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From:
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Stephen Lees
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To:
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Sustainability
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Posted:
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01 May, 2013 2:44 AM
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Subject:
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RE:Climate Change Adaptation Examples from Local Councils
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Message:
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Hi Darron, Thanks for your suggestions and your interest in these matters. There certainly is a great deal that can be done in regard to sustainability and IPWEA. With only two days per week, the key challenge for me is always to focus on initiatives that will be of most help to members in their professional work. I am also very conscious that most members in local government are very time constrained. As a result, matters that do not appear to be urgent or pressing risk being set aside. For various reasons (including the breaking of the Millennium drought in eastern Australia, slow progress on international abatement efforts, the acrimonious Carbon Tax debate, changes in many state governments, flurry of recent adaptation research) the impetus for climate change adaptation planning unfortunately appears to have waned. Local councils in New South Wales and Queensland (and possibly elsewhere) that were formerly required to develop local climate change adaptation plans no longer have to do so. Despite this, the climate continues to change (not withstanding the recent La Nina event) and local councils need to consider and account for climate change whenever they make decisions with long lasting legacies. Rather than developing stand-alone climate change adaptation plans, which risk being ignored, a better approach is to 'mainstream' climate change and sustainability issues by incorporating its consideration into all council activities where the time scales involved warrant that. Some recently completed adaptation planning studies, both locally and overseas, suggest how that might be done. The key challenge, of course, is how we deal with the considerable uncertainties about exactly what the climate will be in the future. Fortunately innovative adaptation strategies and decision-making methods able to cope with the uncertainty about future climate are now emerging. I will continue to monitor developments in this field and inform members about the most useful through the IPWEA website and other forums. A major IPWEA conference is being considered for next year focusing on sustaining local government infrastructure in the face of a changing climate and other challenges, such as financial sustainability. In pursuing those initiatives I will keep in mind your remarks and welcome further suggestions and comments from this forum. ------------------------------------------- Dr Stephen Lees National Director Sustainability IPWEA stephen.lees@ipwea.org.au (m) 0412 264 187 -------------------------------------------
Show Original Message
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Original Message:
Sent: 29-04-2013 19:56
From: Darron Passlow
Subject: Climate Change Adaptation Examples from Local Councils
Stephen
Thanks for the impromptu report.
All I can say for a 2 day a week involvement, you might have too much on your plate.
I suggest a focus, and focus on something different - to help engineers in Councils come up with their own solutions.
Leave all the other bodies to do their thing - keep an eye on it but come up with your (IPWEA's) manageable, innovative plan.
I would suggest you focus on helping councils (engineers) to come up with "adaptation plans" that add value and do not "break the bank".
You would realise Councils (particularly in NSW, but everywhere) are struggling with their own "sustainable" (viability). A recent NSW Treasury report gave a very telling, poor financial longevity scorecard to most councils in NSW. This is now leading into detailed and precise discussion on Council amalgamation (to help solve a number of problems, not the least being their financial viablity).
There is just not enough money to do what needs to be done with the current council assets /rating/funding/renewal/backlog etc.
We need to work out how we stay in the black while we include provisions for new "wicked" phenomenon.
Wicked problems (APS definition includes climate change amongst these) need innovative solutions.
Lets get our innovation hats on (as APE) and come up with our own useful, managable approach.
This will help Councils and council engineers (and ultimately our customers - the community) and drive greater involvement in APE.
Regards
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Darron Passlow
Asset Management
Pittwater Council
MONA VALE NSW
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Original Message:
Sent: 22-04-2013 20:20
From: Stephen Lees
Subject: Climate Change Adaptation Examples from Local Councils
Hi Darron,
Thanks for your suggestion. An update on what APE has been doing in regards to sustainable would be timely. The attached file provides a snapshot of the various actions in progress.
We have been busy developing an APE Sustainability Strategy and now have a number of initiatives underway to help build capacity, enhance our networks, engage with other partners and hopefully provide some leadership to the sector. This work is being undertaken with the support and assistance of ACELG.
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You specifically asked about a blog I posted last December seeking examples of good climate change adaptation initiatives by local councils. What did it turn up?
The blog generated two responses from academics, but unfortunately none from local government / public works professionals. Paul Bateson from the University of Canberra provided a link to the IKEN forum website with Australian adaptation examples. IKEN is the Innovation and Knowledge Exchange Network run by the Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government (ACELG). The second response was from Associate Professor Heather Zeppel of the University of Southern Queensland. She included a copy of a recently published paper by her on local adaptation responses in climate change planning in coastal Queensland (which may now be out of date because of subsequent planning changes introduced by the Queensland Government). I know that many local councils have now assessed their climate change risks, but it seems that it is still 'early days' for climate change adaptation.
I hope you and others find this update and our initiatives of interest.
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Dr Stephen Lees
National Director Sustainability
APE
stephen.lees@ipwea.org.au
(m) 0412 264 187
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Original Message:
Sent: 21-04-2013 19:08
From: Darron Passlow
Subject: Climate Change Adaptation Examples from Local Councils
Stephen,
Chris's recent post got me thinking that you had some good ideas in this early post.
I notice not much has happened to inform members on your progress (in the last 4 - 5 months).
Perhaps an update might be in order - or is the issue dead!
Regards
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Darron Passlow
Asset Management
Pittwater Council
MONA VALE NSW
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Original Message:
Sent: 19-12-2012 23:12
From: Stephen Lees
Subject: Climate Change Adaptation Examples from Local Councils
Hi Sustainability COP Colleagues,
As a result of comments received about my message - seeking details of climate change adaptation actions - I would like to clarify what is meant by 'no-regrets', 'low-regrets' and 'high-regrets' adaptation actions. A useful source of definitions by the World Bank can be found at:
http://climatechange.worldbank.org/content/adaptation-guidance-notes-key-words-and-definitions
The following may help clarify their meanings:
'no regrets' adaptation actions are those that would be justified under all plausible future climatic scenarios, including no climate change - e.g. strengthening current local emergency response capabilites
'low regrets' adaptation actions are those involving a moderate additional investment to increase the capacity to cope with future climate risks, where this is a low-cost option compared to having to increase capacity at a later date to cope with climate change - e.g. installing a larger diameter drain than is currently warranted to anticipation of climate change increasing rainfall intensities
'high-regrets' adaptation actions are those involving decisions about large-scale planning and investments with high irreversibility, where considerable consequences and investments are at stake and there are long lasting implications. For such decisions, uncertainties about future climate projections mean that the decisions made could turn out to be 'high regrets' - e.g. building an item of major infrastructure with a 100-year expected life to cope with projected climatic conditions in 2112.
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As mentioned in my message, I am very keen to hear about councils that have implemented 'low regrets' adaptation actions; or 'high regrets' actions, if there are any.
Dr Stephen Lees
National Director Sustainability
APE
stephen.lees@ipwea.org.au
(m) 0412 264 187
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Original Message:
Sent: 18-12-2012 16:56
From: Stephen Lees
Subject: Climate Change Adaptation Examples from Local Councils
Hi Sustainability COP Colleagues,
The National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF) has received funds to report on good examples of climate change adaptation practice by Australian local councils. I will be attending a meeting about this initiative with NCCARF's deputy director in early January.
Many councils have implemented 'no regrets' adaptation actions that, by strengthening capacity to deal with existing floods, bushfires, droughts, storms etc., are worthwhile - even if the climate changes more slowly than projected or not at all (improbable!)
However I am particulary keen to hear about 'low regrets' adaptation actions that local councils have implemented. These are actions based on the future, rather than the past or current climate, which might involve some degree of regret if the climate changes more slowly than projected. One example of a 'low regrets' adaptation action is designing and building infrastructure or buildings to cope with the severe extreme weather events expected in the future. Another example is prohibiting or conditioning developments in areas that are currently 'safe', but are projected to become vulnerable to flooding, bushfires, coastal erosion etc. in the future. I suspect that very few local councils have implemented 'low regrets' adaptation actions.
If your Council, or another council you are aware of, has implemented a 'low regrets' adaptation action, or plans to do so shortly, I would be very grateful to hear about it from you in the next week or two.
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Dr Stephen Lees
National Director Sustainability
APE
stephen.lees@ipwea.org.au
(m) 0412 264 187
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