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‘How Well Are We Adapting’ A tool to measure climate c hange adaptation for local g overnment. Presentation by Fran Macdonald, Executive Officer, Western Alliance for Greenhouse Action (WAGA) to Goulburn Broken Greenhouse Alliance (GBGA) 23 May 2019. What is adaptation?. IPCC
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‘How Well Are We Adapting’ A tool to measure climate change adaptation for local government Presentation by Fran Macdonald, Executive Officer, Western Alliance for Greenhouse Action (WAGA) to Goulburn Broken Greenhouse Alliance (GBGA) 23 May 2019
What is adaptation? IPCC “The process of adjustment to actual or expected climate and its effects. In human systems, adaptation seeks to moderate or avoid harm or exploit beneficial opportunities. In some natural systems, human intervention may facilitate adjustment to expected climate and its effects.” IPCC, 2014: Annex II Glossary WAGA Climate Change Adaptation Strategy • A process of continuous institutional learning, adjustment and transformation • Decisions made to prepare for, and respond to, direct and indirect changing climate risks
Transformational adaptation IPCC Special Report 1.5 degrees 2018
How does adaptation compare? • Resilience • Population growth • Social inequality • Terrorism • Climate change • Bushfires, floods, heatwaves, pandemics, infrastructure emergencies Resilience ‘to deal with the chronic stresses and acute shocks to achieve a viable sustainable prosperous future’ Resilient Melbourne Strategy Mitigation ‘Mitigation is a human intervention to reduce the sources or enhance the sinks of greenhouse gases.’ IPCC, 2014: Summary for Policymakers. Climate Change 2014: Mitigation of Climate Change • Adaptation • Adapting to biophysical impacts • Responding to indirect risks (financial, social, legal, institutional etc.) • Mitigation • Energy efficiency • Renewables • Increasing forest cover (incl. urban forests) • Altering agricultural practice
WAGA Climate Change Risk Assessment2011 – 88 risks, 17 priorities • Stormwater overflow • Drain blockages • Decreased water harvesting • Disruptions to wastewater treatment • Damaged underground infrastructure • Increased asset maintenance costs • Inadequate building standards • Inadequate planning advice from State Government • Inadequate emergency facilities • Inability to deliver services • Conflicts between OHS and community needs • Inadequate finance for asset renewal • Inadequate long-term planning • Lack of staff skills • Inadequate council resourcing • Slowing of local economies • Transport service disruption
Public reporting Local climate map for councils
Indicators to measure councils’ responses to climate change • Community wellbeing and emergency management • Open space and water security • Planning, building and regulation • Assets and infrastructure Service vulnerability or resilience Libraries, leisure centres and community centres with increased visitors during extreme weather events ?Planning applications that reference climate resilience Institutional capacity Staff time deployed to assist other councils in the region to respond to an emergency event Internal cross-department adaptation working group? Budgeting and finance Cost and volume of water to establish tree tube stock ? Costs to repair roads after storms Participation and awareness Community satisfaction with sports grounds ? Planning applications which include ESD
So … why bother measuring? Esplanade and Sargood Street, Altona - 2014 Trial of passive irrigation of street trees – Moonee Valley ‘Hot Spots’ project – Brimbank, Greater Dandenong Schools education using local data – Hobsons Bay
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Active transport hubs and networks; increased connectivity with trackless trams; reduced car use and active transport groups URBAN GREENING AND BIODIVERSITY PROTECTION: Established urban forests; smarter, more innovative linked green spaces; preserved and increased local biodiversity; minimum canopy cover and shading requirements written into planning schemes Planning and building vision prepared - innovative - secure - efficient - adapted - skilled - resourced Participants saw a future well managed through strong integrated adaptation projects backed and enforced through provisions in state planning schemes and strong internal council networks and dedicated budgets. In this vision councils lead by example with a supportive community.
How Well Are We Adapting website: adapt.waga.com.au Username: testuseror testadmin Password: waga#test9 WAGA.com.au franm@brimbank.vic.gov.au, 9249 4864