Regional Climate Change Risk Assessment and Adaptation Action Plan for the Mid West Regional Council

10-11-2009
The Mid West Regional Council is about to commence work on a project to develop a regionally specific Climate Change adaption action plan for the seven member Councils.

MEDIA RELEASE

 

MID WEST REGIONAL COUNCIL

 

29th October 2009

Development of a Regional Climate Change Risk Assessment and Adaptation Action Plan for the Mid West Regional Council

 

The Mid West Regional Council comprising the Shires of Carnamah, Coorow, Mingenew, Morawa, Mullewa, Three Springs and Perenjori are about to commence work on a project that will develop a regionally specific Climate Change Adaptation Action Plan for the seven Councils. The Adaptation Action Plan will develop strategies that enable the participating Councils to collectively address the impacts of climate change to their operations and will distinguish between those best addressed at a regional level by the MWRC and those best addressed at a local level by the individual Councils.

 

The project aims to assess the vulnerability of member Councils to the impacts of climate change and provide a regionally coordinated approach to climate adaptation and is expected to cost approximately $174,000 to complete.

 

Mrs Suzanne Ward, Chief Executive Officer of the Mid West Regional Council said “MWRC were recently awarded an Australian Government Local Adaptation Pathways Program (LAPP) grant for $109,000 to assist with carrying out the project which is expected to cost approximately $174,000 to complete.  Coastal Zone Management are the consultants appointed to produce the Adaptation Action Plan report which is to be completed for adoption by the member councils in May 2010.  The knowledge gained about climate change risk adaptation and the mentoring of staff by consultants who are expert in this field will be invaluable in ensuring that forward planning for climate change becomes standard practice for the MWRC and the participating Councils.”

 

The Project includes two training events, plus two workshops involving member Council staff and key stakeholders in developing the risk assessment and adaptation plan. Project outcomes will be presented to member Council staff, Councilors and key stakeholders at the conclusion of the Project in a seminar format.

 

Development of the regionally specific Climate Change Adaptation Action Plan will recognize the differential capacity between adjoining Councils and provide the following key outcomes:

  • Development of a strategic, holistic and consistent regional picture of climate change risks.
  • Identification of critical areas of operations by member councils. For example, identification of those that are sensitive to or have particular exposure to climate change, and assessment of how these may affect service delivery to their communities.
  • Development of regional capacity for climate change risk assessment and adaptation, with member Council staff being mentored throughout the Project.
  • Identification of critical regional linkages and inter-dependencies between (and within) member Councils and opportunities for cooperative action.
  • Development of a platform for engagement with community stakeholders, enabling further structured discussion of key climate change issues.
  • Identification of other sector or issue-specific climate change work planned or already being undertaken in the region and opportunities for regional integration on such issues.

 

The key objectives of the Project are:

  • Identification, analysis and evaluation of risk to future financial, physical (infrastructure) and environmental assets and associated Council services.
  • Formulation of a series of strategies by Councils to manage these identified climate change risks.
  • Creating ‘local ownership’ and instilling the capacity within member Councils to address the impacts of climate change by encouraging personal involvement in developing and implementing adaptation.
  • Capacity building within member Councils to build resilience to climate change.
  • Identification of climate change risks that require further investigation beyond the scope of the current study.
  • Integrate results of climate change risk assessment and adaptation responses into the proposed Climate Change Adaptation Plan.

 

 

 

Contact: Suzanne Ward, Chief Executive Officer, Mid West Regional Council, Ph (08) 9921 0521

 


Last modified 10-11-2009 14:19