Council declared a Climate Emergency in October 2019 agreeing to deliver a Climate Emergency Action Plan to begin to mitigate its contribution to Climate Change.
The Climate Emergency Action Plan is an appendix to the Environmental Management Plan currently in development and expands on the previous Climate Change Adaptation Plan 2016-2021 (see below) .The Climate Emergency Action Plan will have the following key areas of focus:
- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions
- Alternative power options
- Capacity and knowledge
- Cooling the council
Climate Change Adaptation Plan 2016-2021
Council has developed a Climate Change Adaptation Plan. Scientific research has found that the earth’s climate is rapidly changing. There has been increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice and rising average sea levels. We have been experiencing more extremes in temperature, drought and higher bushfire risk. Adaptation will be necessary to address impacts resulting from the warming which cannot be avoided. There is no alternative but to undertake adaptation planning, and building the capacity and flexibility to cope with whatever evolving climate may bring. The Climate Change Adaptation Plan has being developed to guide Council in adapting to changing climatic conditions at a Local Government level. In alignment with its strategic objectives for environmental sustainability, Council has developed a Climate Change Adaptation Plan (the Plan). |  | |
The Plan has clear Objectives, Strategies and Actions that will be used to guide Council in its operations. It focuses on the effects that extremes in climatic conditions such as heat waves, drought and more frequent and intense storms will have on Council infrastructure. Our vulnerable members of the community have the least capacity to cope and adapt to extreme weather events such as heatwaves and Council will need to play an important role in supporting these members of the community. The Plan highlights our exposure to extreme heatwave events that will increase Bushfire Risk and how Council can be proactive in developing a program for bushfire management and provide support for our emergency services. The Plan also details how Council will assist essential service providers to allow services to be delivered to our community. | ||