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