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People, Property and Place
Impacts of Climate Change on Human Settlements in the Western Port Region: an Integrated Assessment
This project is one of a small number of climate change ‘integrated assessment’ projects being conducted across Australia. The project builds on and extends The Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation in Western Port scoping study (see elsewhere on this website), initiated in 2005 by the Western Port Greenhouse Alliance (WPGA), a grouping of the five local governments that surround Western Port in the region to the immediate south-east of the Melbourne metropolitan area.
This scoping study established that climate change is an emerging issue for the Western Port community and identified the need for more detailed regional information on the potential impacts of climate change, as well as an understanding of processes that could assist local decision-making on the issue.
The project Impacts of Climate Change on Human Settlements in the Western Port Region was conducted over two years and examined climate change impacts on the region’s built environment and communities as well as local adaptation responses to those impacts. It set out to improve understanding of the scientific, economic and social impacts of climate change in the Western Region in order to:
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• enhance the capacity and knowledge of local governments and other decision-makers in the region to prepare for and adapt to climate change; and
• develop an approach to climate change assessment and adaptation that has transferability to other regions in Australia.
The Western Port Climate Change Integrated Assessment project consisted of four major phases:
- projecting changes to key climate drivers and associated biophysical impacts in the region. Changes examined included sea level rises, average and extreme rainfall, storm surge, temperature and fire weather. Outputs of this phase are provided in three biophysical impacts reports – see the links below if you wish to see these. This phase of the project was largely completed by CSIRO.
- examining the nature and extent of potential impacts to the region’s built environment (land, housing and public and private infrastructure) as well as an assessment of the social and economic implications of the impacts and the vulnerability of different localities and groups. Marsden Jacob Associates (MJA) conducted this phase of the project, with input from CSIRO.
- identifying and developing a priority list of risks to local governments associated with the impacts. A series of risk assessments, led by Broadleaf International and involving upwards of 60 council staff, were undertaken with each of the region’s local councils. These are now being considered within the work programs of each local council.
- adaptation options and barriers to effective response to the high priority risks which will be explored with local councils, state government and other key regional decision makers. Considering options and implementing actions will also feature in the work programs of councils into the future.
The project was conducted by a steering committee with representation from:
Project management services were provided by:
The project was advised by a Reference Group that included representatives from:
- Bass Coast Shire Council
- Cardinia Shire Council
- City of Casey
- Frankston City Council
- Mornington Peninsula Shire
Port of Hastings Corporation
- Melbourne Water
- South East Water
- Department of Human Services
- Office of the Emergency Services Commissioner
The project was conducted with the assistance of Broadleaf International, a risk assessment company that conducted the detailed risk assessment workshops at which a wide-ranging group of council staff met to consider the impacts data as it related to the populations and infrastructure in their own council. The Regional Development Company, facilitators and evaluators, developed and delivered an evaluation framework and will provide a Lessons Learned Report to assist the Department of Climate Change with the transferability of the project processes and outcomes.
For further information about the project, please contact Greg Hunt, Executive Officer of SECCCA on 0400 948 546 or ghunt@casey.vic.gov.au
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