Who We Are

We are a partnership of local governments and other organisations taking regional climate change action

Greenhouse Alliances are partnerships of local governments and other organisations responding to climate change through implementing projects. Covering 70 councils and most of Victoria, the ten Greenhouse Alliances work with their members, community and partners in mitigation , adaptation and sequestration activity.

The Victorian Government, which has taken a strong leadership role on climate change in Australia, began funding Alliances through the Regional Partnerships Program in its Victorian Greenhouse Strategy (2002). In its 2006 Update of the Strategy it indicated that the partnership program “has been successful in engaging a wide range of regional stakeholders in greenhouse abatement activities – including clusters of local governments, tertiary education institutions, community groups and Catchment Management Authorities.”

Government assistance was particularly targeted at supporting Alliances to:

  • Develop greenhouse abatement measures to address the specific needs and priorities of Victoria’s regions
  • Build the capacity of local government, community and the private sector to engage in greenhouse abatement
  • Partner with government in the delivery of State and Commonwealth greenhouse programs
  • Improve the integration and targeting of government services and programs

A review of the regional greenhouse partnership Program in 2006 found that the Alliances had provided a very cost-effective vehicle for encouraging coordinated action at the regional level and contributed significantly to raised awareness, improved knowledge and coordinated action. The review recommended that the Regional Partnership Program of funding for Alliances be expanded to include other regions of Victoria and (subject to the development of a favorable business case) encompass the entire state in three years. While this recommendation was not accepted, alliances have nonetheless prospered and grown to include now all but 10 of Victoria’s local governments.