Climate change impacts are already being experienced at regional and local scales. The expected effects of climate change include: rising sea-levels and coastal inundation; increased bushfires; increased intensity and frequency of heatwaves; and increased intensity of storms and extreme rainfall events leading to flooding. The consequences of these climate change impacts are already being felt in natural areas and by many communities across our region.

The latest research is telling us that global warming of 1.5°C and 2°C will be exceeded this century unless deep reductions in global greenhouse gas emissions occur in the coming decades.

Every increment of global warming will intensify the severity and frequency of extreme weather events and increase natural hazard risks. Sea level rise will increase coastal erosion, permanent inundation and storm tide surges.

Even if the goal to limit global average temperature rise to below 2°C above pre-industrial levels is reached, a legacy of historical greenhouse gas emissions means an expected intensification of consequences in future. A decline in average annual rainfall with increasing heat stress will produce ‘heat island’ effects. Localised heat build-up and release is a key hazard for urban areas. This is because urban heat island impacts on human and environmental health will increase with climate change driven temperature increases, amplified by increasing smog and pollution levels in urban centres.

Council research indicates that average urban heat temperatures in the region’s suburbs have ranged from 38°C to 45.4°C in summer. This is 7.5°C to 14.9°C higher than the average temperature in D’Aguilar National Park.

These challenges can be addressed through urban form design (shape, size, density and configuration of settlements) and micro-climate mitigation actions such as increased and strategically placed tree cover as well as climate responsive design elements (eg green infrastructure, shaded streetscapes, light coloured roofs, spacing between buildings, green facades and optimal site coverage).

Heat island and water scarcity pressures are most keenly experienced by vulnerable communities who cannot afford home insulation and air-conditioning but are affected by increasing energy and pollution emissions. These disproportional societal effects may lead to social inequality, disruption and increased demand for health and social services.

This strategy recognises the need for a risk-based approach to natural hazard planning and adaptation for climate change impacts. It will facilitate direct action to mitigate and adapt to climate change and respond to future natural hazards by increasing resilience and reducing disaster risks.

• A 30-kW rooftop system at Caboolture Memorial Hall and 145 kW of solar panels on The Corso.
• Lighting, heating and cooling upgrades, and additional electricity metering at 23 facilities to save energy in Council operated buildings.
• Options analysis to determine suitable sites for a large-scale solar farm.
• Two solar powered lawn mowers.
• Ningi transfer station is 100% powered with solar energy and could provide a model for other material management facilities.
• Landfill gas feeds power plants at the Bunya, Caboolture and Dakabin waste facilities. The methane captured from landfill generates enough electricity to power 7,000 homes.
• Council’s Coastal Hazard Adaptation Strategy (due for completion in mid-2023) responds to community concerns and increasing threats to our infrastructure, services and environment.
• Your Flood Smart Building Guide provides tips for rebuilding or retrofitting in a flood-prone area.
• Updating Council’s flood modelling.

• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions from Council’s operations to demonstrate leadership in emissions reductions and in recognition of Australia’s international commitments to reduce emissions and keep global average temperatures to below 2 degrees and as close to 1.5 degrees Celsius as possible.
• Demonstrate leadership in sustainably managing Council operations and build internal capacity to respond proactively and promptly to a warming climate and effectively identify, assess and plan for increased resilience to natural hazards and climate risks in the region.
• Council’s operations, planning and decision-making are informed by and respond to a robust understanding of current and future natural hazard and climate change risks.
• Increase community awareness and understanding of natural hazards and climate change impact strengthening community resilience and capacity to respond and adapt to the effects and the impacts of a warming climate and increasing risks of natural hazards.
• Community actions to reduce personal, household and business greenhouse gas emissions are supported by Council programs, initiatives and information which build awareness and inform action.

• Net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2039 for Council’s operations.

Council actively plans for a warming climate using best practice approaches in risk-based planning, climate resilient design, adaptation, avoidance and mitigation strategies to reduce disaster risk and increase community resilience.

Climate Change Mitigation

• Prioritise practical measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as the primary and immediate means of a mitigation response to a warming climate.
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions from new buildings and infrastructure using a selection of materials, sustainable design and renewable energy.
• Council supports use of renewable energy and energy efficient devices and appliances across its operations.
• Engage stakeholders to support projects and initiatives that create sinks that store greenhouse gases in vegetation and soils, including urban forests and tree planting, regenerative farming, land and biodiversity restoration projects.
• Council greenhouse gas emissions are published annually with base data inputs revised as accepted methodologies change and organisational capacity and data systems allow.
• Stakeholders and partners assist with monitoring and reporting on community greenhouse gas emissions and reductions to encourage community action.

Climate Change Adaptation

• Council decision-making processes and operations are informed by a climate change adaptation risk assessment which analyses the nature of the risks, including transitional risks over time, and their financial, operational and management implications.

Natural Hazards

• Support nature-based solutions when responding to natural hazard risks, including vegetation protection, revegetation, re-naturalising grey infrastructure such as stormwater drains, ecosystem restoration, reducing hard surface areas, providing space for floodplains, forests and urban greening.
• Prioritise long-term natural hazard and climate resilience of communities and reduction of disaster risk in strategic land use and infrastructure planning from an individual site to planning for future growth areas.
• Community infrastructure that is essential to keep accessible and functioning during natural hazard events and those land uses that are hard to evacuate or accommodate vulnerable people are located away from areas at risk from natural hazards like flooding and bushfire.
• Prioritise and deliver climate change and natural hazard preparedness and risk adaptation education to empower local businesses, industry and the community to make informed decisions.