The Meander Valley Council will address climate change through a new policy aiming to minimise environmental impacts in the municipality in future planning.
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The council voted against declaring a climate emergency at its December meeting but the new general manager John Jordan put forward the policy addressing climate change at the March meeting.
Resident Helen Hutchinson has been pushing for the council to declare a climate emergency for some time.
"This is just a first step but I'm really so pleased that this has happened," she said.
"There aren't any measures attached to it, there isn't any action attached to it except that it has to be considered with any policy that they're discussing."
IN OTHER NEWS:
The Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Policy had four points. The first accepted climate change and the second was for all government levels to minimise greenhouse gas emissions.
The third was to minimise pollution and environmental impacts and adapt to future risks caused by climate change and the fourth was to ensure it was able to manage the economic, social and environmental risks.
Ms Hutchinson has pressed the council on taking action on climate change in several public question times at council meetings.
"I really would like the council to consider joining all the other councils in Australia which have declared climate emergencies," she said.
"We can't stop climate change now because we've let it go on but we do have time to stop it getting ... much worse but just a short window and I'd like action to happen."
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