Council looks to future

Shoalhaven City Council recently endorsed the Shoalhaven Adaptation Plan, a planning tool designed to increase the area’s resilience and respond to the uncertainty created by the effects of global warming.

Dealing purely with Council operations, the document explores strategic opportunities to make the organisation more resilient to these changes following the findings of an organisational climate change risk management assessment.

The Shoalhaven Adaptation Plan outlines future actions that may be necessary in dealing with the impacts of global warming while also seeking to embed resilience based planning firmly within Council’s strategies, plans and delivery mechanisms.

Director of Strategic Planning and Infrastructure, Peter Adams said the Adaptation Plan illustrates the level of preparedness of Council to deal with both uncertainty and risk.

“The Shoalhaven Adaptation Plan illustrates the amazing amount of adaptation measures that are currently operating within the organisation,” said Mr Adams.

“Further to this, the plan identifies further strategies and objectives designed to save energy, water and protect the area’s biodiversity into the future.

“Finding ways to increase the resilience of the local area and encourage foresight in adaptive measures will provide major benefits to the local community, particularly in the uncertain context brought about by the effects of climate change.”

“In order for Council to continue to provide services to the community, we need to become more resilient to unforeseeable impacts,” said Mr Adams.