Tableland Regional Council’s (TRC) Climate resilience efforts – essential for a region situated near the intersection of two world heritage areas — were rewarded twice.
They were selected by the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) to carry out the pilot for their draft Climate Risk Management Framework for Queensland Local Governments and then joined the Rivers to Reef Climate Resilience Alliance, a second LGAQ-funded initiative under the Queensland Climate Resilient Councils program.
The Climate Risk Management Framework for Queensland Local Government aims to encourage logical, defensible and effective actions that can minimise the overall cost of reducing the potential impact of all current and future climate risks within a local government area.
Less than a year later, the Council endorsed the Climate Risk Management Strategy and the Alliance’s Action Plan.
Both projects involved extensive community consultation, a review of existing information and data, and a collaborative approach between Councillors, staff and key stakeholders.
Increasing awareness of the risks and opportunities created by climate change was one of the goals of the projects.
Not surprisingly, it confirmed the community has an informed and advanced understanding of climate change. A recent survey demonstrated the first three reasons why people choose to live on the Tablelands are directly related to our unique climate and natural environment, and the biggest risk the natural assets face is climate change.
The new strategy directs the planning and action, helps the council understand the risks and opportunities of changing climate in their region and investigates how they can transition to a low carbon economy. They are looking forward to advancing through the next stages of the framework and ensuring TRC and the community are prepared for the future.
