2021-08-10 Planning & Environment Committee Meeting Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                   10 AUGUST 2021


7    CLIMATE CHANGE             RESPONSE         PLAN      AND      COMMUNITY     CONSULTATION
     SUBMISSIONS


Author            Principal Strategic Planner, Rebecca Britton
                  Carbon Reduction Officer, Anne Nolan
                  Environment and Sustainable Development Department

Index             ECM/Subject/Climate Change 41.23

Attachments       1.   Climate Change Response Plan
                       (Attachment provided separately to this report)



EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Not applicable.


RECOMMENDATION
That Council note the report by the Principal Strategic Planner and Carbon Reduction Officer to the
Planning & Environment Committee Meeting dated 10 August 2021 and:
A.   Note the report on submissions received during the community consultation on the draft
     Climate Change Response Plan;
B.   Adopt the final Climate Change Response Plan, provided at Attachment 1 to the report;
C.   Request the CEO to establish a community reference group within 3 months of adoption to
     assist with the implementation of the plan;
D.   Request the CEO to develop a detailed implementation action plan in consultation with the
     community reference group to inform Council’s future budget processes;
E.   Note that Council has been awarded $310,000 in state government grant funding for two
     climate change resilience pilot projects to work in collaboration with other southeast
     Queensland councils to increase local government capability to mitigate and adapt to climate
     risk.




REPORT
Community consultation on the draft Climate Change Response Plan ran for six weeks from 19
March to 30 April 2021, with some initial targeted consultation with community groups occurring prior
to this time. The plan provides a whole-of-shire response to climate change and deals with carbon
emissions, as well as a range of climate risks and adaptation responses. The plan considers the
challenges and opportunities that climate change presents across a range of economic, social and
environmental sectors and provides important policy direction and specific actions on how to address
these. Key themes relate to energy efficiency, renewable energy solutions, clean low emissions
industries, sustainable transport, ecosystem resilience, sustainable agriculture, waste, and planning
for resilient communities.

As part of consultation the following activities were completed:
•    Media statements from Council and peak bodies;
•    Briefings and workshops with community groups and disaster management agencies;

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