Officers

WALGA Policies

WALGA Projects

WALGA Climate Change Submissions

Climate Change Consultancy Panel

WALGA Reporting Platform

Adaptation Plan Checklist

1. Authority

2. Research

3. Building Relationships

4. Risk Assessment

5. Adaptation Responses

6. Action Plan

7. Review, Report & Revise

Authority Overview

Legislation

Policy

Programs

Reports and Research Organisations

Research Overview

Impacts

Approaches to Adaptation

Trends and Scenarios

Building Relationships Overview

Community Engagement

Education

Risk Assessment Overview

Risk Assessment Processes

Key Resources

Software and Training

Adaptation Responses Overview

Australian Resources for Adaptation Responses

International Resources

Action Plan Overview

Environmental Management Systems

Funding Opportunities

Planning

Planning Case Studies

Regulation

OFFICERS

Welcome to the WALGA Climate Change Management website. As officers involved in the development of your Local Government’s climate change adaptation response, you will need to access the vital information set out below:

The Department of Climate Change
www.climatechange.gov.au
The Department of Climate Change delivers the Australian Government’s major initiatives for climate change adaptation and mitigation. The Department of Climate Change website provides valuable advice and resources about how to adapt to the impacts of climate change.

Western Australian Office of Climate Change
www.dec.wa.gov.au/our-environment/climate-change/about-the-office-of-climate-change.html
The Western Australian Office of Climate Change (OCC), located in the Department of Conservation and Environment, is the focal point for climate change policy and strategy in Western Australia. The OCC leads the development and implementation of climate change mitigation and adaptation policies and programs and coordinates the Indian Ocean Climate Initiative (IOCI). The OCC website provides information about climate change in WA and State Government climate change initiatives.

Climate Change in Australia
www.climatechangeinaustralia.gov.au/index.php
The results of current research and modelling at the national and state level are summarised in the report, Climate Change in Australia, published in 2007, with detailed information available interactively from the above website. This site, which is maintained by CSIRO, includes the results of climate change modelling of a range of climate change variables for each of three time horizons (2030, 2050, 2070) for each season (summer, autumn, winter, spring) as well as annual averages, for each of three greenhouse emission scenarios (low, medium, high).

Climate Change Adaptation Actions for Local Government
www.climatechange.gov.au/impacts/publications/local-government.html
This 2007 SMEC report is one of several tools the Australian Government is developing to assist Local Governments in identifying and implementing climate change adaptation actions. The report identifies climate change adaptation actions that can be implemented by Local Governments in response to the impacts of climate change. The adaptation actions identified in this study provide a net economic, social or environmental benefit no matter the level of climate change that occurs. Case study examples are included. Climate Change Adaptation Actions for Local Government was commissioned by the former Australian Greenhouse Office as part of the Australian Government’s National Climate Change Adaptation Program.

Climate Change Impacts & Risk Management - A Guide for Business and Government
www.climatechange.gov.au/impacts/publications/risk-management.html
This guide sets out a framework for assessing and prioritising the risks related to climate change impacts and developing a process for effective management. The Australian Government suggests Local Governments align their climate change risk assessments with this framework, particularly if applying for LAPP funding. This initial assessment of risk can be undertaken by people with a sound professional knowledge of the relevant organisation, together with a general understanding of the likely impacts of climate change. CSIRO’s Climate Change Scenarios for Risk Assessment accompany this Guide.

Local Government Climate Change Adaptation Toolkit
www.iclei.org/index.php?id=adaptation-toolkit
This toolkit is available to local government as part of the Australian Government and ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability Oceania, Cities for Climate Protection (CCP) Adaptation Initiative. The toolkit is designed to help councils carry out an enhanced risk management process for the impacts of climate change. Development of adaptation options to treat priority risks is addressed in Phase 4 of the process. The toolkit complements the Australian Government’s publication, Climate Change Impacts and Risk Management: A Guide for Business and Government.

Cottesloe Council Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment Project
www.cottesloe.wa.gov.au/?p=942
The Town of Cottesloe commissioned a climate change vulnerability assessment in 2007 in order to prepare for the challenges climate change presents to managing and maintaining coastal resources and infrastructure. The Cottesloe Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment Project established the potential risks to existing key coastal infrastructure under a range of future climate scenarios and the options available to treat the risks. The project combines international best practice with the Australian Government’s approach to climate change risk management as set out in the report, Climate Change and Risk Management: A Guide for Business and Government. In formulating an approach, a key consideration was the development of a set of methods and tools that could be readily used by coastal Local Governments throughout Australia. The project was funded by Emergency Management Australia.