Cairns Climate Change Strategy 2030
Endorsed by Council in March 2022, the Cairns Climate Change Strategy 2030 builds on the achievements and actions of the previous strategy (Climate Change Strategy 2010-2015) and will guide Council’s climate actions for the next decade.
The strategy incorporates commitments to achieve net zero emissions by 2030 for council operations, including purchasing electricity from 100% renewable energy sources and a commitment to prepare the community to adapt and prosper in a changing climate and reduce their emissions.
Council will take action to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change through the focus areas of community, industry, energy, transport, built environment, and the natural environment. We will prioritise a heathy environment, build resilient, informed, low emissions communities and support a smart green economy.
Council's commitments
- Net zero emissions for Council operations by 2030
- Council electricity supplied from 100% renewable energy
- Prepare Council and the community to adapt and prosper in a changing climate
- Support community progress towards Queensland’s emission reductions target of 30% below 2005 levels by 2030 and net zero emission by 2050.
Strategy vision
Councils vision for 2030 is to be a leader in mitigating and adapting to the impacts of climate change by:
- Embedding climate change considerations throughout our organisation and operations
- Supporting a Smart Green Economy
- Prioritising a healthy natural environment
- Building resilient, informed, low emissions communities
Implementation Snapshot
Read about implementation of the Cairns Climate Change Strategy by Council and its partners between 2022-2025.
Community engagement
As part of the development of the strategy Council engaged over 2,300 people to provide input into the vision, objectives and actions. A summary of the engagement is below.
- 2019 November - Inaugural Cairns Youth Climate Summit (35 students from 15 schools)
- 2020 August - October - Our Cairns Community and Youth Surveys (8065 respondents)
- 2020 November - Clean Jobs Forum (60 participants)
- 2021 - Inhouse engagement with subject matter experts and elected representatives
- 2021 May - Community and Industry Workshops (130 engaged in 11-sector-based workshops)
- 2021 May to June - Community Climate Change Survey (571 respondents)
- 2021 June to July - Cairns Ecofiesta and Cairns Show (1,402 people engaged)
- 2021 September - Cairns Youth Climate Summit (30 students from 15 schools); Community and Industry Climate Summit (60 participants); Climate Change Public Forum (50 people)
- 2021 Nov to Jan - Draft Strategy community review
Climate Summits 2021
More than 150 people joined a series of forums hosted by Council in September 2021 as part of the development of the Cairns Climate Change Strategy 2030.
Three climate summits were held at Tanks Arts Centre for school children, industry and government, and community members to help set a pathway towards net zero emissions in Cairns and build our ‘green economy’.
- More than 30 school children from 16 primary, high schools and traditional owner groups across the Cairns and Tablelands regions were represented at the second Cairns Youth Climate Summit.
- Around 60 local industry, government, Traditional Owner and community representatives representing the sectors of transport, energy, natural resource management, health, planning and sustainability provided feedback on the strategy and shared their ideas for its development.
- Approximately 50 community members attended the community summit to learn about the strategy development and share their ideas.
Last Updated: 16 December 2025
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