Both Cairns City Council and Douglas Shire Council were involved in the Cities for Climate Protection (CCP) program and were engaged in strategies to reduce our greenhouse gases as a requirement of the CCP program. The reduction goals for both councils were set at 20% on 1996 levels by 2010 and included the corporate and community sectors.

At this stage Cairns Regional Council has not set a new target and is engaged, initially, in undertaking a greenhouse gas inventory. Council officers will work with departments to develop a reduction target and a Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Action Plan. This will be considered by Council and will form part of Council's Climate Change Strategy.

Whilst there are still a few climate change deniers around, this Council has to be responsible and recognise and respond to real threats to this region which is regarded as being one of the six most vulnerable regions in the nation to be impacted on by climate change.