The Local Government and Shires Association in conjunction with the NSW Greenhouse Office held a Summit in Sydney on 27 November 2006 on climate change mitigation and adaptation within Local Government in NSW.
The presentations from the summit are available on the Local Government and Shires Association website.
Byron Shire Council has been awarded funding under the Federal Government's Local Adaptation Pathways Programme to develop a Climate Change Adaptation Action Plan. The Plan will focus on adjusting Council's existing infrastructure and services by building their capacity to cope with new conditions associated with accelerated climate change.
Council's adaptation approach will compliment other initiatives that aim to reduce Council's greenhouse gas emissions.
The draft Climate Change Strategic Planning Policy provides climate change flood planning scenarios for the years 2050 and 2100. The 2100 flood planning scenario is to be applied to both public and private works and land use planning where an adopted flood study or Floodplain Management Plan does not exist.
It also recognises the importance of ecological communities and the impact rising sea levels can have on their health. It proposes that appropriate buffering of ecosystems from development is incorporated into strategic plans, land use controls and development proposals to allow room for the migration of those communities as sea level rises.
The public exhibition of the draft Policy closes on 10 August 2009. Council will be considering a report on the submissions received to finalise the Policy.
Draft Climate Change Strategic Planning Policy