A PILOT Climate Change Community Action Grants program is being set up by Mornington Peninsula Shire to help it achieve net zero emissions by 2040.
“Reaching that target is a huge challenge and we cannot achieve it alone,” the shire said last week.
“We need our community to work with us to foster behaviour change, share knowledge and reduce carbon emissions across the peninsula.”
The pilot Climate Change Community Action Grants program will fund not-for-profit community groups, charities, schools, business associations, social enterprises and small businesses working on innovative projects that help the shire reach its climate emergency goals.
It offers grants of $1000-$5000 for smaller projects and up to $10,000 for larger projects.
Applications must align to one or more of the seven summits in the shire’s Climate Emergency Plan.
Some examples of eligible projects include support for leaders in the community to be trained in how to best address climate anxiety; support for a community event highlighting the need to act on climate change; a behaviour change project encouraging more people to use active transport rather than cars for short trips; a project that increases the resilience of our natural environment; a trial of innovative technology reducing carbon emissions, especially those that support local industries and businesses, and a project supporting vulnerable communities to be more resilient to climate impacts, such as extreme weather.
Applications for the Climate Change Community Action grants close 5pm, Wednesday 4 August.
To learn more visit mornpen.vic.gov.au/climategrant
Details: environmentaleducation@mornpen.vic.gov.au or phone: 5950 1681