2017-12-12 Planning & Environment Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                    12 DECEMBER 2017


REPORTS FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE COMMITTEE


1                        PROPOSED NEW COUNCIL POLICY CLIMATE CHANGE RESPONSE
DOCUMENT INFORM AT ION




Author                           Program Coordinator Climate Change Adaptation, Grant Hinner
                                 Environment & Sustainable Development Dept

Index                            ECM/Subject/Climate Change

Attachments                      1.   Draft Climate Change Response Policy


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Not applicable.

RECOMMENDATION
That Council note the report by the Program Coordinator Climate Change Adaptation to the
Planning & Environment Committee Meeting dated 12 December 2017 and approve the Climate
Change Response Policy.


REPORT
A Climate Change Response Policy for Noosa Council has been prepared to provide a policy
statement to guide Council’s priority setting, decision making and communications with respect to
climate change.
This policy gives overarching direction for work that Council is already undertaking in adapting to
climate change and in reducing emissions. This includes identifying appropriate adaptation and
mitigation actions arising from Council’s Climate Change Adaptation Plan and Zero Emissions
Organisational Strategy 2016 – 2026.
The Climate Change Response Policy makes a commitment towards collaborative, innovative
and flexible approaches to responding to climate change and incorporating climate change
considerations across Council’s many functions and activities. It encourages partnerships with
community, business, research and government agencies to find better ways of addressing
climate risk and harnessing new opportunities that bring economic, social and environmental
benefits.
Because climate change science and projections are progressing at a rapid rate, regular
monitoring, evaluation and review of policies, strategies and systems to consider managing
climate change are part of Council’s continual improvement approach. Hence, periodic reviews of
the policy are proposed to be linked to the release of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC) assessment reports, published approximately every 5 years.
It is important that Council uses reliable, practical and defensible parameters and information
sources for determining climate projections, assessing climate risk, and determining appropriate
responses. The policy references these.
The policy also commits to sharing up to date information with the community and offering
learning opportunities about climate-related risks and emissions reductions to build community
capacity and resilience.
An implementation plan will be developed to provide specific details regarding how the Climate
Change Response Policy should be integrated into Council business and implemented at the
departmental and branch levels.

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