Council to prepare Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment

19 Sep 2019 3:15 PM -

A Mayoral Minute was tabled at the 18 September 2019 advocating that Council prepares for climate resilience. 

In his report, Mayor Paul Maytom said that in recent weeks he had been challenged about whether Council and the community were doing enough about increasing resilience to climate change.  

“Last month I attended the Cotton Collective Conference in Griffith and heard a sobering presentation by Prof Mark Howden of the ANU Climate Change Institute to several hundred farmers.  While I am not here to argue about the science behind climate change, all the facts show that temperatures are going up, weather extremes are becoming the norm, rainfall patterns are changing and there is an increasing frost risk in the Riverina.  It would be negligent for any farmer, community or Council to ignore these warnings”.

Cr Maytom acknowledged in his Minute that although Council had already done some things towards reducing its environmental footprint, including installing solar on its administration building, stadium and sewerage treatment plant, he felt there is still quite a bit more Council can and should do.  

To get started, Cr Maytom recommended and had approved at the meeting, that a Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment be undertaken for the Shire.  Council also agreed that planning for climate resilience is required when preparing the Local Strategic Planning Statement (which will inform land use planning across the Shire).   Finally, Council agreed that LSC could advocate to LGNSW and ALGA for the local government sector to take an increased leadership role to drive climate resilience in communities. 

Cr Weston suggested deferring a decision until a future meeting as he wanted more time to consider the implications of other recommendations put forward by the Mayor.  These including Council matching the NSW Government’s aspirational commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and advocating that the Commonwealth follows through on its commitments to the Paris Convention.   

Cr Davidson and Cr Morris expressed reservations about the ability of the farming sector to achieve net-zero emissions compared to typical metropolitan areas but were amenable to Council undertaking a Vulnerability Assessment for the Shire. 

In the end, two resolutions were adopted and 2 others were left on the table
for another day. 

Mayor Paul Maytom said that he was philosophical about the final decision but very pleased that the Vulnerability Assessment and driving Local Government to lead communities’ increase in climate resilience received unanimous support.

“It would be a foolhardy Council that buries its head in the sand and denies that the climate is changing.  While I am not wanting to declare any emergency, I consider it our collective responsibility as today’s leaders to leave the earth a better place for future generations.  I am pleased that my fellow Councillors have agreed that the first step to increasing our climate resilience is understanding what vulnerabilities we and future generations will face.”