Carbon Disclosure Project names Canberra & Adelaide top cities for global climate change leadership

Two Australian cities are included in the list of top 10 city governments for excellence in reporting climate change. The two are Canberra and Adelaide, according to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), the official reporting platform for the Compact of Mayors.

Besides the two, the eight other cities on the list of Carbon Development Project are Atlanta, Durban, Leon, Mexico City, New Taipei City, Ravenna and Vancouver. The project cites their high score their environmental risk reports got for quality and completeness.

The project notes how critical disclosure is in guiding investments decisions and putting in place meaningful action to address environmental risks as investor-driven demand for climate data goes up. It notes the release of a report by chains of major companies that showed the role of disclosures in driving climate action in companies globally.

Those that had been reporting for three years or more showed higher level of risk recognition, risk management procedures and more likely to have set emission reduction targets. Likewise, cities that disclosed for three or more years to CDP their report showed significantly higher levels of emission measurements and management data, risk recognition and adaptation actions and procedures. CDP adds that the results indicate a strong link between action and disclosure.

Amanda McKenzie, chief executive of Australia’s Climate Council, notes that “It is not just one area of the policy is doing well [to be ranked so highly]. Reducing emissions, adequately reporting and disclosing internationally, a renewable energy policy, a risk assessment of what the climate impact will be and have a plan to adapt to those consequences,” quotes Canberra Times.

She adds that Canberra is a very good example of how to transition a community previously reliant on fossil fuels and moving towards more renewable energy. Simon Corbell, Australian Capital Territory environment and climate change minister, says in attracting renewable energy companies to the capital city and fostering a positive environment for renewable energy operation, research and development through progressive policies, the ACT as positioned itself to take advantage of growth in the renewable energy industry.