The ten councils of the Hunter region, along with Central Coast Council, have officially become the first region in Australia to have collectively joined the Cities Power Partnership! In mid-2020 the Hunter JO Board discussed the opportunity to collaborate on this initiative, with some councils already members and others considering the partnership. Collaborative workshops convened by the Hunter JO supported Councils to explore the program further and to identify opportunities to work together.  As a result, all Hunter JO councils and Central Coast Council have now joined the Partnership, marking a significant move for the region in coordinating and accelerating climate initiatives in the Hunter.

The Cities Power Partnership is a program of the Climate Council, and is Australia’s largest network of local governments committed to taking meaningful action on climate change, with each council committing to different ‘climate action pledges’ as part of the program. By coordinating the efforts of the Hunter JO’s member councils in signing up, we will be able to collaborate on these pledges across LGA boundaries, finding common goals and working together for the future of the region.

As the first region nationally to collectively join the Cities Power Partnership, the Hunter JO is now working on new ways to support its member councils on climate initiatives. Watch this space for more exciting announcements coming soon from the Hunter JO on climate action…