Regional Climate Change Adaptation Strategy: A Comprehensive Overview and Implementation Guide

1. Narelle Martin Two Hemispheres Environmental Consulting

2. Overview of presentation • How did this emerge? • The story. • What is in this Strategy and accompanying reports? • How can the Strategy be used? • Implementation

3. Background to the Strategy • One of the requirements for the Socioeconomic Adaptation Planning (SEAP) funding was to establish a Regional Climate Change Adaptation Strategy. • The Strategy was to include the outcomes of both Adapting to a Low Water Future (ALWF) and SEAP • The report launched today takes from all of the reports and outcomes developed over the two projects over more than two years. • Draws on supporting reports and signposts to them.

4. Relationship with related reports

5. Principles used to develop the Regional Climate Change Adaptation Strategy • Build on existing work • Don’t duplicate • Where there is good work elsewhere, borrow and acknowledge • Focus on adding value to the partners

6. The story • The over arching story of this Strategy is that adapting to climate change affects all parts of the community, cuts across all organisations and activities. • The good news is that people are already adapting to change, and have demonstrated considerable resilience. • However considerable energy has been spent on reacting to issues. • The Strategy identifies changes to reduce risk and improve resilience in advance

7. Who is it written for? • The primary audience for this Strategy is the Councils and partners, including the Regional Managers Forum, and through them, the community, including industry and businesses. • It is also a tool that can be used by groups and organisations in the North East and the wider Hume Region, and other communities.

8. The Strategy • Executive summary provides a useful overview. • Strategy includes: • Background information, • Recommendations – 157 in all. • Case studies • Linkages to other reports • Appendices • Draws on the themes of the Hume Strategy to organise material

9. Part of larger picture • Emphasise that the Adaptation Strategy is one element of the projects. The accompanying reports are an important resource that have a wealth of material that can be used. • Examples: • There is a review of training programs for sustainability available in the North East • Planning schemes and other strategic documents of councils have been reviewed to see how they deal with climate change • Extensive work on water security

10. Organisation • Four sections • Section One: Introduction • Section Two: Context • Section Three: Extreme Risks not being met • Section Four: Themes • Case studies throughout • Appendices

11. Themes • Five themes used: • Environment Theme • Communities Theme • Economic Theme • Land use Theme • Corporate operations theme

12. Structure for themes • What have we done well? • What could we do better? • Key Recommendations • Other recommendations • All recommendations have a source. Some are indicated as ‘new’ • Recommendations also identify which recommendations are responsibility of councils, and other organisations

13. How can you use this? (part 1) • Scan and see what has been done over the two years: It may well save you work and resources. • Looking to apply for funding related to sustainability or climate change? • Look here first! • Climate change and the North East current and future climate: covered. You can copy, delve in depth and borrow. • You can cross reference immediately to the Hume Strategy (Appendix 2) for related recommendations, as well as recommendations from the Adaptation Strategy. • There are extensive backup documents that may support your arguments, provide evidence and help set up arguments.

14. How can you use this? (part 2) • Looking to address sullage and sewage issues in small communities? • Check out the recommendations and outcomes in Bonacci sullage and sewage report. • Looking at making better connections in community development and resilience? • Draw on the work by Institute of Sustainable Futures, reflected in the case studies. This draws on existing examples in the community.

15. How can you use this? (part 3) • Looking to increase economic development? • Background documents in both projects provide analysis and information. • Projects in SEAP and ALWF undertook pilots working with businesses. • Case studies provide snapshots of the pilots and where to get additional information.

16. How can councils use this? • There is a regular cycle of review of council plans, strategies and direction. These are often linked into council election cycles. • There are a series of recommendations on how to reduce risk to your communities through changes to plans. • Substantial background analysis also done (Review of Municipal Documents). • Cherry pick recommendations. • Identify if there are some areas where a collaborative approach will assist all. • Consider developing an Action Plan based on the Strategy and accompanying reports, and other internal documents: Alpine Council has done this. A template is available.

17. Different priority setting approaches • Extreme risks currently not managed (Section Three) • Approaches with multiple benefits • Does this action: 1. Help adaptation to climate change?2. Provide other environmental benefits?3. Increase the resilience of the community?4. Increase health outcomes?5. Provide economic benefits?6. Help solve an existing problem?7. Reduce risks of council?8. Reduce risks to the community?

18. Examples

19. Wider applications • Many recommendations are on a regional basis • Will have resonance for the wider Hume community • Can also add value to other regional organisations

20. Appendices important resource • Include cross reference to Hume Strategy (Appendix 2) • Provides overview of contents of both Adapting to a Low Water Future (ALWF) and Socioeconomic Adaptation Planning (SEAP) (Appendix 4 and 5) • These are cheat sheets for a synopsis of the supporting reports. • Addendum includes alternative options to manage sullage and sewage in small rural towns (Appendix 6)

21. Implementation • NEGHA does not have the role to implement the Strategy. • Up to councils and partners working with each other or other organisations to implement. • Important outcome is that the North East and the larger Hume region can leverage the documents for future on-ground works and funding. • Councils and organisations will choose from the recommendations. • Some councils have already implemented some items covered in the Strategy.

22. Appendix 2 Relationship with Hume Strategy

23. Appendix 2 continued

24. Bonacci Addendum • Appendix 6 • Includes schematics, capital and operating costs for 20 rural towns: • Bethanga, Bogong Village Bonegilla, Cudgewa, Eldorado, Everton, Freeburg, Hamilton Park, Harrietville, Mitta Mitta, Ovens, Springhurst, Tarrawingee, Tawonga, Tintaldra, Towong, Walwa, Wandiligong, Whitfield and Whorouly.

25. Conclusion • Outcomes of two projects confirm we have moved and continue to move towards a different climate pattern • Strategy and supporting reports provide tools to assist the partners, and through them the community and businesses. • The Regional Climate Change Adaptation Strategy and related reports provide the North East with a solid platform for future activity in the region.

26. Thank you Narelle Martin Two Hemispheres Environmental Consulting Pty Ltd nmartin.thec@bigpond.com M: 040 889 7790 www.twohemispheresenvironmental.com