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Councils collectively save on energy

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09 Jan, 2025

This post was originally published on Sustainability Matters

Thirteen regional New South Wales councils have pooled their resources to make the shift to renewable energy via a power purchase agreement (PPA) coordinated by the Hunter Joint Organisation and Mid North Coast Joint Organisation.

The Powering Tomorrow: Regional Councils NSW PPA will secure fixed pricing for the councils up until the end of 2030. Under the agreement, the councils will collectively receive over 390 gigawatt hours of electricity for 163 large council sites and streetlighting.

The participating councils are Bellingen Shire, Berrigan Shire, Edward River, Griffith City, Leeton Shire, Maitland City, MidCoast, Murray River, Murrumbidgee, Muswellbrook Shire, Narrandera Shire, Port Macquarie-Hastings and Upper Hunter Shire.

Over the six years of the agreement, an estimated 83% of the electricity supplied to council sites will be from renewable energy generators in NSW, with nine of the 13 councils opting for 100% renewable energy for the entire term.

The PPA brings various benefits for the participating councils:

Emissions reduction: By opting for renewable energy to power their large sites and streetlighting, the councils will avoid an estimated 185,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions (t/CO2e) over the duration of the agreement. The procurement of renewable energy though this deal will help the councils to decarbonise their operations and progress towards local, state and national net zero targets.

Cost savings and budget certainty: By purchasing as a group, the councils were able to lock in renewable electricity at a competitive price through to the end of 2030, collectively saving an estimated $5.3m compared to their 2024 electricity rates. The deal also shields councils from volatility in the electricity market that can unexpectedly increase costs, providing long-term budget certainty.

Supporting the local economy: Renewable energy purchased under the deal will come from several of Iberdrola Australia’s NSW-based renewable energy projects: the Capital Wind Farm, Avonlie Solar Farm and Bodangora Wind Farm. This will create jobs and foster the growth of new energy sectors, contributing to the development of a sustainable energy future across NSW.

This wide-reaching cross-regional collaboration between the 13 councils would not have been possible without the support of the NSW Government’s Joint Organisation Net Zero Acceleration (JONZA) program. The initiative was also assisted by advisors Sourced Energy, Regional Procurement, Procure Group and Baker Mackenzie.

Image credit: iStock.com/Thinnapob

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Strengthening Community Resilience through Sustainable Non-Timber Forest Products

Strengthening Community Resilience through Sustainable Non-Timber Forest Products

Strengthening Community Resilience through Sustainable Non-Timber Forest Products
jschoshinski
Thu, 01/16/2025 – 18:32

In Zimbabwe, deforestation and habitat loss are not only threatening the country’s biodiversity and ability to mitigate climate change, but also threatening individuals’ livelihoods and their ability to adapt to climate change. Of the nearly 6,000 species of indigenous plants found in the country, some 900 of them are traditionally used as food, cosmetics, or medicine. These non-timber forest products (NTFPs) serve as supplemental sources of income for approximately 60 percent of rural households, providing an important source of income diversification as changes in rainfall—in part due to climate change—threaten traditional agricultural activities. By generating income for rural communities, Zimbabwe’s NTFPs offer a market-led approach to boosting climate resilience. 
The Economic Contribution of Non-Timber Forest Products in Zimbabwe 
In the landscapes where the USAID Resilience ANCHORS Activity works, one in six people, mostly women, rely on forests and wilderness areas for their livelihoods. Resilience ANCHORS supports community-led initiatives and locally prioritized interventions, including conserving forests and developing value chains for key NTFPs, such as Ximenia, mongongo nuts, wooden banana, marula, Kalahari melon seed, and rosella. Forest-based resources from remote, semi-arid regions can contribute up to 35 percent of rural incomes, while NTFP products like thatching grass, wild plant foods, mushrooms, honey, and mopane worms have an estimated annual subsistence value (i.e, the value associated with people using the products to support themselves rather than selling the products) of $294.3 million. Conserving these natural resources leads to strengthened livelihoods and healthier, more stable communities by supporting income diversification, which helps agricultural communities adapt to the impacts of climate change on crop yields.
Using Laws and Regulations to Strengthen Community Resilience
While NTFPs are vital resources for local communities, the lack of transparent laws and regulations has led to overexploitation and missed business opportunities. Limited awareness of the regulatory framework among stakeholders and community members exacerbates this issue. Resilience ANCHORS has supported the formation of NTFP collector groups that have developed formal governance structures, but the next objective is creating long-term sustainability through a robust legal framework that protects the environment and promotes community wellbeing. 
Sustainable harvesting remains critical for the long-term viability of Zimbabwe’s NTFPs, forests, and environment. Resilience ANCHORS, in collaboration with Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Local Government and the Environmental Management Agency, conducted workshops to build awareness of the legislative challenges and foster dialogue. This resulted in the drafting of NTFP Model Bylaw, which seeks to address three key goals:

Fill gaps in the legal framework: Outline benefit-sharing mechanisms to foster fair trade practices, as community ownership and management of NTFPs ensures equitable distribution among stakeholders. 
Promote sustainability: Develop permits to control harvesting, trade volumes, and fees to generate revenue for conservation efforts and capacity-building initiatives.
Provide clear guidelines for NTFP harvesting and benefit-sharing: Specify sustainable harvesting quantities and methods to prevent over-harvesting and safeguard resources for future generations. 

The NTFP Model Bylaw will result in:

Enhanced community resilience through sustainable NTFP management by promoting sustainable livelihoods, environmental conservation, and social cohesion. 
Clarified benefit-sharing mechanisms to reduce exploitation and promote transparency, fairness, and community ownership. 
Informed climate-resilient natural resource management by promoting sustainable harvesting, conserving biodiversity, and enhancing ecosystem resilience. 

Effective implementation of these regulations requires collaboration, capacity-building, and regular monitoring. If adopted and implemented successfully, these regulations could help grow NTFP activities in a way that increases livelihoods and builds community resilience to climate change in Zimbabwe.

Teaser Text
By generating income for rural communities, Zimbabwe’s NTFPs offer a market-led approach to boosting climate resilience.

Publish Date
Thu, 01/16/2025 – 12:00

Author(s)

Itayi Usaiwevhu

Hero Image
Rosella harvest (1).JPG

Blog Type
Blog Post

Strategic Objective

Adaptation

Region

Africa

Topic

Adaptation
Agriculture
Biodiversity Conservation
Deforestation and Commodity Production
Economic Growth
Forest/Forestry
Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities
Natural Climate Solutions
Resilience
Rural

Country

Zimbabwe

Sectors

Adaptation
Agriculture and Food Systems

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