climate change resilience: a local government perspective

Shenagh GambleSustainability Programs CoordinatorLocal Government Association of the Northern Territory

outline• about local government and climate change • climate change risks to local government – the

need for risk assessment• Local Adaptation Pathways Program • national perspective to risk and resilience• looking to the future

local government in the NT• 16 councils (5 municipals, 11

shires) • 95% land is incorporated under

local government • no statutory role in land use

planning• outside of metropolitan areas has

limited ownership over land• shires have very little scope to

generate own source revenue• conditional rating of properties

local government role in climate change• planning• management of infrastructure• provision of services• employs a lot of people• management of landfills• street lighting• capacity to reduce emissions

climate change in the nt top end• warmer, with more hot days and warm nights. • more frequent and severe droughts, with greater fire risk. • little change in annual rainfall • increases in extreme weather events • changes to building design, standards and performance,

energy and water demand, and coastal planning• increased peak summer energy demand for cooling• warming and population growth • spread of vector-borne, water-borne

and food-borne diseases. • further stress on water resources

climate change risks to local government • planning policy and development

assessment• litigation • road/transport• buildings and housing• coastal infrastructure• economic development and

tourism• social and community planning • provision and use of recreational

facilities• maintenance of recreational

facilities

• health services; community/workplace health

• emergency/bushfire management• agriculture/biosecurity• natural resource

management/coastal management • weed/pest management• biodiversity protection• water and sewerage services • storm water/drainage • wastewater • water supply • coordinating council meetings

the need for a risk assessment • identify key vulnerabilities of local governments in

the NT top end • better understand the possible impacts of climate

change in this region• assess the risks associated with climate

change• understand and build community

resilience and awareness• develop adaptation options to reduce the

impacts of climate change

Local Adaptation Pathways Program • Australian Government funded• two major projects• six councils across the top end• contracted AECOM to undertake

risk assessment• climate science by CSIRO

climate science findings:predictions to the next 70 years• temperature should continue to

increase (mean, minimum and maximum)• the number of days > 35°C and days > 40°C is likely to

increase• rainfall is projected to decrease both in the dry and

in the wet• humidity should slightly decrease both in the wet

and the dry

risk assessment framework• risk as a factor of likelihood, impact

and control• first step was to combine likelihood and

impact to determine the degree of risk• second step was to compare this risk factor

with “control” • final step was to use a matrix to qualify risks

into adaptation options – in terms of cost, degree of control, likely impact on the risk etc

risk assessment findings

• assets and infrastructure• emergency management and

extreme events• public health• natural environment and

culture

adaptation options • improve emergency management planning• enhance community awareness • develop education on heat and mosquito related illness• upgrade of infrastructure and changes to procurement • protect against storm surge• monitor biodiversity • develop council position paper • work with other agencies

national perspectives for local government• locally relevant data sets• liability in decision making• more uniform approach to risk

assessments and adaptation options• strong leadership• consistent message to the community• embed “climate change” in

everything we do

looking to the future• growth towns and remote service delivery • focus on emergency management moves

towards disaster recovery • changes in local government responsibilities