QUEANBEYAN-Palerang Regional Council (QPRC) needs to have a bolder climate action plan to bring it in line with the NSW government’s new emissions reduction target.

Greens candidate for the upcoming QPRC election, Katrina Willis, says council needs to set a “stronger” greenhouse gas emissions target to align it with the state’s plan to halve greenhouse gas pollution by 2030.

The 50 per cent target, announced last week, is part of the NSW government’s plan to get to net zero by 2050.

“QPRC needs to set a strong target for 2030 and each five years beyond that, so we can work towards 2050 with confidence of meeting the net zero emissions goal,” Ms Willis says.

“A lot more work is needed to cut most of the LGA’s emissions which are generated by the community. We need targets for 2030 and beyond, and we need a plan to reach them. Currently, we have neither.”

Whilst QPRC has a goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050, in in line with the NSW government’s policy, Ms Willis says council has no “interim targets”.

“Unlike the state plan, QPRC has no interim targets, making it hard to gauge progress and risking failure,” she says.

“The community action plan, which covers non-council activities in the LGA, has no targets at all.”

The Greens are proposing an “interim” target of at least 35 per cent and preferably 50 per cent below 2005 emissions by 2030 for the community plan, Ms Willis says.

“This is ambitious given local population growth but is achievable if we work together to identify a way forward,” Ms Willis says.

“We need to act locally as well, that’s why we need strong targets and a clear plan to meet them.”

The QPRC elections are being held on December 4.