Western Australia is already experiencing the affects of climate change. Temperatures have risen. South-west rainfall has fallen 15%. Stream flows into dams have halved. Further changes are inevitable. The risks from these changes are pervasive and extend across almost every facet of society.
Climate Change Adaptation Framework
We take a risk management approach to helping government and business adapt to climate change. Our process is based on the Climate Change Impacts and Risk Management Guide for Business and Government, produced by the Federal Department of Climate Change. Our process is consistent with the Australian and New Zealand Standard for Risk Management, AS/NZS 4360:2004, which is widely used in the public and private sectors to guide strategic and operational risk management including those generated by climate change impacts.
There are two ways our approach is different to other consultancies. Firstly, we emphasise stakeholder engagement. Our workshops are engaging and entertaining and we encourage active participation from all stakeholders. This ensures that all risks are identified and they are properly evaluated both by those affected by the risk and those with the right expertise to assess and manage the risk.
Secondly, we take a multi-criteria assessment approach to prioritising actions. Its not unusual for a climate change risk assessment process to identify hundreds of potential actions. Because no organisation has the resources to progress every action, its important to prioritise. We help our clients consider a range of criteria including risk mitigation potential, cost and feasibility, strategic alignment, and secondary social, economic and environmental benefits and impacts.
By focusing on actions that deliver ‘the most bang for the buck’ we ensure adaptation plans are meaningful and deliver real value.
Adaptation planning for local government
Climate change is a particular challenge for local government. The impacts of climate change cut across every local government service including health, infrastructure and property, natural resource management, planning and development, recreation services, and, water and sewerage services.
We have worked with a wide range of local government organisations on climate change adaptation and in a variety of roles. We have a complete climate change risk management process specifically tailored to local government. This means we can get through the risk assessment process quickly, so local governments can get on with the business of taking action.
We have been appointed to a panel of preferred suppliers of climate change consulting services to local government, by WALGA. This panel contract enables WA local governments to engage us directly using the WALGA contract and to access discounted consulting rates.
Case Studies
Peel-Harvey Catchment Council
The Peel Harvey Catchment Council is a community based, not-for-profit organisation that promotes an integrated approach to environmental protection and restoration within the region.
The project
With funding from the Federal Government and the Peel Development Commission, the Catchment Council undertook the Peel Harvey Climate Change Adaptation Project. This project aimed to build local government capacity to adapt to predicted impacts of climate change within the region. A regional policy framework for climate change adaptation was developed where member councils can modify to make appropriate for their own locality.
A condition of the project funding required a risk management process be used and a formal multi criteria assessment model be developed and applied to potential policy options.
How we helped
Greensense was engaged to help initiate the project through facilitating the risk assessment workshops, providing climate change education, developing a multi criteria assessment tool to prioritise policy options, and help draft two regional climate change adaptation policies, focused on biodiversity and emergency management.
Following the Australian Standard for Risk Management (AS 4360:2004) and best practice for multi criteria assessments, Greensense facilitated two full-day workshops resulting in a climate change risk assessment for the region and a large number of policy options for climate change adaptation. The multi criteria assessment tool was then applied to prioritise climate change adaptation policies for use now and in the future. These policy options were then fed into a robust policy framework for climate change adaptation.
The outcome
The project successfully facilitated collaboration between a number of councils in the region. Through a structured approach the key output was a policy framework that represented the priorities in the region, allowing member councils to begin planning and implementation preparation for adapting to the effects of climate change.