Climate Change Risk and Adaptation Strategy

Council’s operations, assets and service delivery provided to the community is vulnerable to a range of climate hazards (potentially damaging events) such as heatwaves and flooding. As the intensity, severity and duration of extreme weather events increases, enhancing the resilience of operations, assets and service delivery will become more important.

Adaptation is action taken to prepare for actual or expected changes in the climate, in order to minimise harm, act on opportunities or cope with the consequences (Climate Change Act 2017). Climate change adaptation means changing the way we behave and doing things more appropriate for the future climate.

Key functions of Council in adapting to climate change include the following:

  • ensuring assets (starting with buildings) can withstand extreme events and climate change
  • identifying how climate change will impact street trees, bushland and urban biodiversity
  • building community and staff understanding of climate change risks and partnerships internally and externally for risk reduction
  • advocate for the community where Council does not control the outcomes.

Our current Strategy

The Climate Change Risk and Adaptation Strategy outlines how Council and partners will work towards a more climate adapted Maroondah. This strategy establishes a plan of action for the next four years enabling Council to prepare for the long-term risks of climate change. It will guide Council’s efforts to integrate climate change risk management and adaptation.

The strategy draws on a solid evidence base heavily informed by stakeholder engagement and the latest climate science including projections from the Bureau of Meteorology and the national science body, CSIRO, as well as vulnerability information to inform climate change adaptation planning.

Input was also obtained from the Eastern Alliance for Greenhouse Action (EAGA) of which Council is a member. The development of the  strategy was informed by extensive community consultation and input from a wide range of Council service areas, in particular, Risk Management. 

Climate Change Risk and Adaptation Strategy 2018/19-2021/22

Climate Change Risk and Adaptation Strategy 2018/19-2021/22(DOCX, 1MB)

Climate Change Risk and Adaptation Strategy 2018/19-2021/22(PDF, 4MB)

Community engagement report

Community Engagement Report(DOCX, 4MB)

Community Engagement Report(PDF, 987KB)

Discussion paper

Climate Risk and Adaptation Strategy Discussion Paper(DOCX, 7MB)

Climate Risk and Adaptation Strategy Discussion Paper(PDF, 3MB)

Climate Change Risk and Adaptation Strategy Activities Report

The Climate Change Risk and Adaptation Strategy 2018/19-2021/22 Activities Report reflects on the key achievements delivered by the Climate Change Risk and Adaptation Strategy 2018/19-2021/22.

The Activities Report outlines actions taken to support adaptation for people, places and Council operations, while also recognising the continued work required to prepare Council and the Maroondah community for the predicted impacts and associated risks of climate change over the coming years.

Climate Change Risk and Adaptation Strategy Activities Report(PDF, 6MB)

Further information

For further information contact Maroondah City Council's Sustainability Team on 1300 88 22 33.