City of Unley
The City of Unley is a local government area in the Adelaide metropolitan region. It is located directly south of the Adelaide city centre. The Corporate Town of Unley was created in 1871, when 2,000 signatories to a petition from residents of the several towns of Unley, Parkside, Black Forest, Goodwood and Fullarton requested the Governor allow them to form their own municipality and thus sever from the District Council of Mitcham. The first town hall was built in 1880. It became the third municipality in the State to gain city status in 1906 (after the Cities  of Adelaide and Port Adelaide), becoming the current City of Unley. History. Located on traditional lands of the Kaurna people, the City of Unley is rich in history, character and atmosphere, and centrally located only minutes from Adelaide's city centre. Environment. Unley is one of three suburban Adelaide councils to be awarded a "Tree Cities of the World" designation from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Arbor Day Foundation, along with the City of Burnside and the City of Mitcham, which are the only three in Australia. Climate action. In 2020 the City of  Unley joined the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy and pledged to measure its GHG emissions, set emission targets, and develop a plan to support emission reductions. The City of Unley’s CO emissions represent about 1% of total community-wide emissions. To address its emissions the City of Unley developed a draft Climate and Energy Plan that proposed attaining carbon neutrality by 2030. A local community group, Unley Voices for Climate Action (UVCA), made a detailed submission to Council, signed by more than 70 residents, arguing for a more ambitious plan including an earlier carbon neutral date . In September, 2021 Council approved its Climate and Energy Plan which included a carbon neutral date brought forward from 2030 to 2023. Council will achieve carbon neutrality by actively reducing its operational emissions during the 10-year life of the plan and from 2023 by purchasing accredited carbon offsets through investment in projects such as wind farms and revegetation schemes. To achieve operational carbon neutrality by 2030 council plans more solar PV installation, staged adoption of electric vehicles and an electrification strategy to switch from gas to electricity for space and water heating. The remaining 99% of community-wide emissions  originate from residents and businesses comprising: transport (45%), electricity (30%), gas (20%) and waste (5%). While community wide emissions remain largely outside of the control of Council it is encouraging the reduction of waste and transport emissions. It supports and encourages its residents to move food waste into organic bins for composting rather than landfill and by providing more investment in cycleways and pedestrian friendly streetscapes. Council has allocated funds in its 2022/23 budget to engage with residents to better understand community views on taking action on climate change. The City of Unley has not declared a climate emergency. Council . The council, and the councillors' registered interests, are: Mayors. Sources: