There is overwhelming evidence that climate change is one of the most pressing challenges facing our social, natural, built and economic systems.  These challenges are already being experienced and will grow in the future as more intense and frequent weather events, bushfires, floods, coastal erosion and inundation, landslides, storms and east coast lows and heatwaves take place.

The survival of many species and ecosystems, resource availability and the productivity of agricultural systems will be affected.

Our capacity to prepare for and manage the impacts of climate change will be determined by the actions we take now to mitigate against and adapt to climate change and byour success in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Effective measures to counteract the effects of climate change depend on concerted action at all levels of society to build resilience within the four-core interrelated systems that shape, are shaped by and exist within the social, natural, built and economic domains. Interconnections between these four systems are significant and cannot be considered in isolation.

Climate resilience involves understanding, acknowledging, addressing and progressively managing the impacts of climate change.  A climate resilient community will be low carbon and well-equipped to deal with the realities of a world with increasing natural hazard events.

Local Government has a key role in supporting communities to become climate resilient.  All four Councils in the Illawarra Shoalhaven region publicly acknowledge the threats of climate change and have strategies and plans in place to support operational and community-based and led mitigation and adaptation activities.

Our Regional Resilience Integrated Planning and Reporting Guidance outlines how these activities can and should be systemically integrated into Local Government frameworks, plans and tools and how local communities and other key stakeholders can be informed and supported in understanding their role and a Council’s role in building climate resilience and a more assured future.

To access a copy of the document please click on the image above or the following LINK.