MANDURAH SHOWS LEADERSHIP ON CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION

As part of the City’s proactive planning for climate change, the City successfully gained $50,000 in funding through the Federal Government’s Local Adaptation Planning Program earlier this year and subsequently matched the funds.

In July, the City invited tenders from consultants approved under the Commonwealth of Australia funding grant for LAPP and signed a Deed of Standing Offer with the Department of Climate Change.

At its meeting on October 21, Council approved the appointment of consultants Coastal Zone Management to conduct the climate change risk assessment to establish potential risk under a range of future climate scenarios and evaluate possible strategic alternatives for adaptation.

Mayor Paddi Creevey said the information gathered through the assessment would help the City adapt to the impacts of climate change and would form an important component of the City's Climate Change Response Plan.

“This local climate change risk assessment project will help us better understand the potential impacts of climate change on Mandurah, many parts of which are low-lying and prone to rising sea levels, severe storm surges and major tidal fluctuations,” Mayor Creevey said.

“This is part of our continued commitment to gaining local science on this issue and to continue implementing recommendations from the City’s ‘Climate Change and the Coast Conference’ held in August 2007.”

The climate change risk assessment project will identify and prioritise climate change impact risks for Mandurah’s coastal zone and waterways, and develop strategies to manage these risks through a Climate Change Adaptation Plan and ultimately the Climate Change Response Plan.

The City of Mandurah is also hosting a Climate Change Adaptation Forum on November 19 for WA Councils that are members of the Cities for Climate Protection Program.  Organised by ICLEI Oceania, the forum is part of ‘Leadership in a New Climate’ forums being held around Australia.

Mayor Creevey said the national forums were designed to provide a holistic look at what was involved in taking a leadership approach to climate change adaptation beyond simple risk management.

“These forums are aimed at elected members, CEOs and senior managers to provide ideas about how the potential effects of climate change could change the way councils operate in responding to these impacts,” she said.

RELEASE ENDS

12 November 2008