New coalition of Wingecarribee environmental groups officially launches today!

Before the pandemic but still in the haze of bushfires, members of the local community demonstrated concern for the environment in greater numbers than ever before. A full house at Bowral Town Hall for the Climate Forum, was followed months later by a Climate Emergency March, through Bowral in sweltering heat.

Acknowledging their concern, the Wingecarribee Shire Council decided to join 130 other local governments around the country, and on 12 February this year declared a Climate Emergency.

To assist in a community-wide transition a group has been formed to represent, and co-ordinate, all the environmental groups in the Shire. That organisation is WinZero. It officially launches today, and its ultimate goal is for Wingecarribee Shire to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, if not before.  A goal that’s easily achievable, says WinZero spokesperson Gaye White.

“Everything we need to become ‘net zero’ in this beau9ful place where we live is at our fingertips right now. We just need to make it happen, and the result will be an environment our children can grow up in that is sustainable for the present, and many future genera9ons.” she said.

Through the Climate Emergency Declara1on, Council has commiVed to develop a Community Climate Change Emergency Plan which has the potenial to deliver a range of support programs in response to the Emergency. There is, however, no express budget provision for climate ac1on projects, which is something that WinZero will be vigorously pursuing in the near future.

“It has been so easy just to get on with life, day by day, and not really plan too far ahead. We’re all guilty of it, but I think living through the smoke for months on end was a wake-up call, and now there’s a growing desire to ‘do something’. We aim to harness that desire, and channel it into action and provide greater economic certainty in a region that’s been hit pretty hard in recent times.” said Gaye.