Australia among international C40 Cities Awards finalists

The finalists of the international C40 Cities Awards have been announced, with the CitySwitch Green Office program entry from Sydney and Melbourne making the list.

C40 is one of the world’s leading climate change action groups, with a network of 86 member cities across the globe. There are 160 submissions from 75 cities that have been selected as finalists in the Building Energy Efficiency category.

CitySwitch member cities carried out almost 1500 environmental projects in 2015 alone, reducing carbon emissions by 50,625 tonnes and purchasing a further 296,677 tonnes in carbon offsets. The Green Office program offers businesses support to achieve a NABERS energy rating of between four and six stars.

City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said it was a great honour for Sydney to be recognised by the network of global cities that make up the C40.

“When we established CitySwitch in 2005, we joined with the City of Parramatta, North Sydney Council and the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage. The program has since spread to cities across the country, dramatically reducing carbon emissions, slashing energy bills and creating more sustainable cities,” Moore said.

“Practical programs like CitySwitch are the reason we’re on track to achieve our Sustainable Sydney 2030 target of reducing carbon emissions by 70% based on 2006 levels.”

The program is attractive to businesses as it helps change perceptions around sustainability. Members of the program have saved a combined $34 million in electricity bills since it commenced in 2011, demonstrating that environmental sustainability can also be very cost effective.

“As the program and its members have matured, CitySwitch has developed more ambitious goals to reduce waste and increase renewable energy targets,” said Moore.

Seven partner councils in NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia now support over 790 offices covering some 3.3 million square metres of office space.

“The C40 Cities Awards celebrate the most innovative and exciting projects to fight climate change and improve lives in cities around the world and this group of finalists has the potential to make a very big difference,” said Michael R Bloomberg, UN Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change and C40 Board president.

“As nations work to reach the goals they set in Paris, C40 cities are helping lead the way.”

The C40 Cities Awards Ceremony will be held in Mexico City on 1 December 2016.

Image courtesy of City of Sydney.