Climate Change Response Plan 2012 2022...3. Plan for adaptation to climate change 4. Develop...
Transcript of Climate Change Response Plan 2012 2022...3. Plan for adaptation to climate change 4. Develop...
Climate Change Response Plan
2012 – 2022
Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1
1. Introduction 3
1.1Background 3
1.2 Scope of this Document 3
1.3 Knox Council Strategies and Plans 5
2. Key Drivers for Response by Council 6
2.1 Price on Carbon 6
2.2 Rising Price of Electricity 7
2.3 Climate Projections for Melbourne’s East 7
2.4 Heat Waves and Urban Heat Island Effect 8
2.5 Increased Fire Risk and Drought 8
2.6 Adaptability of Buildings and Infrastructure 9
3. Council’s Carbon Footprint 10
3.1 Cities for Climate Protection Framework 10
3.2 National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting System 12
3.3 Limitation to Data Availability 13
3.4 Current Actions towards Mitigation 13
3.5 Current Strategies and Actions towards Adaptation 14
4. Service Provision in a Changing Climate 15
4.1 Council’s Buildings 15
4.2 Drainage Assets 16
4.3 Emergency Management 17
4.4 Biodiversity & Bushland Management 18
4.5 Recreation and Open Space Assets 19
4.6 Risk and Insurance 20
4.7 Planning 21
4.8 Emerging Challenges 22
5. Action Plan for Mitigation and Adaptation 23
5.1 Goal of the Climate Change Response Plan 23
5.2 Budget and Resources 23
5.3 Implementation Plan 25
5.4 Reporting, Review and Next Steps 29
Glossary 30
1 Climate Change Response Plan
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Council developed and adopted the Knox Greenhouse Action Plan 2003 - 2010 in order to minimise
its energy use and reduce its carbon footprint. The Plan was developed under a framework called
Cities for Climate Protection, which was adopted by over 200 Local Governments in Australia and
many more across the globe as a way of addressing the issue of climate change by implementing
measures to reduce energy and fuel use within Council operations. The framework also included a
community based emissions reduction goal and actions. Council adopted a corporate target of 30%
reduction from 1998/99 levels for its own operations and adopted a 20% reduction target for the
community (from 1996 levels). In 2007, Council reached the corporate reduction goal,
predominantly through the purchase of green power for its street lights and the implementation of
energy reduction initiatives in many of its major facilities.
The Climate Change Response Plan reflects current thinking and approach to climate change
response from Local Governments. The Plan aligns with the goals identified in the Sustainable
Environment Strategy 2008 - 2018, which is to reduce greenhouse emissions, improve air quality
and be well prepared for climate change. These goals are achieved through the following
approaches as detailed in the Strategy:
1. Achieve community and Council greenhouse gas reduction goals
2. Offset greenhouse gas emissions
3. Plan for adaptation to climate change
4. Develop partnerships to address climate change mitigation and adaptation, and
5. Improve air quality
The Plan was developed in consultation with the Environment Advisory Committee, Councillors and
relevant staff from across the organisation. It identifies a number of challenges facing Council in
relation to service delivery in a changing natural environment and provides a list of headline actions
to undertake over the next decade in implementing the Plan. While acknowledging that scientific
understanding of the effects of global warming are not yet fully known, the Climate Change
Response Plan outlines both mitigating measures that will reduce energy and fuel use and therefore
operating costs for Council, and adaptation measures that help move Council and Community to be
better prepared for any potential adverse affects of global warming.
2 Climate Change Response Plan
Goals
1. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions 2. Be well prepared for climate change 3. Improve Air quality
Climate Change Response Plan
Key Strategic Drivers
Leadership
Financial
Responsible Governance Regulatory
Key Challenges
Price on carbon
Rising price of electricity
Climate projects for Melbourne’s East
Heat waves and Urban Heat Island Effect
Increased fire risk and drought
Adaptability of buildings and infrastructure
Strategy Approaches
1. Achieve community and Council greenhouse gas reduction goals
2. Offset greenhouse gas emissions 3. Plan for adaptation to climate change 4. Develop partnerships to address climate
change mitigation and adaptation 5. Improve air quality
Carbon Footprint Framework
National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting System
(NGERS)
SCOPE 1 - Emissions from a facility or site under the direct control of the Council
SCOPE 2 - Indirect emissions created off-site for
facilities under the direct control of the Council.
SCOPE 3 – Emissions from offsite facilities or activities, not under operational control of the Council.
Action Plan
The plan includes short, medium and long
term actions against each of the key
strategic drivers and approaches to;
1. Reduce Council’s contribution to
greenhouse gases in the atmosphere
(mitigation). These actions will have
significant long term cost benefit for
Council and the community
2. Develop strategies and plans that invest
in infrastructure and work practice
changes (adaptation).
(refer to Section 5.3 for detailed actions)
4yr Rolling Action Plan
Knox Sustainable Environment Strategy
3 Climate Change Response Plan
1. Introduction
1.1 Background
In 2001, Knox City Council formally committed to reducing its greenhouse emissions by joining an
international campaign called Cities for Climate Protection (CCP). The CCP framework saw well over
200 Councils across Australia taking strong action to reduce emissions. Knox adopted the Knox
Greenhouse Action Plan 2003 - 2010 and committed to a reduction in its corporate greenhouse
emissions of 30% below 1998/99 levels by 2010. The Plan also set an emissions reduction goal of
20% below 1996 levels by 2010 for emissions from the Knox Community. The Plan helped provide a
roadmap for Council to systematically address its greenhouse footprint. Measures carried out by
Council to date include:
An inventory of emissions carried out in 2005, to track progress towards the greenhouse
reduction targets;
The establishment of a Revolving Energy Fund that reinvests the savings from energy
reduction projects for future projects;
Significant capital funding towards the reduction of energy use in key Council owned
buildings;
Introduction of an Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD) Policy to improve
environmental performance of buildings; and
Increasing the purchase of accredited Green Power to offset the emissions from street
lights.
Through the implementation of the above measures, Council had achieved its corporate target by
2007. Due to limitations in measuring and monitoring the Community reduction goal, the emissions
from the Community sector are no longer reported by Council.
1.2 Scope of this Document
This document is a review of Council’s Greenhouse Action Plan 2003-2010 and provides an
assessment of the approach Council is currently taking in implementing the Plan, but also a review of
contemporary approaches taken by Local Governments in responding to a changing climate. The
Plan focuses on the areas of greatest influence that Council can respond to in a changing climate,
rather than a roadmap for community and industry action.
While it’s important to acknowledge that scientific debate exists about the role that humans play in
changing our climate, the balance of evidence from the majority of scientists points to a world that is
warming faster than the ‘normal’ long term variability of climate.
4 Climate Change Response Plan
In 2007, Professor Ross Garnaut was appointed by the State Governments and the Federal
opposition (at the time) to carry out an assessment of the science behind global warming, examine
the likely impacts to Australia’s economy and provide recommendations for medium to long term
policies for policy-makers to implement. In the report, Garnaut (20081) noted that:
“It is prudent to give the major weight to the mainstream science. This is fully
compatible with investing more in improvement of knowledge to narrow the
dispersion of the probability distributions. The improvement of knowledge, the
narrowing of uncertainty, the sharpening of predictions: all these can and
should proceed alongside the commencement of international collective action
in pursuit of strong mitigation.”
The question is, what can be done by Local Government and its community, to both reduce their
contribution to greenhouse emissions and more importantly prepare for a world that is up to 2
degrees warmer by 2050 (CSIRO, 20112). This report will focus on the most appropriate direction to
be taken by Knox City Council over the next decade through two distinct categories of measures.
The first of these is what’s broadly classed as mitigation measures. These are essentially actions
that can be carried out to reduce Council’s contribution to greenhouse gases in the atmosphere,
such as through a reduction in electricity and gas used in Council buildings by implementing energy
efficiency retrofits or a reduction in fuel used in Council’s fleet. These actions will have a significant
long term cost saving benefit for both Council and the wider community.
At the time of writing the Knox Greenhouse Action Plan 2003-2010, the advice from scientists and
Government agencies was for the need to act urgently to reduce greenhouse emissions to prevent
an increase in mean global surface temperatures of 2 degrees or more. While the response from
Council in the past ten years has focused on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the studies
are increasingly pointing to a need to not only mitigate the emissions drastically, but also to prepare
our cities and infrastructure for a warmer world.
The National Climate Change Adaptation Framework (COAG, 20073) identifies the areas that all three
levels of Governments need to build capacity to ultimately minimise the risks of climate change
impacts and to take advantage of potential opportunities. Hence, adaptation forms the second key
focus in this Plan.
1 Garnaut, R., 2008, The Garnaut Climate Change Review: Final Report, Commonwealth of Australia. p. 593.
2 CSIRO, 2011. Climate Change : Science and solutions for Australia. Edited by Helen Cleugh ...[et al.] 3 COAG, 2007., National Climate Change Adaptation Framework. Council of Australian Governments, Commonwealth of Australia.
5 Climate Change Response Plan
1.3 Knox Council Strategies and Plans
Council’s Vision 2025 has four key strategies that help Council work towards its vision statement,
which is:
‘Knox City Council and the community: A partnership in progress; creating a
safe, healthy and connected community with high quality services, transport
options, facilities and culturally rich experiences; committed to protecting
Knox’s green leafy neighbourhoods and natural environment, and enhancing
economic sustainability for future generations.’
Figure 1.1 illustrates how the Climate Change Response Plan 2012 - 2022 fits in context of other
corporate strategies of Council relevant to environmental sustainability.
Figure 1.1: Strategies and Plans addressing the Environmental Sustainability of the Knox Community
Knox Vision 2025
Municipal Strategic
Statement
Sustainable Environment
Strategy
Sustainable Water Use Plan
Climate Change Response Plan
Open Space Plan
Sites of Biological Significance Study
WSUD & Stormwater Management Strategy
Integrated Transport Plan
Revegetation Plan
Liveable Streets Plan
Community Wellbeing Strategy
Economic Development
Strategy
6 Climate Change Response Plan
2. Key Drivers for Response by Council
Council recognises that there are four broad strategic drivers that will be utilised in Council’s
approach to responding to a changing climate. These drivers are:
Leadership: Leading by example by carrying out both mitigation and adaptation measures in
our own operations to build capacity in the community.
Financial: Ensuring that costs to provide Council services and maintain buildings and assets
are minimised. Drivers in this category include increasing power prices, carbon tax and
minimising damage to Council’s assets from extreme weather events.
Responsible Governance: Preparing the community and Council for a changing natural
environment, reducing risk and playing our role in the region to help empower the local
community to reduce energy dependence from non-renewable sources and preparing the
community for a changing climate.
Regulatory: Ensuring compliance with any obligations that are placed on Council such as
mandatory reporting of carbon emissions from Council operations or other climate change
adaptation requirements (e.g. implementing the Knox Heat Wave Strategy).
While addressing any issues relating to global warming requires serious commitment from all
nations, the projected impacts of global warming are likely to affect many local communities in ways
that could have significant impact on many core Local Government services. Some of the key issues
which drive the agenda for Council are discussed in further detail below.
2.1 Price on Carbon
The Carbon Tax comes into effect in July 2012 which is aimed at the top 500 greenhouse gas
emitters in Australia (accounting for around 60% of Australia’s greenhouse emissions). The
industries most affected include approximately 60 power generators, 100 large mining operators,
110 heavy industries and approximately 130 land-fill operators (Australian Government, 20124).
These entities are liable to buy and surrender to the Federal Government $23 for every tonne of
carbon emissions they’re responsible for. The money collected by the Government is then re-
distributed to industry and residents as compensation for the increased costs they incur.
Modelling carried out for Knox Council on the impact of the carbon tax indicates that Council would
be facing an increase in costs of around $1.28 million in 2012/13 (CKEY Consulting, 20125). These
costs are predominantly passed down through the supply chain, particularly electricity costs
associated with street lighting and buildings, waste disposal, construction and overall operating costs
associated with an increase in the Consumer Price Index. To minimise the exposure to the Carbon
Tax, energy efficiency and waste reduction are seen as two key response measures that will need to
be adopted by all industries and households.
4 Australian Government, 2012. www.cleanenergyfuture.gov.au. Accessed in Feb 2012 5 CKEY Consulting, 2012. Carbon Tax Budget Analysis Report – January 2012. Knox City Council.
7 Climate Change Response Plan
2.2 Rising Price of Electricity
In its first year of operation, the Carbon Tax will increase energy prices by around 8% to 10% for
Council. Independent of an increase due to the Carbon Tax, the price of electricity has risen
substantially over the past five years and is expected to continue increasing well into the future. In
Victoria, the increase over the next two years is projected to be another 33% - which includes the
increase due to the Carbon Tax (AEMC, 20116). It has been estimated that nearly 70% percent of the
increase in recent years has been attributed to the cost of upgrading network infrastructure (e.g.
poles, wires and substations) and distribution of energy to meet increasing peak power demand
(Garnaut, 20117). This indicates that energy efficiency and minimising peak power demand will still
be an essential response for the Council and the community at large.
2.3 Climate Projections for Melbourne’s East
The Eastern Alliance for Greenhouse Action (EAGA), of which Knox City Council is a member Council,
commissioned a study to determine the likely long term impacts on biodiversity from a changing
climate. As part of this study, CSIRO was engaged to project the likely climate future for the eastern
region of Melbourne using emission scenarios from various climate models over the next 60 years.
These projections are summarised below:
Temperature
Average temperatures will increase in all seasons, most significantly in summer and least in winter.
The frequency of hot days will increase.
The frequency of warm nights will increase in all seasons, but most in summer. Precipitation
With higher emissions into the future there are likely to be decreases in average rainfall in all seasons.
The majority of the models project greatest percentage decreases in average rainfall to occur in spring.
There will be increases in evaporation across all seasons with most models indicating the largest increases will be in winter.
Projected decreased rainfall and increased evapo-transpiration is likely to lead to decreased average stream flow.
The frequency of dry days will increase.
Fire Weather
The frequency of weather conditions conducive to high forest fire risk will increase.
The fire season will start earlier and end later in the year.
Extreme Wind Speeds
The majority of models indicate extreme wind-speeds could decrease in spring, summer and autumn and increase in winter.
Figure 2.1: Climate future for Eastern Melbourne to 2070 (Source: EAGA, 20108)
6 AEMC, 2011. Information Sheet: Retail electricity price estimates. Final report for 2010-2011 to 2013-2014. Australian Energy Market Commission 7 Garnaut, 2011. Transforming The Electricity Sector, Garnaut Climate Change Review – Update 2011, Commonwealth of Australia. 8 EAGA, 2010. Bushland and Urban Biodiversity Management in a Changing Climate, Eastern Alliance for Greenhouse Action. p8.
8 Climate Change Response Plan
2.4 Heat Waves and Urban Heat Island Effect
The effects of heat wave are often forgotten in the community, as the media attention is invariably
drawn to bushfires that sometimes follow heat waves. According to Emergency Management
Australia (EMIA, 20129), the death toll from the 2009 heat wave which preceded the Black Saturday
bushfires, across southern Australia resulted in 374 deaths (many of which were people aged over
7510). Other events in the past such as the 1939 heat wave preceding the Black Friday bushfires
claimed 438 lives across the southern states. Table 2.1 below outlines the climate projections for
Daily Maximum Temperatures for Scoresby based on the Emissions Scenarios to 2070. The low
emission scenario is based on the assumption that global greenhouse emissions transition away
from a fossil fuel based economy and the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere is limited by strong
global action. The high emission scenario assumes business as usual with continued reliance on a
fossil fuel based economy. The high emission scenario shows that Knox could experience maximum
temperatures above 30 degrees on average up to 61 days a year – more than doubling the current
conditions.
Very hot day time temperatures combined with high night time temperatures prevent the human
body from recovering from the day’s heat, often leading to health complications – particularly for
the elderly. High night time temperatures are a key characteristic of the Urban Heat Island Effect,
where the heat from the day is absorbed by built structures (such as buildings, roads and driveways)
and then released overnight keeping the night-time temperature higher compared to undeveloped
or densely vegetated areas. With an increase in frequency of hot days projected for Knox (see table
below), the problems of Urban Heat Island Effect will be compounded even further, particularly with
the elderly.
PROJECTED AVERAGE NUMBER OF HOT DAYS IN SCORESBY
Current 2030 Medium Emissions
2070 Low Emissions
2070 High Emissions
Average Number of days over 30oC 28 31 to 36 34 to 43 40 to 61
Average Number of days over 35 oC 7 8 to 10 10 to 14 12 to 24
Average Number of days over 40 oC 0 1 1 to 2 2 to 6
Table 2.1: Current and projected average number of hot days in Scoresby to 2070 (Source: DSE, 200811)
2.5 Increased Fire Risk and Drought
Since climate science deals with the long term climate trends on a regional scale, rather than the day
to day weather events at a local scale, no single bushfire event now or in the future can be directly
linked to climate change. However, the frequency of weather conditions that are conducive to such
fires (e.g. dryness caused by increased evapo-transpiration and hot temperatures) as described in
Figure 2.1 and 2.2 above, will lead to increased risk of bushfires.
9 EMIA, 2012. Disasters Database. Emergency Management Institute, http://www.disasters.ema.gov.au. Commonwealth of Australia. 10 DHS, 2009. Annual Report 2008-09. Department of Human Services. State Government of Victoria. 11 DSE, 2008. Climate Change in Port Phillip and Western Port. Dept of Sustainability and Environment, State Government of Victoria.
9 Climate Change Response Plan
Such a trend also points to more severe and frequent droughts. The drought in Melbourne between
2004 and 2010 had severe impacts on many Council assets including sports grounds, parks and
gardens.
2.6 Adaptability of Buildings and Infrastructure
Many buildings and infrastructure (such as roads and drainage) struggle to cope during extreme
weather events as they are designed using standards which are based on climate data from historical
observations. For example, a drainage system in a residential sub-division may have been designed
and constructed to withstand a 1 in 5 year rainfall intensity. If the frequency of these rainfall events
intensify in the future as predicted, a different standard may be deemed appropriate to minimise
the impact of these events.
Similarly, building construction in the past did not include roof insulation as a mandatory measure.
This requirement for residential housing did not come into effect until 1991 in Victoria, and as such,
a significant proportion of buildings have little to no insulation in the roof. A larger percentage of
buildings have no wall or floor insulation.
As noted in a report on the vulnerability of Infrastructure to Climate Change (DSE, 200612), under the
high emissions scenario, foundations of buildings, roads and bridges are at higher risk of failure due
to drier soil conditions. The impact of more frequent storms and floods are also likely to have a
detrimental effect on these Council assets.
On a regional scale, we have witnessed the inability of major infrastructure such as the train network
failing to cope with temperature extremes, which in turn puts pressure on the road network. Also,
residents are increasingly relying on air conditioners to provide relief from excessive heat. An over-
reliance on such appliances have predominantly led to the electricity networks struggling to meet
‘peak demand’ for power, resulting in blackouts and brownouts often experienced in the middle of
heat waves.
12 DSE, 2006. Climate Change and Infrastructure: Planning Ahead., Dept. Of Sustainability and Environment, State Government of Victoria.
10 Climate Change Response Plan
3. Council’s Carbon Footprint
3.1 Cities for Climate Protection Framework
In 2001, Council adopted the Cities for Climate Protection (CCP) framework to address its
greenhouse emissions, through increasing energy efficiency, purchasing clean emission free
energy sources, sustainable transport, environmentally sensitive building policies and waste
management. The CCP Program was a global initiative co-ordinated in Australia by the
International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI).
The CCP Program consisted of five milestones:
Milestone 1: Undertake an emissions inventory for Community and Corporate sectors of Knox for 1998/99
(Base Year)
Completed
JUN 2002
Milestone 2: Set an emissions reduction goal for 2010 (Forecast Year). Council set a reduction goal of 20%
below 1996 levels for community emissions and 30% below 1998 levels by 2010 for corporate emissions.
Completed
JUL 2002
Milestone 3: Develop and adopt a greenhouse reduction strategy: the Knox Greenhouse Action Plan 2003 –
2010.
Completed
MAR 2003
Milestone 4: Implement the Knox Greenhouse Action Plan and achieve a minimum of 5% reduction off the
reduction target set in Milestone 2.
Completed
MAY 2004
Milestone 5: Monitor and report on emissions for 2003/04 (Re-inventory year) and Council’s progress
towards the reductions goal.
Completed
AUG 2005
Table 3.1: Key Milestones of the Cities for Climate Protection program.
Under the framework devised by the CCP program, Council’s carbon footprint consisted of
all buildings and facilities for which the electricity and gas bills are paid directly by Council.
As a result, this excluded buildings which are operated by community groups or
organisations, where the energy bills were the responsibility of the user groups. Other
sources of emissions which were counted towards Council’s carbon footprint were the
emissions from street lights, corporate waste and the Council fleet.
Figure 3.1: Council’s Carbon Footprint under the CCP Framework to 2010.
-
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
1998 2004 2007 2010
Car
bo
n E
mis
sio
ns
(in
to
nn
es
of
CO
2e)
Council's Carbon Footprint under the CCP Framework - 1998 to 2010 -
Buildings Fleet Streetlights Waste
11 Climate Change Response Plan
By 2007, Council had achieved the corporate target of 30% reduction by implementing
energy reduction programs across its major facilities and by purchasing accredited green
power for street lights. Council’s decision to purchase 50% of the energy from renewable
energy resulted in the largest reduction at 4,200 tonnes. The energy efficiency measures
implemented in Council’s buildings since 2007 has seen a carbon emissions reduction of
15%, or 650 tonnes by 2010.
Key projects which were implemented as part of the Knox Greenhouse Action Plan 2003-
2010 include:
Establishment of a Revolving Energy Fund to re-invest savings from energy bills
towards future energy reduction projects;
Introduction of the Environmentally Sustainable Design
(ESD) Policy to improve environmental performance of
buildings;
Retrofit of key buildings with efficient lighting such as
LED and T5 fluorescent lights;
Heat reflective paint on the Knox Civic Centre; and
Installation of solar panels and solar hot water in three
Council buildings (Knox Leisureworks pictured).
Figure 3.2: Electricity use for the Knox Civic Centre showing a decline in power use. The power prices have continued to increase despite
the reduction in energy use. The significant reduction in energy between 2007 and 2009 is due to the introduction of the Sustainability
Initiatives Capital Works budget which resulted in major energy efficiency projects at the Civic Centre. The reduction in Annual Spend
between 2005 and 2006 is due to savings realised by Council through a new energy supply contract.
$135,000
$140,000
$145,000
$150,000
$155,000
$160,000
$165,000
$170,000
1,000,000
1,050,000
1,100,000
1,150,000
1,200,000
1,250,000
1,300,000
1,350,000
1,400,000
1,450,000
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Knox Civic Centre Annual Electricity Use (kWh) and Expenditure
Annual Use (kWh) Annual Spend ($)
12 Climate Change Response Plan
3.2 National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting System
By 2008, with the emergence of the proposed Emissions Trading Scheme, the Federal
Government cut funding for the CCP program and the program became a fee-based service
for Councils. A new framework called the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting
System (NGERS) emerged as the national standard for carbon accounting. This framework is
designed to apply to the largest carbon emitting corporations and industries as part of
implementing an Emissions Trading Scheme in Australia.
While the NGERS framework was developed for the largest emitters, the framework allows
for smaller entities to adopt the same methodology and an increasing number of Councils
across Australia are adopting the NGERS framework. This ensures consistency within the
Local Government sector as well as other industries that are reporting on greenhouse
emissions. The advice from the Municipal Association of Victoria is also for Local
Governments to transition towards the NGERS framework (MAV, 201013).
SCOPE 1 Emissions from a facility or site under the
direct control of the Council
SCOPE 2 Indirect emissions created off-site for
facilities under the direct control of the Council.
SCOPE 3 Emissions from off-site facilities or
activities, not under operational control of the Council.
Examples include emissions from landfills
owned by Council, Reticulated Natural Gas & Council’s Fleet
Examples include metered electricity
purchased for Council’s facilities
Examples include unmetered electricity such as street lights, waste from Council
operations, staff travel for work purposes, emissions from leased buildings such as
leisure buildings Figure 3.2: Carbon Accounting under the NGERS Framework.
The NGERS defines operational control as the organisation that has the biggest influence in
implementing Operating, Environmental, and Health and Safety policies at a particular
facility or site. This test would be relatively straight forward to apply to most sites,
however, further analysis may be needed in some cases to delineate whether a site is
included in Scope 2 or Scope 3 emissions.
Adopting the NGERS framework will result in a significant change to the Carbon footprint
that Council has previously worked towards under the CCP framework. As such, a new
baseline for carbon emissions from Council’s operations will need to be established in order
to develop an energy reduction strategy. This would require assessing existing lease
agreements for all facilities owned by Council that are operated by community groups such
as sporting clubs, not-for-profit organisations and pre-school committees. Table 3.2 below
highlights some of the key differences between the CCP framework and the NGERS
framework in terms of assessing the carbon footprint for Knox City Council.
13 MAV, 2010. The Victorian Local Government Guide to Reducing Carbon Emissions. Municipal Association of Victoria.
13 Climate Change Response Plan
CCP Framework NGERS
SCOPE 1 SCOPE 2 SCOPE 3
Landfill Emissions (e.g. Cathies Lane) No No* No No
Knox Civic Centre Yes Yes (Gas) Yes (Electricity) No
Knox Leisureworks – Gas & Electricity No No Yes* No
Unmetered Streetlights Yes No No Yes
Metered Car Park Lights Yes No Yes No
Recreational Facilities (e.g. Basketball Stadium) No No Yes* No
Council Fleet Yes Yes No No
Flights and other travel by Staff & Councillors No No No Yes
Waste generated by Council operations Yes No No Yes
Kindergartens No Yes (Gas) Yes (Electricity) No
Table 3.2: The differences in two carbon accounting frameworks for a selection of Knox facilities and services. (*TBC)
3.3 Limitation to Data Availability
Due to the nature of Scope 3 emissions, Council’s ability to accurately account for all
emissions from this sector is severely limited. It relies on establishing “data access”
agreements with operators of sites that qualify for Scope 3 emissions. The ability to
determine the amount and composition of waste produced from Council’s smaller sites
(such as Maternal Child Health Centres and Child Care Centres) will also severely limit
Council’s ability to accurately account for Scope 3 emissions.
Given the restrictions with Scope 3 emissions, the recommendation from the MAV for Local
Governments is to set formal carbon reduction targets to cover Scope 1 and Scope 2
emissions only.
3.4 Current Actions towards Mitigation
The following is a list of headline measures taken by Council to date in relation to
minimising its greenhouse emissions from its operations:
Revolving Energy Fund created to divert savings from energy reduction projects
towards future projects;
Lighting upgrades in major facilities such as Civic Centre, Rowville Community Centre
and Knox Community Arts Centre using T5 and LED lighting;
Heat reflective paint on Civic Centre to help keep the building cooler in summer;
Installation of solar-powered heat extraction fans at the Civic Centre and many Pre-
Schools and Kindergartens;
14 Climate Change Response Plan
Installation of flow restrictors, rainwater tanks to flush toilets, dual flush toilet
conversions, waterless urinals and water monitoring systems in the majority of
Council buildings;
Working with the Residents, Community Groups, Schools and Businesses through the
Greenleaf Living and Greenleaf Learning programs;
Introduction of an Environmentally Sustainable Design Policy for Council projects in
major redevelopment projects such as the Knox Leisureworks Warm Water Pool
Upgrade;
Methane capture and flaring at the Council owned landfill site;
Provision of public transport tickets for staff travel as well as both electric-assist and
traditional bicycles for staff use; and
Introduction of a Triple-Bottom Line rating tool to assess suitability of vehicle choices
as part of the Council Fleet Policy.
3.5 Current Strategies and Actions towards Adaptation
Council has also developed a number of strategies and plans that will help prepare the
community and Council by adapting to a changed environment. While most, if not all, were
developed due to other dominant drivers (e.g. frequent flooding issues, Bushfire Royal
Commission or State Government requirements), they no doubt have a significant
contribution towards the organisation’s preparedness in adapting to a changing natural
environment. A number of these initiatives include:
Municipal Emergency Management Plans covering bushfires and flood (currently
under development) and Heat Wave Plan;
Identifying vulnerable Home and Community Care (HACC) residents and proactively
responding to their needs in the event of an emergency;
Warm Season Grass Conversion and Stormwater Harvesting projects in Council’s
sporting ovals and the development of the Water Sensitive Urban Design and
Stormwater Management Strategy;
Sustainable travel initiatives including investment in bike paths and footpaths, as
part of the Knox Integrated Transport Plan;
Management Plans for Buildings, Drainage and Open Space assets; and
An increased frequency of cleaning stormwater drains in high-risk catchments.
15 Climate Change Response Plan
4. Service Provision in a Changing Climate
4.1 Council’s Buildings
Council owns and manages over 200 large and small buildings across Knox, with some
buildings dating back to the turn of the last Century. As building designs are generally based
on the historical climatic conditions of the local area, they may not perform too well under a
future climate that’s predicted to be hotter with more frequent and intense rainfall. This is
particularly relevant for the levels of insulation and drainage infrastructure in existing
buildings as well as issues with poor building orientation, little natural ventilation or
utilisation of natural lighting.
If these buildings are to continue serving the community safely, long into the future, energy
reduction and adaptation measures will need to form an essential part of the service
provision. Increasing the level of insulation, installation of rainwater tanks for toilet
flushing, energy efficient lighting and shading of windows are a number of measures that
can be retrofitted to existing buildings. This not only helps reduce the operating costs for
Council through a reduction in energy and water bills, but will also help provide a more
comfortable environment for users of the facility.
Council’s Building Asset Management Plan (KCC, 200914) identified the average age of the
Knox Council buildings to be over 40 years and highlighted the need to increase building
renewal expenditure to ensure that the buildings continue to meet compliance against
relevant building codes and standards and remain fit for purpose to serve their role for the
Knox community. The Plan also identified a number of governance and procedural
improvements to better manage the building assets into the future.
14 KCC, 2009, Building Asset Management Plan, Knox City Council.
16 Climate Change Response Plan
4.2 Drainage Assets
It has been well documented that increased hard surface areas (such as roofs, footpaths,
driveways and roads) lead to an increased frequency of localised flash flooding, as existing
drainage struggles to cope with intense rainfall in a short amount of time. With the
projections of future climate pointing to an increase in frequency of such storms, this issue
will be an on-going concern for Council and community. A research paper, co-authored by
Melbourne Water (Pedruco & Watkinson, 201015), which applied the climate predictions
from the CSIRO with the existing flood modelling to assess the impact of urban flooding in
2030 and 2070, noted that:
“...drainage infrastructure designed to the 1 in 5 year standard may be
overwhelmed on average at least once every 3 years by 2030 in smaller urban
catchments. These results also suggest that the typical “safe” design standard of
the 1 in 100 year ARI (Average Recurrence Interval) event may be halved by
2070. As a result, areas currently considered appropriate for development may
be at higher risk of flooding in the future than currently acceptable.”
With the overwhelming majority of drainage assets already
constructed and in the ground, the opportunity to take
significant remedial action to minimise such occurrences is
limited and very costly. However, there are opportunities to
continue working with catchment areas that are highly
susceptible to flash flooding in order to minimise damage to
properties.
The Drainage Asset Management Plan (KCC, 201016) outlines a number of key
recommendations including the need to replace existing 150mm diameter stormwater pipes
with larger 225mm diameter pipes when assets are renewed. This would increase the
capacity of the stormwater network during storm conditions to cope better with extreme
rainfall events. The Plan also highlighted the need for better understanding of local flood
prone areas by carrying out detailed mapping to identify at-risk properties and assets. Such
mapping tools would be highly valuable for both Council, in planning emergency response
measures and flood-minimisation works and the community in getting a better
understanding of flooding scenarios in a local context.
15 Pedruco, P & Watkinson, R (2010). The Impacts of Climate Change on Urban Flooding In The Melbourne Area Using Existing Flood Models, BMT WBM & Melbourne Water, www.melbournewater.com.au 16 KCC, 2010., Knox Drainage Asset Management Plan, Knox City Council.
17 Climate Change Response Plan
4.3 Emergency Management
Whether it is an increased risk of bushfires, more frequent storms or heatwaves, emergency
response from Local Governments will continue to be a critical role in minimising damage to
people and property. As noted by Professor Ross Garnaut in his final report on The Climate
Change Review (Garnaut, 200817):
“With the mainstream science projecting increases in the intensity and
frequency of severe weather events across Australia in the absence of
mitigation, and to a lesser extent with mitigation, there will be increased
demands on emergency services. Understanding the implications of climate
change at a local level will be centrally important in the future planning of
these services.”
The report also notes that in some cases (e.g. coastal flooding and storm surges), investing
in emergency management provisions will be the most cost effective strategy for dealing
with the uncertainties of climate change. While coastal flooding and storm surges are not
issues that will directly concern the Knox community, it does highlight the fact that
opportunities for serious mitigation of the effects of climate change have already passed
and that Governments and agencies should be well prepared for the effects of changed
environmental conditions.
The release of the January 2009 Heatwave in Victoria: An Assessment of Health Impacts
Report (DHS, 200918) helped focus the serious consequences of heatwaves on the health
and wellbeing of the most vulnerable citizens of the community. The report found that the
heatwave that resulted in temperatures reaching over 43 degrees in Melbourne for three
successive days saw 374 deaths due to heat related illnesses – of this, people aged 75 and
above represented 65%.
Knox Council developed the Knox Heatwave Action Plan in 2009 to reduce the impacts of a
heatwave event on the Knox community. The Council has identified that people over the
age of 65 and those involved in structured strenuous exercise
as the two key sectors of the community most at risk from the
effects of a heatwave. Early warning, provision of information
and assistance through existing support services, such as Food
Services, form the core of Council’s response in such events.
17 Garnaut, R., 2008, The Garnaut Climate Change Review: Final Report, Commonwealth of Australia. p. 381. 18 DHS, 2009. January 2009 Heatwave in Victoria: an Assessment of Health Impacts, Department of Human Services, State Govt of Victoria.
18 Climate Change Response Plan
4.4 Biodiversity & Bushland Management
The impact on the biodiversity of the natural environment is perhaps the single biggest
concern for scientists and researchers. While global temperatures have been higher in the
past, the rate of change in global temperatures attributed to the recent observation is
unprecedented. While as humans, we can adapt to the changing environment, the same
cannot be expected from the flora and fauna which historically has taken thousands of years
to evolve and adapt to the conditions.
Changes in the ecosystem are already being observed and reported on, such as changes in
species behaviour, shifts in genetic composition, reproduction timing and rates, altered
migration patterns, emergence of new species of flora and weed invasion (Steffen et al,
200919). A research paper commissioned by the Eastern Alliance for Greenhouse Action
(EAGA, 201020) to enable Local Government to manage its biodiversity assets in a changing
climate concluded that:
“[There is] compelling evidence from current trends that ecosystems are starting to respond in terms of their distribution, composition, structure and function to the changes in temperature, precipitation and increased CO2
levels that are occurring. Experimental studies as well as modelling studies have given an indication of what changes may occur (or continue to occur) in the future. Together these studies indicate that some ecosystems may shift poleward or upwards in mountainous regions. Indeed there are already indications of uphill migration of some treelines. Changes in species composition and richness have been documented and are likely to become more widespread. Novel interactions between species may form or invasive species may become established. Such changes in species composition could lead to changes in the physical and trophic structure of ecosystems, with resulting effects on system function and composition.”
The Knox community highly values the green-leafy image of the municipality, highlighted by
over 70 bushland reserves. Management of these important assets in a rapidly changing
climate presents a real challenge to Council in terms of pest, diseases and fire.
19 Steffen W, Burbidge AA, Hughes L, Kitching R, Lindenmayer D, Musgrave W, Stafford Smith M and Werner P (2009) Australia’s biodiversity and climate change: a strategic assessment of the vulnerability of Australia’s biodiversity to climate change. Department of Climate Change, Commonwealth of Australia 2009 20 EAGA, 2010. Bushland and Urban Biodiversity Management in a Changing Climate, Eastern Alliance for Greenhouse Action. p22-23.
19 Climate Change Response Plan
4.5 Recreation and Open Space Assets
The effects of the prolonged drought in Melbourne that began in 2003 highlighted the
impact such events have on Council’s recreational and open space assets, with severe
disruption to organised sports, damage to playing surfaces and irrigation infrastructure.
Many of Council’s open spaces also faced significant stress with vegetation suffering under
drought conditions. While many of the drought conditions in southern Australia are the
result of El Niño, which in the past has occurred at least once every three to seven years,
based on past history this trend is set to continue into the future.
It is still unclear what effect, if any, the changing climate will have on the El Niño/La Niña
cycle (Garnaut, 200821), however, with the expected increase in mean surface temperatures
coupled with an increase in evapo-transpiration, climate change could prolong or
exacerbate drought conditions in the future.
Although the immediate threat of on-going water restrictions have been averted with the
construction of a desalination plant and the recent above-average rainfall, continued
demand for water from population increases as well as the effects of climate change are
likely to see Melbourne back in Stage 1 restrictions by 2036 (DSE, 200822). Furthermore,
climate change is expected to result in up to a 20% decrease in stream flow in the East
Gippsland region – where the majority of Melbourne’s water catchments are located.
Given the above, it’s clear that water demand strategies will continue to play an important
role in delaying or even averting the need for very expensive water supply augmentation
projects. In Melbourne, only about 0.25% of the stormwater is currently reused, and clearly
any demand management strategy must also include significant increase in the reuse of
urban stormwater (Engineers Australia, 201023). The recently released Living Melbourne,
Living Victoria Plan for Water (Victorian Government, 2012) also strongly advocates for an
increase in stormwater use and Council’s existing program of stormwater harvesting for
sportsgrounds is consistent with the objectives of this Plan.
In addition to Stormwater Harvesting, Council has also undertaken a program of gradually
converting all irrigated ovals to warm season grass species and improving irrigation delivery
methods to further reduce the demand for water.
Water Sensitive Urban Design concepts are increasingly being used in open space and urban
landscape projects (e.g. Wantirna Mall, Wicks Reserve) to not only passively irrigate
vegetation, but also to help to keep the area cooler and minimise the effects of the Urban
Heat Island effect.
21 Garnaut, R., 2008, The Garnaut Climate Change Review: Final Report, Commonwealth of Australia. 22 DSE, 2008. Augmentation of the Melbourne Water Supply System: Analysis of Potential System Behaviour. Department of Sustainability and Environment. State Government of Victoria. 23 Engineers Australia, 2010. Victorian Infrastructure Report Card 2010. www.engineersaustralia.org.au/ircvic
20 Climate Change Response Plan
Figure 4. 1: Natural Disasters by Numbers between 1980 and 2010. (Source: Munich Re, 2011)
4.6 Risk and Insurance
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) along with other key scientific
bodies such as CSIRO have been providing advice for policymakers on the likely impacts of
climate change for the best part of 20 years. With each IPCC assessment report, the
uncertainties have become clearer and the advice to Governments and policymakers
provided more certainty about outcomes expected from a changed climate.
In a 2007 research report, the question of Local Government liability was explored by
Griffith University’s Dr Phillipa England. The report focused on three potential liabilities
including negligence, private nuisance and public nuisance and concluded that:
“Local Governments currently have available to them a number of defences
that seem likely to protect them from claims based on a failure to recognise
and respond to information about climate change. Nevertheless, just as the
science of climate change is gathering momentum, so too the law in this
area is evolving rapidly. Local Governments should therefore take care to
ensure their actions, decisions and policy responses to matters that may
either contribute to, or be affected by, climate change remain current and
reasonable in what is a rapidly evolving policy context.”
The insurance industry also has a vested interest in the topic of climate change as weather
and climate related natural disasters account for the vast majority of insurance claims.
Already media reports24,25 have started to emerge of insurance companies increasing the
premiums by as much as 10-fold for flood cover or even completely refusing to insure entire
towns based on their flooding frequency.
A report published in 2011 by one of
the world’s largest reinsurance
companies (Munich Re, 201126),
shows a clear increase in natural
disasters that are related to
atmospheric conditions (Figure 4.1).
While the record only dates back to
1980 the clear trend in the past 30
years has been the increase in
atmospheric events (such as hail,
bushfire, floods, cyclones, heatwaves and
droughts) across the globe.
24 Gadd, Gemma., “Shires Blamed for Insurance Hike”, Weekly Times Now, 25 Jan 2012. Accessed on 7 May 2012. http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/article/2012/01/25/434371_latest-news.html 25 Jabour, Birdie., “Suncorp refuses to insure Queensland towns”, Brisbanetimes.com.au, 7 May 2012. Accessed on 7 May 2012, http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/suncorp-refuses-to-insure-queensland-towns-20120507-1y7nj.html 26 Munich Re, 2011. TOPICS GEO: Natural catastrophes 2010 Analyses, assessments, positions. Munich Reinsurance Company. Available for download from www.munichre.com.
21 Climate Change Response Plan
4.7 Planning
The Planning Institute of Australia in its National Policy Statement on Climate Change27
notes that:
“Planners should adopt a precautionary approach in relation to climate
change and have an important role in identification and implementation of
adaption options. The development of adaption responses to climate
change relies on information from global climate models, climate
projections and impact assessments, but effective integration of this
information with the knowledge and tools of planning and other
practitioners and sectors will be essential.”
As one of Council’s core functions, both Statutory and Strategic Planning play a strong role
in helping the community to mitigate greenhouse emissions as well as creating the
framework for better adaptation strategies. While there are limits to the influence Planning
has in responding to climate change (DCCEE, 201128), planning decisions have an influence
well outside the boundary of the developments through minimising flooding, protecting
vegetation (and thereby minimising the effects of Urban Heat Island Effect), improving
public transport and promoting walking and cycling.
Currently Knox City Council through the Knox Planning Scheme encourages the
incorporation of sustainable design principles for all new development. As part of the
planning application process, Knox City Council requires Environmentally Sustainable Design
(ESD) reports to be provided for all residential development (containing three or more
dwellings), commercial development exceeding 500sqm, and for all mixed used
development. This is generally achieved by using the SDS (Sustainable Design Scorecard)
and STEPS29 (Sustainable Tools for Environmental Performance Strategy) tools. For all other
development, Council encourages applicants to incorporate ESD principles into their design,
however this is not a mandatory requirement.
27 Planning Institute of Australia, 2007. National Position Statement: Climate Change. www.planning.org.au 28 DCCEE, 2011. The role of regulation in facilitating or constraining adaptation to climate change for Australian infrastructure. Prepared by Maddocks for The Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency. Commonwealth of Australia. 29 www.sustainablesteps.com.au
22 Climate Change Response Plan
4.8 Emerging Challenges
A changing climate is likely to place significant strain on a number of Council services,
particularly services that need to respond rapidly to extreme weather events. The following
is a list of such challenges that have been identified:
The impacts of heatwaves on an ageing population, particularly residents over the
age of 65;
Not being able to meet community expectations after major storms particularly
workload on arborist advice and Parks Services;
Enforcing unauthorised development on overland flow paths that affect the flow of
stormwater during intense rainfall events leading to localised flooding;
Additional legal obligations on Council following the release of the Bushfire Royal
Commission recommendations;
Heavy reliance on external funding for emergency preparedness;
Managing the conflict between protecting the biodiversity values of bushland
reserves and community angst about bushfire risk;
Communication about bushfire risk from State Government agencies being
inconsistent with Council’s biodiversity goals;
Gradual loss of large canopy trees, particularly in privately owned land across the
City due to the impact of drought conditions, and from removal of trees due to an
increase in storms and fire proofing;
Communication about flood management for private properties;
Emergence of new weeds and plant diseases and Council’s ability to manage these
within existing resources; and
Ability for ageing Council assets to be maintained to a contemporary standard to
remain functional and fit for purpose into the future.
23 Climate Change Response Plan
5. Action Plan for Mitigation and Adaptation
5.1 Goal of the Climate Change Response Plan
As outlined in the Knox Sustainable Environment Strategy 2008-2018, the goal of this
Climate Change Response Plan is to reduce greenhouse emissions, improve air quality and
be well prepared for climate change.
These goals are achieved through the following approaches as detailed in the Strategy:
1. Achieve community and Council greenhouse gas reduction goals;
2. Offset greenhouse gas emissions;
3. Plan for adaptation to climate change;
4. Develop partnerships to address climate change mitigation and adaptation; and
5. Improve air quality
5.2 Budget and Resources
There have been numerous reviews in the past five years on the economics of climate
change – the most notable of these are the Stern Review30 in 2007 and the Garnaut Review
in 200831. Both concluded that the global cost of action to mitigate climate change is far
less than the global cost of inaction. While the likelihood of global agreement to curb
emissions seems a long way away, both reviews stressed the need for each nation to play
their fair and proportionate role in reducing greenhouse emissions.
The Local Government sector has been leading the agenda on climate change issues for well
over 15 years and Councils have been playing an active role in mitigating emissions through
energy efficiency, fleet emission reductions and climate change adaptation. Knox City
Council established the Revolving Energy Fund in recognition of the financial savings that
can materialise from energy reduction projects. This fund enables financing additional
energy reduction projects in future years by allocating the financial savings from past
projects. The introduction of the Carbon Tax along with the annual increase in network
energy prices means that energy efficiency projects will continue to be an essential
response for reducing Council’s operating costs.
By taking proactive steps to minimise Council’s exposure to extreme events and reducing
our dependence on fossil fuels, the Council can also realise financial savings in the form of
lower energy bills, lower insurance premiums and lower clean up costs.
30 Stern, N., 2007. The Economics of Climate Change: The Stern Review, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. www.hm-treasury.gov.uk 31
Garnaut, R., 2008, The Garnaut Climate Change Review: Final Report, Commonwealth of Australia.
24 Climate Change Response Plan
This Plan outlines the headline actions that Council endeavours to carry out over the next 10
years, highlighting additional resources that will be required for new projects and actions.
Given the timeframe of the Plan, the costs are estimated based on the following
categorisation:
Existing - Carried out using existing budget initiative or program
Low - New budget initiative under $50,000
Medium - New budget initiative under $200,000
High - New budget initiative over $200,000
While the expected costs for initiatives are outlined in the Implementation plan below, it's
important to note that all new and existing initiatives will be subject to the allocation of
budget from Council or from external grant opportunities that may become available. The
Implementation Plan is an indication of priorities, their expected timeline and the expected
cost to Council in implementing those priorities.
25 Climate Change Response Plan
5.3 Implementation Plan
Action Primary Driver Due By Required Budget
Lead
Department
APPROACH 1 - Achieve community and Council greenhouse gas reduction goals
1.1 Through the Greenleaf program work with Council staff, residents, schools, community groups and businesses on ways to reduce their carbon footprint.
Leadership Ongoing Existing City Futures
1.2 Help reduce the costs of landfill disposal by continuing to implement waste reduction programs across the Council and Community.
Financial Ongoing Existing Sustainable Infrastructure
1.3 Implement passive cooling measures such as heat reflective paints, insulation and external shading to reduce heat ingress into Council Buildings.
Financial Ongoing Medium Community Infrastructure
1.4 Investigate the feasibility of incorporating utility billing for community buildings that are currently the responsibility of user groups under Council’s retail energy supply contract.
Financial 2013 Low Community Infrastructure
1.5 Review Knox Environmentally Sustainable Design Policy to ensure the policy reflects best-practice approach to building design and construction.
Leadership 2013 Existing City Futures
1.6 Carry out a carbon emissions inventory based on the NGER framework to determine Council’s Carbon Footprint
Regulatory 2013 Existing City Futures
1.7 Set a Carbon Reduction goal for Council for Scope 1 & 2 emissions and reduce energy and fuel use from Council operations.
Financial 2013 Existing City Futures
APPROACH 2 – Offset greenhouse gas emissions
2.1 Adopt a methodology of Avoid > Reduce > Switch > Offset in achieving the carbon reduction goals set by the Council.
Leadership Ongoing Existing City Futures
2.2 Investigate the feasibility of local waste to energy facilities and refer to Council for implementation.
Financial 2017 Low City Futures
2.3 Investigate co-generation and tri-generation opportunities for major Council sites and refer to Council for implementation.
Financial 2017 Low City Futures
26 Climate Change Response Plan
Action Primary Driver Due By Required Budget
Lead
Department
APPROACH 3 – Plan for adaptation to climate change
3.1 Consider the implications of a Changing Climate in the review of all relevant Council strategies.
Responsible Governance
Ongoing Low City Futures
3.2 Help minimise the impacts of the Urban Heat Island Effect by protecting and enhancing bushland reserves and significant conservation areas from development pressures and implementing WSUD as part of urban landscape projects.
Responsible Governance
Ongoing Low Community Infrastructure
3.3 Review the projects carried out to date under the Sustainable Sportsground Initiative and assess further opportunities to incorporate Stormwater Harvesting in Council operations.
Leadership 2014 Low City Futures
3.4 Carry out detailed flood mapping to identify areas at most risk from extreme rainfall events.
Responsible Governance
2017 Medium Community Infrastructure
3.5 Develop an Integrated Water Management Strategy to continue to deliver on the objectives of the Knox Sustainable Water Use Plan and the Knox Water Sensitive Urban Design and Stormwater Management Strategy.
Leadership 2013 Low Community Infrastructure
3.6 Develop Community Engagement plans utilising clear communication tools to help prepare the Community (including CALD communities) to better respond to emergency situations.
Responsible Governance
2017 Low Corporate Communications
3.7 Carry out a risk assessment based on climate change projections to develop a risk profile for Knox.
Responsible Governance
2017 Medium City Futures
3.8 Undertake Heat Wave Rating for all Council buildings as part of the next Building Asset Management Plan Audit.
Responsible Governance
2017 Low Sustainable Infrastructure
3.9 Investigate how smart phone technology and social media can be utilised in providing early warning and communication to Knox residents and visitors during emergencies.
Responsible Governance
2017 Low City Safety and Health
27 Climate Change Response Plan
Action Primary Driver Due By Required Budget
Lead
Department
APPROACH 4 – Develop partnerships to address climate change mitigation and adaptation
4.1 Explore opportunities for regional collaboration through the Eastern Alliance for Greenhouse Action (EAGA) in order to deliver large scale community projects cost-effectively.
Financial Ongoing Low City Futures
4.2 Work with the Council Alliance for a Sustainable Built Environment (CASBE) in ensuring that the implementation of Council’s ESD policy is consistent with other Councils in Victoria.
Leadership Ongoing Low City Planning
4.3 Continue building strong relationships with South East Water to deliver water conservation projects across the municipality.
Leadership Ongoing Existing City Futures
4.4 Work in partnership with Melbourne Water to implement projects of mutual benefit to increase the uptake of WSUD in Council and Community.
Leadership Ongoing Existing Community Infrastructure
4.5 Continue to build relationships with Community Groups such as Knox Environment Society, Transition Knox and Friends Groups to build capacity for community-led projects and campaigns.
Leadership Ongoing Existing Community Infrastructure
4.6 Work with the Municipal Association of Victoria to advocate for removal of regulatory and technical barriers that exist in replacing street lights to more energy efficient alternatives.
Financial Ongoing Existing Community Infrastructure
4.7 Investigate reciprocal resource sharing arrangements with neighbouring Councils that can be activated during and after a declared emergency to respond to community requests quickly.
Leadership 2017 Existing Operations
4.8 Develop partnerships with existing Community groups to identify further opportunities for Community Gardens and local food production sites.
Responsible Governance
2022 Existing Community Wellbeing
4.9 Build capacity of both staff and community to raise awareness of strategies which can mitigate the adverse risks of heatwaves.
Responsible Governance
Ongoing Existing City Safety and Health
28 Climate Change Response Plan
Action Primary Driver Due By Required Budget
Lead
Department
APPROACH 5 – Improve air quality
5.1 Continue to implement the Knox Integrated Transport Plan Leadership Ongoing Existing Sustainable Infrastructure
5.2 Specify Zero-VOC paints for all Council Building and Renewal Projects to improve indoor air quality and minimise health impacts on building users.
Leadership Ongoing Existing Community Infrastructure
5.3 Continue to advocate for major public transport initiatives to provide viable alternatives to car travel.
Responsible Governance
Ongoing Existing Sustainable Infrastructure
5.4 Promote EPA Victoria’s Smoky Vehicles Campaign and smog Alert Days as declared by EPA Victoria.
Leadership Ongoing Existing City Safety and Health
5.5 Investigate the feasibility of incorporating electric vehicle charging infrastructure as part of Council Projects.
Leadership Ongoing Medium Community Infrastructure
5.6 Install Bike Storage facilities in all major Council buildings for both visitors and staff.
Leadership Ongoing Medium Community Infrastructure
5.7 Work with the Country Fire Authority and Department of Sustainability and Environment to improve communication around planned burn-offs to minimise the impacts on people suffering from respiratory illnesses.
Responsible Governance
2017 Low City Safety and Health
5.8 Incorporate a review of Air Pollution Ratings for Council’s Fleet and incorporate a minimum requirement as part of Fleet Policy
Leadership 2017 Existing Operations
29 Climate Change Response Plan
5.4 Reporting, Review and Next Steps
The reporting and review of this Plan will become part of the annual review and reporting of
the Knox Sustainable Environment Strategy 2008 – 2018, which is delivered through a rolling
4-year action plan. This review process is undertaken with significant input from the Knox
Environment Advisory Committee, relevant internal stakeholders and adopted by Council.
This ensures that the identified actions remain relevant and feasible – both from a technical
and economical perspective.
Following the adoption of the Climate Change Response Plan and the adoption of the
National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting System (NGERS) of carbon accounting, Council
will begin working on transforming its existing footprint to the new NGERS framework. This
will provide a clear picture of Council’s baseline emissions, which will then inform the
setting of a carbon emissions reduction target and the measures Council would take in
achieving the reduction target.
30 Climate Change Response Plan
Glossary
Adaptation Developing and implementing strategies, programs and projects to minimise the adverse impacts of climate change on communities.
Biodiversity Refers to the ‘richness’ of natural systems that thrive in a particular location and the extent to which the interlinked relationships the native flora and fauna have are considered to be in a healthy state.
CALD Culturally and Linguistically Diverse
Carbon Footprint The amount of greenhouse gas emissions that an individual or organisation is directly responsible for under a recognised framework.
CCP Cities for Climate Protection, a program developed by the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives, that developed a framework for Local Governments across the globe to reduce their greenhouse emissions.
Climate The long term (usually over 30 years or more) trend of weather in a particular region.
EAGA Eastern Alliance for Greenhouse Action, an alliance of Councils in the Eastern region consisting of Knox, Whitehorse, Monash, Boroondara, Maroondah and Yarra Ranges.
ESD Environmentally Sustainable Design is development that is socially and ecologically responsible by considering the human and environmental impacts of buildings.
IPCC The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change was established by the United Nations Environment Program and the World Meteorological Organisation to review and assess the scientific understanding of climate change and provide the world’s policy-makers with potential environmental, social and economic impacts.
Mitigation Implementing programs and projects that help reduce carbon emissions from a particular activity.
NGERS National Greenhouse Energy Reporting System is a national framework developed under the NGER Act by the Federal Government to establish a consistent national methodology to account for their carbon footprint.
Offsets Reduction in greenhouse emissions achieved through a nationally or internationally recognised method of removing an equivalent amount of carbon emissions from another part of the economy either within Australia or overseas.
VOC Volatile Organic Compounds are chemical compounds based on carbon that contain oxygen, nitrogen or other elements that could act either directly or indirectly as greenhouse gases.
Weather Day to day observations of atmospheric conditions over a number of hours or spanning a few days.