our environment.

To download this document, click the download link in the top left corner.

Potential Pathways to Net Zero

Renewable Energy

The generation and use of energy to power our homes, offices, businesses, and factories are the major contributors to Wagga Wagga’s greenhouse gas emissions, making up approximately 52% of the emission profile. One of the key reasons behind these emissions is the NSW grid that is currently powered by fossil fuels like coal and oil.

Although the grid is expected to become greener in future, it currently remains as a major source of emissions making community responsible as a consequence of their energy consumption. This community emission can be addressed by switching to renewable energy like solar energy, hydroelectric, wind energy and also choosing green power.

Rooftop solar and Battery systems 

Rooftop solar systems are gaining widespread popularity as a sustainable energy solution offering various advantages. They are inexhaustible and allows homeowners and businesses to generate their own electricity, thus reducing dependency on grid supply. Meanwhile, they can support the electricity grid by feeding excess energy back into the grid which allows users to receive credits for all the surplus energy fed in.

This results in lowered electricity bill and reduced emissions from electricity usage. Apart from this, these solar systems have low maintenance cost and good life span of about 25-30 years which brings huge financial savings to the owners.

Wagga Wagga City Council has recently secured a free access for the community to the premium version of SunSPOT, a solar calculator developed by University of NSW and the Australian PV Institute. Individuals can have answers to their questions like;

How much can you save with solar?

Is your roof too shady for solar?

What is the best size solar system for you, or do you need to get a battery?

The not-for-profit SunSPOT solar calculator helps the householders and small businesses understand the possibilities and benefits of solar on their rooftop. SunSPOT’s development has been supported by the NSW and ACT governments, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and the Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics (ACAP)

SunSPOT is free and confidential to use, and you won’t be getting any sales calls afterwards. All you need to get your estimate is your recent electricity bill.

To get your tailored estimate, please visit: www.sunspot.org.au

SunSPOT Community Help Desk

Council has been holding a Service Help Desk every Tuesday from 2:30pm - 4:30pm (with different timeslots available) at the Alf-Morris Meeting Room, Civic Centre. The help desk aims to assist those who are not tech-savvy, lack access to a computer, or missed the webinar and would like a guided walkthrough.

You can know more and book your appointments here

Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency is all about using less energy to achieve the same level of output or performance. It is a smart and sustainable way to use energy which can bring several benefits like saving money, environmental benefits, improved comfort, and quality of life. Energy efficiency measures can be applied in most of the places like homes, offices, businesses, industries, and transport where energy there are energy use.

Emissions from energy usage alone accounts for 52% for the total community emissions in Wagga Wagga. One of the ways to reduce emission from this sector is practicing energy efficiency measures in the community that will help in reducing the amount of total energy usage in the community. Wagga Wagga City Council has launched Home Energy Efficiency Kits to help residents identify efficiency opportunities in their households.

Some Easy Tips for you:

• Understand your environmental footprint using an online calculator
• Swap short car trips with walking or riding a bike
• Reduce energy use at home by:
  • Turning lights off when not in use
  • Sticking to 4-minute showers
  • Popping on a jumper before switching on the heater
  • Considering the energy efficient rating of new appliance purchases
• Buy food from local growers, or have a go at growing your own fruit and vegetables
• Fix or mend items rather than throwing them away
• Sort your waste across the green, yellow, and red lid bins
• Plant trees and shrubs in your garden, or volunteer with Landcare

Available Grants and Fundings