Biodiversity McLaren Vale took out the community award at the 2024 SA Climate Leaders Awards on Thursday 1 August.

The City of Mitcham was named the overall winner by the Premier’s Climate Change Council (PCCC) for its Community Renewable Energy Program.

It was awarded a $10,000 prize for its work to reduce carbon emissions and ease cost-of-living pressures for residents.

The awards are an initiative of the PCCC to recognise achievements of individuals and organisations taking action to address climate change in South Australia.

Mitcham’s program provides solar panels and home batteries to households and businesses across the council area with no up-front costs.

Biodiversity McLaren Vale is a collaboration between local community, industry and government to rehabilitate native landscapes and waterways and increase indigenous biodiversity within the region, helping to reduce carbon emissions and improve climate resilience.

Its key objective is creek line regeneration in the McLaren Vale region. primarily on the Willunga, Maslin and Pedlar Creek systems.

There are monthly planting days at sites around the region and Weedy Wednesdays each week to remove pest species. Find out more on the Biodiversity McLaren Vale website.

Martin Haese, Chair Premier’s Climate Change Council, has congratulated the entrants, finalists and overall winner of the awards for their innovative solutions.

“Well done to the City of Mitcham for their Community Renewable Energy Program to reduce carbon emissions and ease cost-of-living pressures for their local residents. This is an example of practical climate action that is a win-win for the environment and the local economy.

“South Australia is leading the nation with its uptake of renewable energy and as the pre-eminent advisory body to the State Government, the PCCC believes that it is important to celebrate the success of those organisations and individuals who are taking positive action to address climate change across South Australia.”

The City of Mitcham was also named the winner of the Government category of the Climate Leaders Awards. 

Other winners include:

• Business and Industry (Large Enterprise): Electrolux – for its new electric furnace, located in the business’s Dudley Park factory. The furnace reduces energy consumption by 70 per cent compared to its old gas-powered furnace. 
• Business and Industry (Small Enterprise): Sparc Hydrogen – for the development of a planned pilot power plant using green hydrogen production technology. The plant is designed to use no electricity or produce any carbon emissions, and its location near Adelaide will enable continuous testing and optimisation, ensuring the technology is ready for large-scale deployment.
• Research and Education: Waite Arboretum, The University of Adelaide - for a study that has combined data from 20 councils to build a large single-city tree database, which can help identify vulnerabilities in the urban forest and find opportunities to increase resilience of green spaces.

More information about the winners and finalists can be found online.