Climate Change

Adaptation

Framework

2017-2022

1

Contents

1. Introduction

................................................................................................................................2

The purpose of this Framework

..........................................................................................2

Climate change impacts for Brimbank and the region

..............................................3

2. Context for action

....................................................................................................................4

The role of local government to respond

........................................................................4

The policy context

....................................................................................................................5

3. Climate change adaptation at Brimbank City Council

................................................6

Climate change adaptation priorities

................................................................................6

Current climate change adaptation initiatives at Brimbank

....................................8

4. Climate change adaptation principles

...............................................................................9

5. Embedding climate considerations within relevant policy and strategy

............10

6. Advocacy

...................................................................................................................................12

7. Monitoring, evaluation and review

..................................................................................13

8. Climate Change Adaptation Framework Action Plan

...................................................14

9. Appendix

......................................................................................................................................21

Appendix 1. How Well Are We Adapting: a monitoring, evaluation and

reporting framework for adaptation performance by councils

..............................21

2

1. Introduction

The purpose of this Framework

This Climate Change Adaptation Framework 2017-2022 provides clear strategic

direction for building climate resilience within the Brimbank community and

within Council’s services and operations. Where the

addresses the need to reduce the

(greenhouse emissions), this Framework presents all the ways in

which Council prepares and responds to anticipated long-term

.

Alongside other western region councils, Brimbank City Council reviewed policies

and processes for how well the organisation is positioned to respond to a hotter,

drier climate with more frequent and extreme weather events. This important

work led to an update of Council’s operational and strategic risk registers to

include a specific set of climate change risks.

Beyond climate risk management, this Framework coordinates climate change

responses over longer time-frames and across a number of climate scenarios.

The necessary adaptation responses will involve policy changes and updated

planning responses, advocacy priorities and building partnerships with local

agencies. Organisational capacity will also be strengthened through leadership

and training to apply best practice adaptation principles to decision making.

This Framework aims to:

1. Identify a

cohesive organisational approach

to climate change

adaptation by identifying existing action and prioritising climate response

across Council’s services and operations

2. Outline an approach for consistently

embedding climate

considerations

within updates to policies and strategies

3. Introduce a set of

adaptation principles

to assist decision makers with

integrating adaptation response into their day-to-day decision making

4. Recommend

advocacy and partnership opportunities

for Council.

3

More intense fire conditions

contribute to the severity of

incidents like the Black Saturday Fires in 2009. The risk of fires will

continue to increase substantially in Victoria, with the number of

extreme fire danger days expected to increase by 25% by 2020 and

up to 230% by 2050 (Commissioner for Environmental

Sustainability, Victoria, 3013). Grass fires, typical to Brimbank, can

move rapidly and expose residents to risk.

Victoria has seen a decline in autumn, winter and spring

rainfall

over the past two decades and runoff into most of our

waterways is projected to decrease between 5 and 45% by 2030 and

between 5 and 50% by 2070 (The Climate Institute, 2013). By 2070

drought frequency is likely to increase by between 10 and 80% in the

southern half of Victoria (The Climate Institute, 2013).

Increased incidence of heavier rainfall events

create

risks of riverine flooding, flash flooding and storm damage.

According to the Insurance Council of Australia, in 2011 storms

inflicted $1.1 billion in loss and damage on the state (Department of

Environment and Primary Industries, 2013).

Heat waves are becoming more frequent and severe

and

lead to damaged infrastuture, power black outs and injury or death in

elderly, infant, chronically ill and migrant populations. Brimbank has a

population that is particularly at risk to heatwave impacts due to our

demographic profile and urban environment which traps heat

(National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility. Loughnan,

ME., Tapper, NJ., 2013)

Climate change impacts for Brimbank and the region

Global climate projections are based on sophisticated international and national

climate models. These models demonstrate that even slight increases in global

average temperatures intensify the volatility of our climate. The excess heat

trapped within our climate system results in a range of climate change impacts

for communities around the world, and in our region.

The City of Brimbank is a highly urbanised municipality located 20 km from the

Melbourne CBD. Brimbank is situated on the volcanic plains with historically low

rainfall, and is located between outer areas experiencing high urban growth and

inner west suburbs with pockets of heavy industry.

Brimbank’s 202,863 residents come from diverse multicultural backgrounds. Our

City also has higher socio-economic disadvantage relative to other Victorian

municipalities.

Figure 1. Climate change trends and projections for Brimbank

4

2. Context for action

The role of local government to respond

Local governments across Australia are on the frontline of effective climate

change adaptation response. Climate vulnerabilities and hazards vary from

region to region, and so Council is best positioned to embed adaptive measures

and manage immediate and long-term climate risks at a local scale. Council

needs to consider climate impacts through our service delivery for health and

wellbeing, decisions relating to development, and the design and maintenance of

our buildings, drainage, roads, open space and other infrastructure.

Council will support our communities to recognise risks and will change the way

we plan, develop and live in our City to account for climate impacts. Council will

collaborate with our community, with other councils and other levels of

government, the private sector and other institutions to identify and deliver on

local adaptation priorities.

A proactive approach enabled by this Climate Change Adaptation Framework

also allows Council to reduce costs, avoid potential liabilities, and enhance

business continuity over the long term.

In practical ways, the Framework applies the objectives and pathways of the

Victorian Government’s Climate Change Adaptation Plan 2017-2020 within

Brimbank. This alignment positions Council well to collaborate and coordinate

adaptation actions with those of key agencies, other councils and other

stakeholders.

The Framework ensures Council is clear on local adaption needs and strategic

priorities when advocating to key agencies on climate adaptation, and when

seeking any State, Federal or other funding for local adaptation responses.

5

V

ICTORIA

'

S

C

LIMATE

C

HANGE

A

DAPTATION

P

LAN

2017 - 2020

highlights that building a

shared understanding of the roles and responsibilities of state and local government is a

priority action and defines the following roles for local government:

















Federal Government

National Climate Resilience

and Adaptation Strategy

2015

Emissions Reduction Fund

National Climate Change

Adaptation Research

Facility

State Government

Climate Change Act 2017

Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008

Water Management Act 2000

Climate Change Framework

Victoria's Climate Adaptation Plan

2017-2020

Protecting Victoria's Environment -

Biodiversity 2037

Infrastructure Victoria 30 Year

Strategy

Plan Melbourne 2017

Heat Health Plan

Regional initiatives

Western Alliance for

Greenhouse Action

Adaptation Strategy

Resilient Melbourne

Strategy

Greening the West

The policy context

Figure 2. Climate change adaptation

initiatives

6

3. Climate change adaptation at Brimbank City Council

Climate change impacts, such as temperature increases and extreme weather

events, are already being experienced and will intensify in the coming years. The

Adaptation Priorities listed here aim to ensure Council’s efforts at building

capacity and responding to climate impacts are consistent and focused across

our service delivery.

An Action Plan addressing each priority area is provided within this Framework.

Climate change adaptation priorities



Council will work with our community to increase the awareness and

preparedness for oncoming climate impacts on health and wellbeing. Council

will ensure services remain resilient under a range of climate scenarios and

protect vulnerable community members, such as elderly residents or those

from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds, from the

impact of heatwaves, flooding, and frequency and severity of storm events.



Council will strengthen its preparation for more frequent and severe

emergency weather events through our emergency management plans and

procedures. To keep our communities safe and accessible during

emergencies, Council collaborates with key authorities and partners in our

region to deliver emergency management that responds to local climate

change risks.



Council will plan and deliver infrastructure and urban planning services that

ensure development and assets remain viable over long timeframes and

under a range of climate scenarios. An overall drying trend, higher intensity

rainfall events, periods of prolonged drought and increased average

temperature, will present risks to Council’s infrastructure such as drainage,

roads and buildings.



Council will seek opportunities to minimise the effects of drought conditions,

heat waves and the urban heat island effect. Council will address urban heat

and the reduced availability of water through our responsibilities for urban

planning, tree canopy cover, smarter water use (especially for open space

irrigation) and through ensuring the genetic diversity and resilience of native

7

vegetation and open space, and through managing impact of drainage on

local waterways and biodiversity.



Council will identify and respond to climate change-related exposure to

increased costs, new or expanded liability risks and insurance claims. Council

will share and collaborate with other levels of government, councils and

partners within the region, the benefits and lessons learned by Council for

governance and risk management within a changing climate.

8

Current climate change adaptation initiatives at Brimbank

Resilient

communities and

service delivery

Safe and

accessible

communities

Long term planning

– Infrastructure

planning and

assets

Cool, biodiverse

and water secure

city

Governance and

risk

Figure 3. Case studies of existing actions that align with Council’s adaptation priorities

9

4. Climate change adaptation principles

Council will use a best practice

1,2

principles-based approach to deliver a cohesive

organisational response to oncoming climate impacts. This approach is necessary

for Council to comprehensively account for the uncertainty, complexity and long

time frames inherent with climate change impacts.

These Adaptation Principles will be applied to all Council’s current and future

policy, services and operations which contribute to climate resilience within the

Brimbank community and Council’s services and operations.

Council will:

1.

Consider decisions and design responses that will continue to

perform

under a number of different future climate scenarios

relevant to

services and asset lifespans.

2.

Choose

adaptation responses that are flexible

(easily modified or

reversed), that can be scaled up or down, or keep our options open as we

learn more about how the climate actually changes.

3.

Build in safety margins to

ensure adaptation responses remain useful

under a broader range of climate scenarios and provide multiple benefits

alongside climate resilience.

4.

Practice

integrated decision-making

where adaptation responses are:

a.

balanced with other Council and community priorities to avoid

adverse outcomes,

b.

adequately resourced,

c.

account for costs if adaptation action is delayed and costs of

externalities,

d.

are compatible with efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

5.

Prioritise decisions and solutions that

maintain equity

across and within

generations, and that protect community members who are most exposed

to climate impacts

.

1

Climate Resilience Training, City of Greater Geelong: http://coggresilience.loopandco.com.au/

2

Victoria's Climate Change Adaptation Plan 2017 – 2020, p. 17

10

Council Plan

Community Plan

(including Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan)

5. Embedding climate considerations within relevant

policy and strategy

The adaptation priorities and adaptation principles identified in this Framework

will be integrated throughout Council’s broader policy environment to ensure we

implement a cohesive response. Under the directions of the Community and

Council Plans, the Adaptation Framework Priorities and Principles will be applied

through the Adaptation Advocacy and the Framework Action Plan. Council’s

adopted plans and strategies, including the Municipal Strategic Statement will

also progressively respond to Adaptation Priorities and integrate the Adaptation

Principles (see Figure 4 below).

Adaptation

Framework

(Priorities &

Principles)

Sustainability

Framework

Adaptation

Framework Action

Plan

Risk Registers

Council plans and

strategies

Municipal

Strategic

Statement

Social Justice

Charter

Figure 4. How the Adaptation Framework interacts with other Council policies.

Figure 4. How the Adaptation Framework interacts with other Council policies.

11

Figure 5 below highlights those Council plans and strategies that will integrate climate change adaptation principles as and

when they are reviewed.

Resilient

communities and

service delivery

• Brimbank Community

Plan (including Municipal

Public Health and

Wellbeing Plan)

• Brimbank Children’s

Plan, 2015-2019

• Brimbank Aged Friendly

City Plan 2013–2017

• Brimbank Youth

Strategy 2015-2019

• Brimbank Disability

Action Plan 2017–2020

• Brimbank Community

Strengthening Policy

2014

Safe and accessible

communities

• Municipal Emergency

Management Plan and

sub-plans:

• Municipal Flood

Emergency Plan

• Brimbank Fire

Management Plan 2014

• Brimbank (Emergency

Recovery) Heatwave

Plan

• Community Emergency

Risk Assessment

• Brimbank Community

Safety Strategy 2015–

2019 • Brimbank Flood

Management Plan 2013

• Men’s Violence Against

Women 2015-2019

Long term planning

for infrastructure,

planning and assets

• Brimbank Planning

Scheme

• Home and Housed

Housing Strategy 2014

• Brimbank Settlement

Action Plan 2013-2017

• Sports Facility

Development Plan 2016

• Transport Priorities

Paper, 2013 (updated

2016)

• Cycling and Walking

Strategy, 2016

• Asset Management

Policy

• Asset Management

Strategy

• Integrated Asset

Management Plan

Cool, biodiverse and

water secure city

• Brimbank Greenhouse

Reduction Strategy

2013-2023

• Sustainable Water

Management Strategy

2013-2023

• Biodiversity Strategy

2012-2022

• Urban Forest Strategy

2016-2046

• Street Tree Policy

• Creating Better Parks

Policy and Plan 2016

• Brimbank Stormwater

Management Plan

Governance and

risk

• Strategic Risk Register

Figure 4. How the Adaptation Framework interacts with other Council policies.

Figure 5. Key Council strategies and plans that will integrate climate change adaptation principles.

12

6. Advocacy

Part of Council’s adaptation responses will be influenced from other levels of

government and by regulatory concerns. Council will need to develop

partnerships with other key agencies and other levels of government to

effectively adapt at the appropriate scale. A number of specific advocacy

priorities are broadly outlined below.

Climate Change Adaptation Advocacy Priorities

Priority planning and infrastructure issues



Power outages

can have severe health and economic consequences

during extreme weather events.



Asset and infrastructure

decisions rely on standard design guidelines

that currently do not consistently incorporate a way to include climate

change projections.



Building standards

for residential, commercial and industrial buildings

need strengthening with minimum standards for climate resilience.



Major infrastructure projects

need to integrate climate change

adaptation principles into their delivery, design and management.



Land-use planning decisions

need to factor in climate change

scenarios. This should be actively supported by higher levels of

government through provision of consistent data sets, clear standards and

support for decision-making that applies best practice Adaptation

Principles.

Priority community and business sector issues



Brimbank has a

high proportion of residents who are at increased

risk to climate change impacts

due to socio-economic disadvantage,

being a recent migrant, elderly or very young, or due to having a chronic

health condition. Council can advocate for additional support for these

residents. This could include, but is not limited to, targeted programs,

partner agencies and other levels of government to ensure they are not

disproportionately affected by climate change.



Businesses in Brimbank will be affected by climate change

through

their electricity and water costs, power outages, and decreased or

increased customer numbers during extreme weather events depending of

their business type. Council should advocate support for programs that

will increase local business resilience and preparedness to climate change

impacts, which will more broadly assist the community to adapt and

respond.

13

7. Monitoring, evaluation and review

Council’s success in adaptation requires a number of potential pathways or

solutions that address each of Adaptation Priority. To ensure our adaptation

responses remain viable and adhere to our Adaptation Principles, Council will

continually monitor, reflect on lessons and adjust our responses accordingly. The

monitoring, evaluation and review of Council’s adaptation responses and

adaptive capacity will occur via the following approaches.

Monitoring organisational climate change risks

Council’s operational and strategic risk register monitors organisational risk

treatment actions annually. Climate change risks have been included in these

registers to drive immediate progress on adaptation responses.

Delivery of risk treatment actions are assigned to ‘risk owners’ from across the

organisation. Council’s Audit & Governance Committee, Governance Department

and Council’s ‘risk owners’ will review and progressively update risks and

prioritise treatment actions annually.

Monitoring delivery of the Adaptation Framework Action Plan

The Adaptation Framework Action Plan progresses all of Council’s adaptation

responses beyond the organisational risk registers. An internal Climate

Adaptation Working Group will be formed to oversee the delivery of the

Adaptation Framework Action Plan. The Environment and Governance

Departments will jointly lead the working group, which will meet at least twice a

year and be comprised of Council officers responsible for Framework Actions.

‘How Well Are We Adapting?’ adaptation indicators for local government

Council, as part of the Western Alliance for Greenhouse Action, has developed a

monitoring and evaluation framework and tool for local governments (see

Appendix

1

). The internal Climate Change Adaptation Working Group will be

responsible for collating adaptation indicator data for each year to improve

Council’s long-term adaptive capacity and inform the Adaptation Framework

review process.

Adaptation Framework Review

The Adaptation Framework will be reviewed and updated in 2022. In the

intervening years, the Framework Action Plan will be reviewed for progress on

actions. The internal Climate Change Adaptation Framework Working Group, led

by the Council’s Environment and Governance Departments, will be responsible

for the review and reporting on this Adaptation Framework.

14

8. Climate Change Adaptation Framework Action Plan

Resilient communities and service delivery

Timing

Actions

Opportunities, partnerships and advocacy

Responsibility Resourcing

Now –

2 years

1.1 Update the Council Plan and Community Plan (including

Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan) to ensure climate

change is comprehensively considered in line with Climate

Change Act (2017) legislative requirements.

Council Plan working group

Policy,

Advocacy and

Research

Staff time +

1.2 Participate in Sustainability Victoria’s Healthy Homes program

to retrofit Home and Community Care clients’ homes to ensure

better cooling capacity and energy savings are realised for

vulnerable residents.

Partners could include: Sustainability Victoria,

Department of Health and Human Services,

Brotherhood of St. Laurence, Climate and Health

Advocacy.

Community

Care

Staff time +

3 – 5 years

1.3 Engage with the community to develop and deliver an

educational program to raise awareness of climate impacts

and how to prepare – this will assist Council by reducing

pressure on emergency management resources overtime, if

the community increases resilience as climate events become

more extreme. May include scenario mapping and assessment

of vulnerable communities, and should include community

strengthening programs.

Opportunities for community strengthening programs

that support climate resilience include Resilient

Melbourne’s Neighbourhood project, the expansion or

review of existing Brimbank City Council community

engagement initiatives, i.e. The Living in your

Neighbourhood program. Other opportunities may

include focusing on young people’s education, people

from non- English speaking backgrounds, and utilising

active and strong existing community networks.

Community

Planning and

Engagement

Staff time

+++

and

possible

external

funding $

15

Safe and accessible communities

Timing

Actions

Opportunities, partnerships and advocacy

Responsibility Resourcing

Now – 2

years

2.1 Update Council’s response plans to emergency events:



Continue to review and update Council’s Heatwave Plan in

line with state government requirements.



Review Council’s Municipal Emergency Management Plans

(including sub-plans such as the Brimbank Flood

Management Plan and Fire Management Plan), Community

Emergency Risk Assessment, Risk Action Plans, and

associated strategic documents to ensure they consider

current and future climate change impacts and have a pro

active approach to preparedness to reduce recovery and

response

Actively collaborate internally with the MEMP

Committee and with other emergency management

agencies for advice on factoring in climate change

into emergency management planning and

preparedness. Partners may include: North West

regional collaboration, Emergency Management

Victoria, State Emergency Service, etc. to ensure

our climate change approach is consistent and

remains best practice.

Emergency

Management

Staff time +

2.2 Review Council-run facilities and services that are used by the

community to seek relief during extreme weather events,

particularly heat wave events. Assess their capacity to cope with

peak events and identified risks, particularly associated with

overcrowding during heatwave events at facilities such as

leisure centres.

Leisure

Services

Risk and

Emergency

Management

Staff time

++

Internal or

external

partnerships

3 – 5 years

2.3 Engage with the community to develop and deliver a broad

based community education program on the impacts of climate

change, with targeted engagement initiatives as needed.

Target key needs such as outreach to culturally and

linguistically diverse communities, water safety and

overcrowding at Council’s leisure centres.

Opportunities include utilising the ‘Living in Your

Neighbourhood’ program, which may be expanded

to include leisure centre safety, heat wave safety

and emergency management.

Community

Planning and

Engagement

Leisure

Services

Staff time ++

Funding $

16

Long term planning - Infrastructure, planning and assets

Timing

Actions

Opportunities, partnerships and advocacy

Responsibility Resourcing

Now –

2 years

3.1 Through the implementation of Council’s proposed

Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD) Framework, ensure

the uptake of adaptive building design for Council buildings that

are internally comfortable, withstand extreme temperatures,

have low energy use, are resilient to flood impacts, higher winds

and extreme weather conditions.

Investigating the Northern Alliance for Greenhouse

Action’s (NAGA) building vulnerability assessment

tool.

Environment

Facilities and

Major Projects

Staff time +

3.2 Complete drainage inspection prioritisation process (CCTV

assessment) to identify drainage areas at high risk of

deterioration and flood vulnerability.

Asset

Services

Engineering

Staff time +

Already

funded

3.3 Conduct drainage network analysis and map reduced capacity

under medium term (2040) and long term climate risk

projections (2070) to determine total drainage capacity

requirements. For example, the road rehabilitation program

employs pro-active hotspot flood modelling in priority areas,

e.g. Sunshine Activity Centre. Pilot climate change scenarios

into the flood modelling in the hotspot program. Explore

opportunities to progress integration of climate change

projections into drainage network.

Work with DELWP, and Melbourne Water to update

flood modelling that reflects climate change

projections. Melbourne Water updates GIS overlays

for Melbourne Water land annually, but we need to

investigate whether they are including climate

projections into their modelling. Engineers Australia

has updated design guidelines for drainage assets.

These Australian Rainfall and Runoff guidelines

include advice on how to take climate change into

consideration (Book 1, Ch. 6).

Asset

Services

Engineering

Environment

Staff time ++

External

partnership

Internal or

external

funding $$$

3.4 Investigate a process to incorporate adaptation into project

design processes across Council via the Capital Works Steering

Group. Develop an agreed methodology for assessing assets for

Opportunities include adapting City of Yarra’s

Adaptation Guidance Tool & Quadruple bottom line

assessment for operational and capital projects to

Environment

Staff time ++

17

vulnerability against future climate change impacts.

Brimbank’s requirements. Another opportunity is to

review Geelong’s Asset Design Framework.

3.5 Work with partner agencies such as VicRoads to understand

best practice approaches to manage climate change impacts on

roads and related infrastructure.

Investigate options for monitoring and adaptive

management of road resilience to climate change.

Engineering

Staff time +

External

partnerships

3.6 Review opportunities to update the Municipal Strategic

Statement with the introduction of Environmentally Sustainable

Design (ESD) principles, standards and assessment for

residential, retail and industrial design to enhance climate

resilience to increased extreme weather events.

Consider opportunities such as the Sustainable

Design Assessment in the Planning Process (SDAPP)

undertaken by other councils.

Environment

Planning

Staff time ++

Internal

partnerships

3 – 5 years

3.7 Review development controls in flood exposed areas based on

climate scenario modelling. Develop updated flooding and

special building overlay controls.

Advocate to State and Federal Government for

improved planning controls and regulations for

private development.

Potential partners include: Melbourne Water, State

Emergency Service.

Planning

Environment

Staff time ++

Internal

partnerships

External

partnerships

3.8 Pilot the use of climate considerations in new drainage design in

priority areas identified through actions 3.2 and 3.3 with

capacity to monitor and evaluate performance during flooding

events.

Develop business case and budget bid to upgrade

priority drains or consider developing a financial risk

adaptation assessment for drainage.

Potential partners include: Melbourne Water, City

West Water, City of Melbourne

and Australian Rainfall and Runoff

2016.

Asset

Services

Engineering

Risk

Environment

Staff time ++

Internal and

external

partnerships

External or

internal

funding $$

18

Cool, biodiverse and water secure city

Timing

Actions

Opportunities, partnerships and advocacy

Responsibility Resourcing

Now –

2 years

4.1 Prepare a biodiversity connectivity plan to enhance the

movement of indigenous flora and fauna and contribute to

resilience through population scale genetic diversity.

Environment

Staff time +

4.2 Investigate options that model the impact of future climate

scenarios on indigenous flora and fauna to inform decision

making.

Environment

Staff time +

4.3 Continue to develop opportunities to harvest stormwater and

other alternative supplies that displace potable water use over

time, in line with objectives in Brimbank’s Sustainable Water

Strategy. Monitor, evaluate and review effectiveness of

alternative water options regularly.

Use of the Western Alliance for Greenhouse Action’s

‘How Well Are We Adapting’ Framework.

Partners may include: City West Water, Melbourne

Water, Integrated Water Management working

group (internal), Integrated Water Management

Framework (Resilient Melbourne).

Environment

Engineering

Parks

Staff time +

Internal

partnership

External

partnership

4.4 Update the Open Space Asset Management Plan to consider

green infrastructure as assets within the context of managing

urban heat island and extreme conditions.

Refer to the current project involving RMIT

developing a cost effective approach to green asset

mapping via LiDAR once it is complete.

Assets

Urban Design

Environment

Staff time ++

Partnership

with RMIT

19

4.5 Ensure Council continues to focus on effective water efficiency

actions, such as warm season grass conversions which have

reduced 50% of irrigation requirements for sports fields.

Parks

Leisure Services

Environment

Urban Design

Facilities and

Major Projects

Staff time +

Internal

funding $$

4.6 Through the Urban Forest Strategy, consider:



Undertaking urban heat island vulnerability mapping to

achieve a targeted approach to urban cooling initiatives

(such as prioritising tree planting and water sensitive urban

design projects for areas of high heat vulnerability).



Review urban forest species to ensure they are fit for

purpose in a changing climate and maximise urban heat

reduction, without compromising local biodiversity values.

Partners may include: Greening the West.

Consider City of Melbourne’s policy on climate

adaptive street trees.

Opportunities include funding from the National

Government’s Smart Cities and Suburbs Program.

Urban Design

Environment

Community

Culture

Planning and

Development

Staff time ++

Internal

partnerships

External

funding $$$

3 – 5 years

4.7 Establish monitoring and evaluation program for biodiversity to

inform adaptive management and update strategies and

processes, as new knowledge is available.

Opportunities include a partnership with DELWP or

Port Phillip Western Port Catchment Management

Authority. Investigation of Boroondara’s Climate

Change Biodiversity indicators, and Resilient

Melbourne’s Urban Forestry and biodiversity

mapping project.

Environment

Staff time ++

Internal

partnerships

External

partnerships

Possible

funding

required $

Seek to

attract funding

into

biodiversity

and adaptive

20

management

programs.

21

Governance and risk

Timing

Actions

Opportunities, partnerships and advocacy

Responsibility Resourcing

Now –

2 years

5.1 Integrate Adaptation Priorities and Principles within updates to

relevant policies and strategies across the organisation. Refer to

the relevant policies and strategies that are identified in the

Framework above.

All

departments

Environment

Staff time ++

5.2 Consider general staff training to increase the understanding of

climate change impacts and risks for the organisation, including

an overview of the impacts for Council and our community, an

understanding of how to frame the issue and response

approaches.

Investigate opportunities for funding through the

State Government or adapt City of Greater

Geelong’s Climate Resilience Staff Training to suit

Brimbank’s context.

Environment

People and

Performance

Staff time ++

Internal or

external

funding $

5.3 Establish monitoring and evaluation of climate change impacts

on Council service delivery, including a process to capture and

report service delivery data internally to Governance or

Environment Departments.

Consider participation in global or regional

initiatives which focus on public reporting and

benchmarking climate adaptation actions.

e.g Use of the Western Alliance for Greenhouse

Action’s ‘How Well Are We Adapting’ Framework

Environment

Staff time ++

5.4 Monitor, review and update Council’s climate change risks in the

strategic and operational risk registers.

Risk

Environment

Staff time +

3 – 5 years

5.5 Develop clear lines of responsibility for particular risks within

Council and of other responsible agencies. For example,

incorporate climate adaptation reporting into Council reporting

processes.

Consider advocacy to State and Federal

Government to establish clear roles and

responsibilities between State Government, local

government, land developers and community to

control risk, achieve better outcomes and reduce

potential legal and financial liability for Council.

Environment

Governance

Staff time +

5.6 Establish a cross-council adaptation working group to:



Implement, review and report on adaptation framework

actions to Council annually.



Monitor and evaluate actions and controls through annual

risk register reporting.



Provide leadership and accountability.

Consider links and involvement with the WAGA

Adaptation Working Group to enhance

organisational knowledge and capacity building.

Environment

Relevant

departments

Staff time ++

22

9. Appendix

Appendix 1. How Well Are We Adapting: a monitoring, evaluation and

reporting framework for adaptation performance by councils

Strategies, pathways and plans are often implemented with the intention of

assisting climate change adaptation. However, with the long decision timeframes

and uncertainty of climate change impacts, we need to ask whether we are

doing things right or doing the right things

With $200,000 in funding from the Victorian Government, The Western Alliance

for Greenhouse Action, in partnership with RMIT Centre for Urban Research and

the Net Balance Foundation, produced a monitoring, evaluation and reporting

(ME&R) framework and online reporting tool for adaptation performance –

launched on 10 May 2017.

‘How Well Are We Adapting’ currently monitors indicator sets under two themes:

‘community wellbeing and emergency management’ and ‘open space and water

security’.

Indicator sets for local government adaptation performance within the ‘How Well

Are We Adapting’ Framework include:

Knowledge of service vulnerability or resilience to climate change

impacts



Home and Community Care service delivery



Maternal and Child Health service delivery



Effectiveness of alternative water supplies



Monitoring of water efficiency applications in open space management

Organisational capacity to plan for and respond to the impacts



Staff capacity to integrate climate change considerations in their daily

roles



Legislative responsibilities to consider climate change in decision making

Adequate resourcing to meet adaptation requirements



Consideration of climate change in open space projects.



Monitoring climate change impacts on open space maintenance budgets.



Emergency management preparedness, planning and response relating to

climate change

Participation and awareness



Community participation and awareness

23