Local Government
Updated 22 June 2009
Local government is at the forefront of managing the impacts of climate change. The Australian Government is assisting local governments to prepare their communities for climate change.
Early planning to identify and prepare for the risks from climate change will help protect the well-being of our communities, local economy and built and natural environments.
Supporting Local Governments
The Australian Government is helping local governments to identify their risks from climate change and develop responses.
Through the Local Adaptation Pathways Program, the Australian Government is providing funding to help councils undertake climate change risk assessments and develop action plans to prepare for the likely local impacts of climate change.
The Australian Government has also provided funding to five projects through its Integrated Assessment of Settlements Sub-program to help build the capacity of local governments to identify climate change challenges and develop responses.
For example, Clarence City Council in Tasmania assessed the risks and investigated adaptation options for 18 localities and infrastructure in the Clarence region potentially vulnerable to coastal hazards for the present day, 2050 & 2100.
The Western Port Greenhouse Gas Alliance located in southern Victoria found that around 18,000 properties (with a value of almost $2 billion) are currently vulnerable to flood events and more than 73,000 people and 35,000 properties are currently in bushfire prone areas.
Tools and Resources
Adaptation Actions for Local Government
The 2009 update of the Climate Change Adaptation Actions for Local Government publication is now available.
It identifies climate change adaptation actions that are applicable to Australia's climatic conditions and climate impact risks as currently predicted (using CSIRO 2007 scenarios) and that can be implemented by Australian local governments.
Climate Change Impacts & Risk Management - A Guide for Business and Government
The Guide provides a framework for managing the increased risk to organisations due to climate change impacts. The prime focus of the Guide is on the initial assessment and prioritisation of these risks.
- Climate Change Impacts & Risk Management - A Guide for Business and Government
Local Government Climate Change Adaptation Toolkit
Developed by ICLEI Oceania and funded by the Department of Climate Change, the Toolkit outlines an adaptive management process and provides a set of tools and exercises to assist councils as they work through the process of identifying risks and developing an adaptation action plan.
