Climate emergency declarations in Australia
Climate Emergency is being declared in Australia similarly to many other jurisdictions across the world. One such jurisdiction in Australia, Darebin City Council, was the first one in the world to declare a climate emergency in 2016.
This page lists all known climate emergency declarations within Australian jurisdictions across all three levels of government in Australia.
Federal
There is currently no declaration of a climate emergency at the Federal level in Australia, although there have been multiple motions moved to declare one.In October 2019, the Australian Labor Party supported the Australian Greens Party's motion to declare a climate emergency. The motion was additionally supported by crossbenchers Zali Steggall, Helen Haines, and Andrew Wilkie, as well as Centre Alliance. However, the proposition failed with members of the Morrison Government and some crossbenchers voting against it.
State/Territory
The Australian Capital Territory is the first and only territory to have declared a climate emergency. The South Australian Parliament voted for a climate emergency in the upper house and lower house in South Australia.| State/Territory | Declared a Climate Emergency | Date |
| Australian Capital Territory | Labor/Green Coalition Government voted for a climate emergency on 16 May 2019 | |
| New South Wales | N/A | |
| Northern Territory | N/A | |
| Queensland | N/A | |
| South Australia | Upper House of SA Parliament voted for a climate emergency in 2019. The climate emergency motion passed the lower house in 2022 | |
| Tasmania | N/A | |
| Victoria | N/A | |
| Western Australia | N/A |
Local Government
In June 2019, Councillor Trent McCarthy of the City of Darebin brought together councillors and parliamentarians in Australia and around the world in online link-ups to facilitate collaboration between councils and governments which have declared a climate emergency. Following these link-ups and a successful motion at the National General Assembly of Local Government, McCarthy announced the formation of Climate Emergency Australia, a new network of Australian governments and councils advocating for an emergency response to climate change.Local government has been the most active level of government in declaring a climate emergency in Australia. Currently, every state in Australia has at least one local government jurisdiction that has declared a climate emergency. Only two capital city local governments have not declared a climate emergency: the City of Perth, which has not yet voted on a climate emergency declaration, and the City of Brisbane, which has voted against a motion to declare a climate emergency. Below is a list of local governments, showing which have declared a climate emergency, which have voted against a climate emergency, and which have not voted on a climate emergency.
New South Wales
36 of 128 local government jurisdictions in NSW have declared a climate emergency, the highest number of any state, although Victoria has the highest percentage of councils that have declared a climate emergency.Northern Territory
Only one local government jurisdiction in the Northern Territory has declared a climate emergency, and that is the City of Darwin.| Council | Climate Emergency Declared | Date |
| Alice Springs, Town of | N/A | |
| Alyangula | N/A | |
| Barkly Regional Council | N/A | |
| Belyuen Shire Community Government Council | N/A | |
| Central Desert Regional Council | N/A | |
| Coomalie Shire Community Government Council | N/A | |
| Darwin, City of | Darwin was the first local government jurisdiction in the Northern Territory to declare a climate emergency, on 30 July 2019. | |
| Northern Territory Rates Act Area | N/A | |
| East Arnhem Regional Council | N/A | |
| Katherine, Town of | N/A | |
| Litchfield Municipality | N/A | |
| MacDonnell Regional Council | N/A | |
| Nhulunbuy Corporation | N/A | |
| Palmerston, City of | N/A | |
| Roper Gulf Regional Council | N/A | |
| Tiwi Islands Regional Council | N/A | |
| Unincorporated Top End Region | N/A | |
| Victoria Daly Regional Council | N/A | |
| Wagait Shire Council | N/A | |
| West Arnhem Regional Council | N/A | |
| West Daly Regional Council | N/A | |
| Yulara | N/A |
Queensland
Two councils have declared a climate emergency in Queensland: Noosa Council and Sunshine Coast Council. Brisbane City Council voted against a climate emergency, one of only two capital city zones in Australia that have not declared a climate emergency.South Australia
16 of the 67 local government jurisdictions in South Australia have declared a climate emergency, the Town of Gawler being the first.Tasmania
Five councils in Tasmania have declared a climate emergency. Three councils have rejected or voted against a declaration.| Council | Climate Emergency Declared | Date |
| Break O' Day Council | Voted against climate emergency motion June 2019 | |
| Brighton Council | N/A | |
| Burnie Council | N/A | |
| Central Coast Council | N/A | |
| Central Highlands Council | N/A | |
| Circular Head Council | N/A | |
| Clarence City Council | N/A | |
| Derwent Valley Council | N/A | |
| Devonport City Council | N/A | |
| Dorset Council | N/A | |
| Flinders Council | N/A | |
| George Town Council | N/A | |
| Glamorgan Spring Bay Council | N/A | |
| Glenorchy City Council | Voted against climate emergency motion, October 2019. | |
| Hobart City Council | June 2019 | |
| Huon Valley Council | January 2023 | |
| Kentish Council | N/A | |
| Kingborough Council | July 2019 | |
| King Island Council | N/A | |
| Latrobe Council | N/A | |
| Launceston City Council | August 2019 | |
| Meander Valley Council | Voted against climate emergency motion, December 2019. | |
| Northern Midlands Council | 29 October 2020 | |
| Sorell Council | N/A | |
| Southern Midlands Council | N/A | |
| Tasman Council | N/A | |
| Waratah Wynyard Council | N/A | |
| West Coast Council | N/A | |
| West Tamar Council | N/A |
Victoria
With 35 of 79 Local Government jurisdictions in Victoria having declared a climate emergency, this is the highest percentage of climate emergencies declared for any state. Darebin City Council in Victoria was the first jurisdiction in the world to declare a climate emergency in 2016.Western Australia
11 local government jurisdictions in Western Australia have declared a climate emergency. Additionally, the Western Australian Local Government Association has created a Climate Change Declaration that has been signed by 40 of Western Australia's local government associations, representing 65% of the state's local jurisdictions. The Climate Change Declaration is not a declaration of a climate emergency but does mention urgent action on climate change. The Western Local Government area of the City of Perth is one of two capital city Local Government Areas that have not declared a climate emergency.External Islands/Territories
No external islands or territories of Australia have declared a climate emergency.| Jurisdiction | Declared a Climate Emergency | Date |
| Ashmore and Cartier Islands | N/A | |
| Christmas Island | N/A | |
| Cocos (Keeling) Islands | N/A | |
| Coral Sea Islands | N/A | |
| Cocos (Keeling) Islands | N/A | |
| Jervis Bay Territory | N/A | |
| Heard Island and McDonald Islands | N/A | |
| Norfolk Island | N/A |
Declare Organisations in Australia
- Planners Declare
- Builders Declare
- Architects Declare
- Comms Declare