The Alpine Shire Council Climate Action Plan 2025–2029 continues Council's work to reduce emissions, build resilience to climate impacts, and manage our envrionmental footprint responsibly.

Building on the achievements of our first Climate Action Plan 2021–2024, which enabled Council to reach net-zero corporate emissions in July 2023, this new Plan outlines the next steps to:

• Maintain net-zero for scope 1 and 2 emissions
• Begin calculating our scope 3 emissions
• Strengthen climate resilience across Council operations, assets and services
• Ensure transparent and accountable envrionmental perofrmance

As we implement the Plan, we will monitor progress, make adjustments where needed, and work with partners to deliver practical, achievable outcomes. Council is committed to taking meaningful action on climate change and supporting a sustainable future for the Alpine Shire.

In 2021, Council adopted its corporate Climate Action Plan 2021-2024 and Climate Action Position Statement. These documents set out the actions Council would take to reduce its corporate greenhouse gas emissions, and provided the framework for achieving net-zero emissions by July 2023.

Baseline: 2,384 tonnes CO₂-e (2018/19)

Council's emissions baseline provides a reference point to measure greenhouse gas emissions over time. It helps us track the impact of climate action and sustainability initiatives across Council operations.

This baseline was calculated using data from the 2018/19 financial year and informed the key emissions reduction opportunities included in the Climate Action Plan 2021-2024.

Council’s climate change response is a continuous improvement process that adapts to changing needs. This ensures that the targets we set, and actions we take, are environmentally, financially and socially sustainable - now and into the future -as technology, community expectations, best practice, legislation and climate science evolve.

Since implementing our corporate Climate Action Plan 2021-2024, Council has undertaken a range of initiatives to reduce emissions and achieve net-zero corporate emissions, including:

• 100% renewable electricity: All Council electricity needs are met through the Victorian Energy Collaboration Power Purchase Agreement (VECO PPA), signed in 2021, reducing our emissions by nearly 1600 t CO2-e annually.
• Solar PV and batteries: 12 Counci facilities now generate 13% of our total electricity needs, with potential for further expansion.
• LED streetlight upgrades: Replaced energy-intensive mercury vapour lights with highly efficient LED lighting, significantly reducing our electricity consumption.
• Fleet upgrades: We've introduced 3 electric vehicles (EV) and several hybrids, along with EV charging infrastructure installed at the Bright office.
• Energy efficiency retrofits: Replacing gas-reliant and inefficient appliances with effieicnt electric alternatives, whilst improving energy efficiency at Council facilities.
• Carbon offsets: Since the 2022/23 financial year, we have purchased Greenfleet carbon offsets to offset our annual residual emissions, while exploring local offset options ('insetting') within the Alpine Shire.

To bolster resources and maximise our impact, Alpine Shire Council works with other local governments and agencies across Australia, including:

• Cities Power Partnership - Australia’s largest local government climate network, collaborating to accelerate climate action.
• Goulbourn Murray Climate Alliance - A partnership of17 local government, catchment management authorities, state agencies and alpine resorts in the Goulburn and Upper Murray regions, working together on carbon reduction projects, research and advocacy.