Hunter councils partner with National Climate Network

The Hunter Joint Organisation (Hunter JO), located in the Hunter region, has partnered up to enable collaboration and support on clean energy initiatives in an effort to set the region up for a prosperous future.

Cessnock City Council Mayor Jay Suvaal said climate change is among one of the most significant challenges faced in the Hunter region.

"Partnering with our neighbours is one way that Council can be even more impactful," Cr Suvaal said.

"This recent joint commitment is a prime example of how the Hunter Joint Organisation promotes meaningful collaboration and action."

Senior Environment Planner at Cessnock City Council Mark Manning said the important commitment of the Hunter JO complements steps are already being actioned by Cessnock City Council.

"The Climate Change Resilience Plan's innovative strategies will enable council to optimise resource management, reduce operational costs and greenhouse gas emissions, and create a more sustainable local government with a more resilient community," he said.

In 2021, the Hunter became the first region in Australia to have all councils become members of the Cities Power Partnership, and recently the Hunter was also the first region to commit to a Regional Partnership Agreement.

From ramping up renewable energy to planning sustainable transport systems, councils taking part in the partnership pledge five actions to take climate change locally.

In the news:

The Chair of the Hunter JO and Mayor of Singleton Council, Cr Sue Moore, said the collective agreement strengthened the Hunter's reputation as a region that supported meaningful action on climate change.

"In order to make an impact on climate initiatives, our councils need to be able to support one another and coordinate our efforts to benefit our communities across the region," she said.

"Working collaboratively, we aim to attract more funding, expertise and resources to support region wide and council specific projects such as electrifying council fleets where possible and boosting energy efficiency."

The Hunter Jo has pledged to:

Cities Power Partnership director, Dr Portia Odell, said it's brilliant to see the Hunter region working towards creating a better future for the region.

"It's brilliant to see a region of diverse industries sign up to the program and pledge to support its community by working together towards a clean energy future," she said.

The Hunter JO's member councils include: