ALGA Vice-President and Alice Springs Mayor Damien Ryan has been announced as an expert advisor to Australia’s largest local government climate network.
The newly-announced Cities Power Partnership expert advisory panel will provide specialist guidance to the climate network, which currently has 70 member councils who together represent more than 8 million Australians. The advisory panel will meet annually to help to set future direction for the partnership.
Mayor Ryan joins farmer and CEO for Farmers for Climate Action, Verity Morgan-Schmidt, Climate Councillor, Professor Karen Hussey, Climateworks sustainable transport expert, Claire Painter, and ACT Minister for Climate Change, Shane Rattenbury, on the panel.
“The responsibility for climate action is not one that can be done in isolation,” Minister Rattenbury said.
“Local and other jurisdictions must continue to work together and learn from one another if we’re to achieve real progress.”
Panel member Verity Morgan-Schmidt said that action at a local level forms a crucial part of rural Australia’s climate response.
“Local councils have the capacity to be change leaders in rural Australia, switching to cleaner energy and building more resilient and efficient communities,” she said
One of the first duties of the advisory panel will be judging the inaugural Cities Power Partnership awards, which are now open for entry.
The awards will recognise outstanding achievements in renewable energy, energy efficiency, community engagement, sustainable transport and partnership advocacy at local government level. Visit citiespowerpartnership.org.au/power-partner-awards for more information.