Council takes an active interest in the changing climate and seeks ways to work with the community to best adapt to changing climate impacts.
Council is committed to reducing its emissions and energy use, and to working with its community to increase awareness and assist in transitioning to a low carbon lifestyle.
We include adapting to changes in climate as a consideration in our everyday operations – a normal part of our decision making process.
Sustainability
The following sustainability concepts all play a part in management of changes in the climate -
- Water conservation
- Smart energy use
- Clever building design
- Locally grown, low impact food
- Waste prevention, minimisation, and reuse
- Low emission mobility, transport
- Living contentment and wellbeing
Advice, support and adaptive measures are available from a range of government sources:
National: The National Climate Change Authority provides independent, expert advice to the Australian Government on climate change policy.
State Government: The Tasmanian Climate Change Office (TCCO) leads the State Government’s response to the challenges and opportunities of a changing climate.
LGAT: The Tasmanian Council Climate Change Case Studies showcase the work being undertaken by Tasmanian Councils to mitigate against and adapt to climate change.
Cradle Coast Natural Resource Management: actively assists communities in north-west Tasmania to manage and improve their natural resources to ensure a healthy future for our region with a number of Climate Change Adaption Fact Sheets and Reports
Council is committed to the following strategies under Making Burnie 2030:
5.2.1 Support opportunities for both commercial and private generation of renewable energy.
5.3.1 Support communities that care for and protect our environment.
5.4.1 Support initiatives that promote energy efficiency.
5.4.2 Support the appropriate and efficient use of various water resources.
5.4.3 Support the State and regional strategies in waste reduction.
5.5.1 Ensure the use and development of land enables communities to provide for their social, economic and cultural well-being and for their health and safety, while maintaining the potential for land to meet reasonably foreseeable needs, without risk to the life supporting capacity of land, air and water.
5.5.2 Ensure the form and layout of settlement provides attractive, convenient, efficient, healthy, pleasant and safe urban and rural places in which people live, work or visit.
How we support these strategies:
Adapt
- Prepare for and respond to the future impacts of climate change: rainfall patterns, temperature, frosts, extreme events
- Identify risks and mitigation measures that local government can advise and implement: bushfire risk, sea level rise planning allowances, coastal vulnerability inundation map, coastal erosion maps
Act
- Reduce Tasmania's greenhouse gas emissions
- Identify measurements and targets
- Participate in reduction initiatives (energy, industry, transport, waste)
- Encourage sustainable living communities
Capitalise
- Find opportunities from a changing climate and the low carbon future
- Develop new industries, future farming initiatives
Economise
- Support a low-carbon economy including carbon farming
- Invest in renewable energy
Council along with the wider Community have the opportunity to participate in a number of Climate Change adaption activities locally.
Building: The National Construction Code includes provisions for Energy Efficiency Requirements and natural disaster mitigation.
Flood management and modeling: The Community Flood Resilience Project includes flood mapping and flood studies of major waterways and low lying areas in Burnie. It informs Council service levels for stormwater management and regular culvert clearing.
Waste management: Burnie's Waste Strategy(PDF, 1MB), the Cradle Coast Waste Management Group (CCWMG) and www.rethinkwaste.com.au support national, state and regional initiatives according to the waste hierarchy, waste best practices, and targets for reducing waste to landfill.
Environmental Management:
- Sustainable water supply includes managing and protecting catchments, bores and water tables.
- Renewable energy and energy minimisation - Council has an action plan to support the achievement of its energy reduction target.
Emergency Management:
- Preparedness and planning information can be found in the Western Emergency Management Plan,
- Tasmania State Emergency Service provides advice and responds to emergency operations, general rescue, storm damage and land search and rescue.
Land Use Planning:
Community Initiatives:
- Sustainable Living Tasmania - to build a sustainable living movement in Tasmania that drives transformational change.
- North West Environment Centre - to inspire a new perspective on our relationship with the environment and each other so that we may all act to create a socially harmonious and ecologically sustainable future.
- Transition Burnie - working toward developing a sustainable and resilient community.
- Produce to the People - emergency food relief group in Tasmania's north-west, redirecting surplus food through free food hub, community food growing workshops, school gardens.
- Burnie Community House - providing opportunities to the community and provides a meeting place for company, advice and support - Including sustainable living concepts.
- University of Tasmania Education for Sustainability Community of Practice - Sustainable practices supporting the University's commitment to reduce environmental impacts, achieve economic efficiency, demonstrate social responsibility and enhance student experience.