Published on 13 October 2026
Yass Valley Council has been spotlighted as a leading case study in local government pursuit of net zero, by CRJO (Canberra Region Joint Organisation). Featured as a primary case study in the CRJO’s Net Zero guidance for NSW local governments, Yass Valley’s journey offers a realistic, highly valuable roadmap for regional communities striving to balance environmental targets with fiscal responsibility.
The CRJO net zero program supports 11 member councils to deliver emissions reduction in the region. To assist with this work, CJRO has developed a guide to support NSW councils to understand, plan and progress toward net zero operational emissions.
The guide features two case studies, one of which is Yass Valley Council’s Emissions Inventory. The project sought emissions data for all utilities, fleet, waste and wastewater going back seven years. Significant investigative work was required and once complete, enabled analysis of Council’s emissions profile and the operational costs associated with the various functions and services across the organisation.
The findings identified the largest sources of emissions and the areas incurring the highest costs. It also demonstrated the effectiveness of existing emissions reduction initiatives, some of which had reduced emissions and costs by up to 50%.
Yass Valley Council is proud to be leading the way in this important work, and thanks our staff involved in the Net Zero project.
For more information, see Joint Organisation Net Zero Accelerator (JONZA) Program | Canberra Region Joint Organisation