BEAM Mitchell Environment Group resident Peter Lockyer and committee member Ruth Yeatman spoke with Ms Ryan about the findings of the strategy and the priorities within the Hume region in a time of increasing climate change.
Mr Lockyer said the strategy was developed during the COVID-19 lockdown last year by Friends Of the Earth’s act-on-climate collective through a series of zoom meetings and workshops, with more than 1000 people participating from across Victoria.
“The strategy sits alongside the Victorian Climate Strategy launched in early June this year, and has a focus on local actions that fit within the state objectives,” Mr Lockyer said.
“The strategy is more ambitious, to be sure, but it paints a picture of understanding for local initiatives.
“Within the Hume region, the priority concerns during the coming five years are the threat of bushfires and grass fires, drought, extreme weather events and the pressure on our ecosystems.
“Farmers were the priority area of concern, and action to reduce emissions in agriculture through regenerative farming, farm forestry, renewable energy income streams and emergent electric vehicles are highlighted.”
Mr Lockyer said there was strong agreement on the role that community batteries can play in creating local energy security, with the recent extreme weather being a primer for this measure.
“The future of native timber harvesting and biodiversity decline was a point of contention, as sustainable timber supplies into the future have many challenges,” he said.
“The parties did agree on local solutions and local chains of supply.”
“Steph Ryan has her homework in perusing the Peoples Climate Strategy. She had also been invited as a guest on Seymour FM’s EarthChat program.”
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