The policy is being developed in response to the state and federal governments' formal commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

It proposes that council adopt the target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 (consistent with the NSW Government's target) - by reducing carbon emissions or balancing emissions with carbon storage.

Once adopted, the policy will provide a framework for council to work with the community and develop a climate change strategy by June 2021.

The policy, and subsequent strategy, will identify actions that council can undertake to build climate resilience within the community; and will allow council to apply for climate change-related grants that can be used to upgrade infrastructure.

Cessnock mayor Bob Pynsent said the policy is a step in the right direction, and that it was important for the community to work together on climate change.

"We must recognise the importance of shared responsibility in addressing this issue and building community resilience," Cr Pynsent said.

"Individuals, businesses and all levels of government play a role in reducing the damaging impacts of climate change.

"I encourage local residents to view the draft policy, provide feedback and be part of the process."

The council voted at its February 19 meeting to place the draft policy on public exhibition, after a 25-minute debate.

Independent councillor Ian Olsen said he found it "hard to support" the policy, saying climate change was a "belief".

"I'm 61 years old. I believe it's no hotter now than when I was 10 years old. We had droughts back then, and we have droughts now. We had floods then, and we have floods now," he said.

Cr Olsen said the policy should not just focus on coal, but also oil, and where council buys its products.

"We buy most of our products from China, the biggest polluter in the world. Are we going to stop buying things from China?" he said.

"I don't see any reason for this policy rather than costing council money - money we can't afford at this point in time."

Labor councillor Darrin Gray said he was "gobsmacked" by Cr Olsen's statement.

"All major institutions right across the world say CO2 has an effect on the warming trend of the globe," he said.

"This policy has nothing to do with Cessnock Council debating the science of the truth of global warming. It's science - there's no 'belief' in it.

"We have our state governments, and to a lesser extent our federal government, all of our local governments, Local Government NSW committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. We have to play our part.

"We're not enforcing anything on the community - we're just saying that we can reduce our CO2 footprint and our emissions as a council organisation."

Liberal councillor Rod Doherty - who voted against the recommendation with Cr Olsen - said council needed to be "absolutely serious" about this policy by exploring measures such as electric cars and zero waste to landfill.

General manager Lotta Jackson clarified that the policy was simply an "overarching statement" and that the subsequent strategy could address ideas such as these.

Labor councillor Melanie Dagg said she supported a policy based on "facts and figures, not personal anecdotes".

"Climate change isn't a belief - religion is a belief - this is purely a snapshot and scientific measurements of rainfall and temperature," she said.

"We, as board of directors of a multi-million dollar business, should be it taking into account, given that we have a responsibility to ensure that we are doing all we can to safeguard our community against potential impacts on them.

"We are taking a lead from our Liberal-National state and federal governments, it is part of their policy framework, and we, as a local government, are obliged to have documents like this in place."

Independent councillor Allan Stapleford questioned how the debate about a simple "motherhood statement" had gotten so far off track.

"It's just a feelgood statement to put out because the government wants us to. It's the next part that will be the hard part," he said.

Councillor Di Fitzgibbon (Labor) said she supported the policy, as it may result in council being eligible to apply for grants for stormwater infrastructure, water storage, and upgrade of roads and bridges.

In closing the debate, Cr Fitzgibbon said: "There's a great cartoon about climate change that says 'What if it's all a big hoax, and we create a better world for nothing?'"

The draft climate change policy is on public exhibition at cessnock.nsw.gov.au, Cessnock and Kurri Kurri libraries and council's customer service centre until Wednesday, March 25.