climate change response plan 2012 2022...3. plan for adaptation to climate change 4. develop...

Climate Change Response Plan

2012 – 2022

Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1

1. Introduction 3

1.1Background 3

1.2 Scope of this Document 3

1.3 Knox Council Strategies and Plans 5

2. Key Drivers for Response by Council 6

2.1 Price on Carbon 6

2.2 Rising Price of Electricity 7

2.3 Climate Projections for Melbourne’s East 7

2.4 Heat Waves and Urban Heat Island Effect 8

2.5 Increased Fire Risk and Drought 8

2.6 Adaptability of Buildings and Infrastructure 9

3. Council’s Carbon Footprint 10

3.1 Cities for Climate Protection Framework 10

3.2 National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting System 12

3.3 Limitation to Data Availability 13

3.4 Current Actions towards Mitigation 13

3.5 Current Strategies and Actions towards Adaptation 14

4. Service Provision in a Changing Climate 15

4.1 Council’s Buildings 15

4.2 Drainage Assets 16

4.3 Emergency Management 17

4.4 Biodiversity & Bushland Management 18

4.5 Recreation and Open Space Assets 19

4.6 Risk and Insurance 20

4.7 Planning 21

4.8 Emerging Challenges 22

5. Action Plan for Mitigation and Adaptation 23

5.1 Goal of the Climate Change Response Plan 23

5.2 Budget and Resources 23

5.3 Implementation Plan 25

5.4 Reporting, Review and Next Steps 29

Glossary 30

1 Climate Change Response Plan

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Council developed and adopted the Knox Greenhouse Action Plan 2003 - 2010 in order to minimise

its energy use and reduce its carbon footprint. The Plan was developed under a framework called

Cities for Climate Protection, which was adopted by over 200 Local Governments in Australia and

many more across the globe as a way of addressing the issue of climate change by implementing

measures to reduce energy and fuel use within Council operations. The framework also included a

community based emissions reduction goal and actions. Council adopted a corporate target of 30%

reduction from 1998/99 levels for its own operations and adopted a 20% reduction target for the

community (from 1996 levels). In 2007, Council reached the corporate reduction goal,

predominantly through the purchase of green power for its street lights and the implementation of

energy reduction initiatives in many of its major facilities.

The Climate Change Response Plan reflects current thinking and approach to climate change

response from Local Governments. The Plan aligns with the goals identified in the Sustainable

Environment Strategy 2008 - 2018, which is to reduce greenhouse emissions, improve air quality

and be well prepared for climate change. These goals are achieved through the following

approaches as detailed in the Strategy:

1. Achieve community and Council greenhouse gas reduction goals

2. Offset greenhouse gas emissions

3. Plan for adaptation to climate change

4. Develop partnerships to address climate change mitigation and adaptation, and

5. Improve air quality

The Plan was developed in consultation with the Environment Advisory Committee, Councillors and

relevant staff from across the organisation. It identifies a number of challenges facing Council in

relation to service delivery in a changing natural environment and provides a list of headline actions

to undertake over the next decade in implementing the Plan. While acknowledging that scientific

understanding of the effects of global warming are not yet fully known, the Climate Change

Response Plan outlines both mitigating measures that will reduce energy and fuel use and therefore

operating costs for Council, and adaptation measures that help move Council and Community to be

better prepared for any potential adverse affects of global warming.


Goals

1. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions 2. Be well prepared for climate change 3. Improve Air quality


Key Strategic Drivers

Leadership

Financial

Responsible Governance Regulatory

Key Challenges

Price on carbon

Rising price of electricity

Climate projects for Melbourne’s East

Heat waves and Urban Heat Island Effect

Increased fire risk and drought

Adaptability of buildings and infrastructure

Strategy Approaches

1. Achieve community and Council greenhouse gas reduction goals

2. Offset greenhouse gas emissions 3. Plan for adaptation to climate change 4. Develop partnerships to address climate

change mitigation and adaptation 5. Improve air quality

Carbon Footprint Framework

National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting System

(NGERS)

SCOPE 1 - Emissions from a facility or site under the direct control of the Council

SCOPE 2 - Indirect emissions created off-site for

facilities under the direct control of the Council.

SCOPE 3 – Emissions from offsite facilities or activities, not under operational control of the Council.

Action Plan

The plan includes short, medium and long

term actions against each of the key

strategic drivers and approaches to;

1. Reduce Council’s contribution to

greenhouse gases in the atmosphere

(mitigation). These actions will have

significant long term cost benefit for

Council and the community

2. Develop strategies and plans that invest

in infrastructure and work practice

changes (adaptation).

(refer to Section 5.3 for detailed actions)

4yr Rolling Action Plan

Knox Sustainable Environment Strategy


1. Introduction

1.1 Background

In 2001, Knox City Council formally committed to reducing its greenhouse emissions by joining an

international campaign called Cities for Climate Protection (CCP). The CCP framework saw well over

200 Councils across Australia taking strong action to reduce emissions. Knox adopted the Knox

Greenhouse Action Plan 2003 - 2010 and committed to a reduction in its corporate greenhouse

emissions of 30% below 1998/99 levels by 2010. The Plan also set an emissions reduction goal of

20% below 1996 levels by 2010 for emissions from the Knox Community. The Plan helped provide a

roadmap for Council to systematically address its greenhouse footprint. Measures carried out by

Council to date include:

An inventory of emissions carried out in 2005, to track progress towards the greenhouse

reduction targets;

The establishment of a Revolving Energy Fund that reinvests the savings from energy

reduction projects for future projects;

Significant capital funding towards the reduction of energy use in key Council owned

buildings;

Introduction of an Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD) Policy to improve

environmental performance of buildings; and

Increasing the purchase of accredited Green Power to offset the emissions from street

lights.

Through the implementation of the above measures, Council had achieved its corporate target by

2007. Due to limitations in measuring and monitoring the Community reduction goal, the emissions

from the Community sector are no longer reported by Council.

1.2 Scope of this Document

This document is a review of Council’s Greenhouse Action Plan 2003-2010 and provides an

assessment of the approach Council is currently taking in implementing the Plan, but also a review of

contemporary approaches taken by Local Governments in responding to a changing climate. The

Plan focuses on the areas of greatest influence that Council can respond to in a changing climate,

rather than a roadmap for community and industry action.

While it’s important to acknowledge that scientific debate exists about the role that humans play in

changing our climate, the balance of evidence from the majority of scientists points to a world that is

warming faster than the ‘normal’ long term variability of climate.


In 2007, Professor Ross Garnaut was appointed by the State Governments and the Federal

opposition (at the time) to carry out an assessment of the science behind global warming, examine

the likely impacts to Australia’s economy and provide recommendations for medium to long term

policies for policy-makers to implement. In the report, Garnaut (20081) noted that:

“It is prudent to give the major weight to the mainstream science. This is fully

compatible with investing more in improvement of knowledge to narrow the

dispersion of the probability distributions. The improvement of knowledge, the

narrowing of uncertainty, the sharpening of predictions: all these can and

should proceed alongside the commencement of international collective action

in pursuit of strong mitigation.”

The question is, what can be done by Local Government and its community, to both reduce their

contribution to greenhouse emissions and more importantly prepare for a world that is up to 2

degrees warmer by 2050 (CSIRO, 20112). This report will focus on the most appropriate direction to

be taken by Knox City Council over the next decade through two distinct categories of measures.

The first of these is what’s broadly classed as mitigation measures. These are essentially actions

that can be carried out to reduce Council’s contribution to greenhouse gases in the atmosphere,

such as through a reduction in electricity and gas used in Council buildings by implementing energy

efficiency retrofits or a reduction in fuel used in Council’s fleet. These actions will have a significant

long term cost saving benefit for both Council and the wider community.

At the time of writing the Knox Greenhouse Action Plan 2003-2010, the advice from scientists and

Government agencies was for the need to act urgently to reduce greenhouse emissions to prevent

an increase in mean global surface temperatures of 2 degrees or more. While the response from

Council in the past ten years has focused on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the studies

are increasingly pointing to a need to not only mitigate the emissions drastically, but also to prepare

our cities and infrastructure for a warmer world.

The National Climate Change Adaptation Framework (COAG, 20073) identifies the areas that all three

levels of Governments need to build capacity to ultimately minimise the risks of climate change

impacts and to take advantage of potential opportunities. Hence, adaptation forms the second key

focus in this Plan.

1 Garnaut, R., 2008, The Garnaut Climate Change Review: Final Report, Commonwealth of Australia. p. 593.

2 CSIRO, 2011. Climate Change : Science and solutions for Australia. Edited by Helen Cleugh ...[et al.] 3 COAG, 2007., National Climate Change Adaptation Framework. Council of Australian Governments, Commonwealth of Australia.


1.3 Knox Council Strategies and Plans

Council’s Vision 2025 has four key strategies that help Council work towards its vision statement,

which is:

‘Knox City Council and the community: A partnership in progress; creating a

safe, healthy and connected community with high quality services, transport

options, facilities and culturally rich experiences; committed to protecting

Knox’s green leafy neighbourhoods and natural environment, and enhancing

economic sustainability for future generations.’

Figure 1.1 illustrates how the Climate Change Response Plan 2012 - 2022 fits in context of other

corporate strategies of Council relevant to environmental sustainability.

Figure 1.1: Strategies and Plans addressing the Environmental Sustainability of the Knox Community

Knox Vision 2025

Municipal Strategic

Statement

Sustainable Environment

Strategy

Sustainable Water Use Plan


Open Space Plan

Sites of Biological Significance Study

WSUD & Stormwater Management Strategy

Integrated Transport Plan

Revegetation Plan

Liveable Streets Plan

Community Wellbeing Strategy

Economic Development

Strategy


2. Key Drivers for Response by Council

Council recognises that there are four broad strategic drivers that will be utilised in Council’s

approach to responding to a changing climate. These drivers are:

Leadership: Leading by example by carrying out both mitigation and adaptation measures in

our own operations to build capacity in the community.

Financial: Ensuring that costs to provide Council services and maintain buildings and assets

are minimised. Drivers in this category include increasing power prices, carbon tax and

minimising damage to Council’s assets from extreme weather events.

Responsible Governance: Preparing the community and Council for a changing natural

environment, reducing risk and playing our role in the region to help empower the local

community to reduce energy dependence from non-renewable sources and preparing the

community for a changing climate.

Regulatory: Ensuring compliance with any obligations that are placed on Council such as

mandatory reporting of carbon emissions from Council operations or other climate change

adaptation requirements (e.g. implementing the Knox Heat Wave Strategy).

While addressing any issues relating to global warming requires serious commitment from all

nations, the projected impacts of global warming are likely to affect many local communities in ways

that could have significant impact on many core Local Government services. Some of the key issues

which drive the agenda for Council are discussed in further detail below.

2.1 Price on Carbon

The Carbon Tax comes into effect in July 2012 which is aimed at the top 500 greenhouse gas

emitters in Australia (accounting for around 60% of Australia’s greenhouse emissions). The

industries most affected include approximately 60 power generators, 100 large mining operators,

110 heavy industries and approximately 130 land-fill operators (Australian Government, 20124).

These entities are liable to buy and surrender to the Federal Government $23 for every tonne of

carbon emissions they’re responsible for. The money collected by the Government is then re-

distributed to industry and residents as compensation for the increased costs they incur.

Modelling carried out for Knox Council on the impact of the carbon tax indicates that Council would

be facing an increase in costs of around $1.28 million in 2012/13 (CKEY Consulting, 20125). These

costs are predominantly passed down through the supply chain, particularly electricity costs

associated with street lighting and buildings, waste disposal, construction and overall operating costs

associated with an increase in the Consumer Price Index. To minimise the exposure to the Carbon

Tax, energy efficiency and waste reduction are seen as two key response measures that will need to

be adopted by all industries and households.

4 Australian Government, 2012. www.cleanenergyfuture.gov.au. Accessed in Feb 2012 5 CKEY Consulting, 2012. Carbon Tax Budget Analysis Report – January 2012. Knox City Council.

http://www.cleanenergyfuture.gov.au/


2.2 Rising Price of Electricity

In its first year of operation, the Carbon Tax will increase energy prices by around 8% to 10% for

Council. Independent of an increase due to the Carbon Tax, the price of electricity has risen

substantially over the past five years and is expected to continue increasing well into the future. In

Victoria, the increase over the next two years is projected to be another 33% - which includes the

increase due to the Carbon Tax (AEMC, 20116). It has been estimated that nearly 70% percent of the

increase in recent years has been attributed to the cost of upgrading network infrastructure (e.g.

poles, wires and substations) and distribution of energy to meet increasing peak power demand

(Garnaut, 20117). This indicates that energy efficiency and minimising peak power demand will still

be an essential response for the Council and the community at large.

2.3 Climate Projections for Melbourne’s East

The Eastern Alliance for Greenhouse Action (EAGA), of which Knox City Council is a member Council,

commissioned a study to determine the likely long term impacts on biodiversity from a changing

climate. As part of this study, CSIRO was engaged to project the likely climate future for the eastern

region of Melbourne using emission scenarios from various climate models over the next 60 years.

These projections are summarised below:

Temperature

Average temperatures will increase in all seasons, most significantly in summer and least in winter.

The frequency of hot days will increase.

The frequency of warm nights will increase in all seasons, but most in summer. Precipitation

With higher emissions into the future there are likely to be decreases in average rainfall in all seasons.

The majority of the models project greatest percentage decreases in average rainfall to occur in spring.

There will be increases in evaporation across all seasons with most models indicating the largest increases will be in winter.

Projected decreased rainfall and increased evapo-transpiration is likely to lead to decreased average stream flow.

The frequency of dry days will increase.

Fire Weather

The frequency of weather conditions conducive to high forest fire risk will increase.

The fire season will start earlier and end later in the year.

Extreme Wind Speeds

The majority of models indicate extreme wind-speeds could decrease in spring, summer and autumn and increase in winter.

Figure 2.1: Climate future for Eastern Melbourne to 2070 (Source: EAGA, 20108)

6 AEMC, 2011. Information Sheet: Retail electricity price estimates. Final report for 2010-2011 to 2013-2014. Australian Energy Market Commission 7 Garnaut, 2011. Transforming The Electricity Sector, Garnaut Climate Change Review – Update 2011, Commonwealth of Australia. 8 EAGA, 2010. Bushland and Urban Biodiversity Management in a Changing Climate, Eastern Alliance for Greenhouse Action. p8.


2.4 Heat Waves and Urban Heat Island Effect

The effects of heat wave are often forgotten in the community, as the media attention is invariably

drawn to bushfires that sometimes follow heat waves. According to Emergency Management

Australia (EMIA, 20129), the death toll from the 2009 heat wave which preceded the Black Saturday

bushfires, across southern Australia resulted in 374 deaths (many of which were people aged over

7510). Other events in the past such as the 1939 heat wave preceding the Black Friday bushfires

claimed 438 lives across the southern states. Table 2.1 below outlines the climate projections for

Daily Maximum Temperatures for Scoresby based on the Emissions Scenarios to 2070. The low

emission scenario is based on the assumption that global greenhouse emissions transition away

from a fossil fuel based economy and the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere is limited by strong

global action. The high emission scenario assumes business as usual with continued reliance on a

fossil fuel based economy. The high emission scenario shows that Knox could experience maximum

temperatures above 30 degrees on average up to 61 days a year – more than doubling the current

conditions.

Very hot day time temperatures combined with high night time temperatures prevent the human

body from recovering from the day’s heat, often leading to health complications – particularly for

the elderly. High night time temperatures are a key characteristic of the Urban Heat Island Effect,

where the heat from the day is absorbed by built structures (such as buildings, roads and driveways)

and then released overnight keeping the night-time temperature higher compared to undeveloped

or densely vegetated areas. With an increase in frequency of hot days projected for Knox (see table

below), the problems of Urban Heat Island Effect will be compounded even further, particularly with

the elderly.

PROJECTED AVERAGE NUMBER OF HOT DAYS IN SCORESBY

Current 2030 Medium Emissions

2070 Low Emissions

2070 High Emissions

Average Number of days over 30oC 28 31 to 36 34 to 43 40 to 61

Average Number of days over 35 oC 7 8 to 10 10 to 14 12 to 24

Average Number of days over 40 oC 0 1 1 to 2 2 to 6

Table 2.1: Current and projected average number of hot days in Scoresby to 2070 (Source: DSE, 200811)

2.5 Increased Fire Risk and Drought

Since climate science deals with the long term climate trends on a regional scale, rather than the day

to day weather events at a local scale, no single bushfire event now or in the future can be directly

linked to climate change. However, the frequency of weather conditions that are conducive to such

fires (e.g. dryness caused by increased evapo-transpiration and hot temperatures) as described in

Figure 2.1 and 2.2 above, will lead to increased risk of bushfires.

9 EMIA, 2012. Disasters Database. Emergency Management Institute, http://www.disasters.ema.gov.au. Commonwealth of Australia. 10 DHS, 2009. Annual Report 2008-09. Department of Human Services. State Government of Victoria. 11 DSE, 2008. Climate Change in Port Phillip and Western Port. Dept of Sustainability and Environment, State Government of Victoria.


Such a trend also points to more severe and frequent droughts. The drought in Melbourne between

2004 and 2010 had severe impacts on many Council assets including sports grounds, parks and

gardens.

2.6 Adaptability of Buildings and Infrastructure

Many buildings and infrastructure (such as roads and drainage) struggle to cope during extreme

weather events as they are designed using standards which are based on climate data from historical

observations. For example, a drainage system in a residential sub-division may have been designed

and constructed to withstand a 1 in 5 year rainfall intensity. If the frequency of these rainfall events

intensify in the future as predicted, a different standard may be deemed appropriate to minimise

the impact of these events.

Similarly, building construction in the past did not include roof insulation as a mandatory measure.

This requirement for residential housing did not come into effect until 1991 in Victoria, and as such,

a significant proportion of buildings have little to no insulation in the roof. A larger percentage of

buildings have no wall or floor insulation.

As noted in a report on the vulnerability of Infrastructure to Climate Change (DSE, 200612), under the

high emissions scenario, foundations of buildings, roads and bridges are at higher risk of failure due

to drier soil conditions. The impact of more frequent storms and floods are also likely to have a

detrimental effect on these Council assets.

On a regional scale, we have witnessed the inability of major infrastructure such as the train network

failing to cope with temperature extremes, which in turn puts pressure on the road network. Also,

residents are increasingly relying on air conditioners to provide relief from excessive heat. An over-

reliance on such appliances have predominantly led to the electricity networks struggling to meet

‘peak demand’ for power, resulting in blackouts and brownouts often experienced in the middle of

heat waves.

12 DSE, 2006. Climate Change and Infrastructure: Planning Ahead., Dept. Of Sustainability and Environment, State Government of Victoria.


3. Council’s Carbon Footprint

3.1 Cities for Climate Protection Framework

In 2001, Council adopted the Cities for Climate Protection (CCP) framework to address its

greenhouse emissions, through increasing energy efficiency, purchasing clean emission free

energy sources, sustainable transport, environmentally sensitive building policies and waste

management. The CCP Program was a global initiative co-ordinated in Australia by the

International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI).

The CCP Program consisted of five milestones:

Milestone 1: Undertake an emissions inventory for Community and Corporate sectors of Knox for 1998/99

(Base Year)

Completed

JUN 2002

Milestone 2: Set an emissions reduction goal for 2010 (Forecast Year). Council set a reduction goal of 20%

below 1996 levels for community emissions and 30% below 1998 levels by 2010 for corporate emissions.

Completed

JUL 2002

Milestone 3: Develop and adopt a greenhouse reduction strategy: the Knox Greenhouse Action Plan 2003 –

2010.

Completed

MAR 2003

Milestone 4: Implement the Knox Greenhouse Action Plan and achieve a minimum of 5% reduction off the

reduction target set in Milestone 2.

Completed

MAY 2004

Milestone 5: Monitor and report on emissions for 2003/04 (Re-inventory year) and Council’s progress

towards the reductions goal.

Completed

AUG 2005

Table 3.1: Key Milestones of the Cities for Climate Protection program.

Under the framework devised by the CCP program, Council’s carbon footprint consisted of

all buildings and facilities for which the electricity and gas bills are paid directly by Council.

As a result, this excluded buildings which are operated by community groups or

organisations, where the energy bills were the responsibility of the user groups. Other

sources of emissions which were counted towards Council’s carbon footprint were the

emissions from street lights, corporate waste and the Council fleet.

Figure 3.1: Council’s Carbon Footprint under the CCP Framework to 2010.

-

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

1998 2004 2007 2010

Car

bo

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mis

sio

ns

(in

to

nn

es

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2e)

Council's Carbon Footprint under the CCP Framework - 1998 to 2010 -

Buildings Fleet Streetlights Waste


By 2007, Council had achieved the corporate target of 30% reduction by implementing

energy reduction programs across its major facilities and by purchasing accredited green

power for street lights. Council’s decision to purchase 50% of the energy from renewable

energy resulted in the largest reduction at 4,200 tonnes. The energy efficiency measures

implemented in Council’s buildings since 2007 has seen a carbon emissions reduction of

15%, or 650 tonnes by 2010.

Key projects which were implemented as part of the Knox Greenhouse Action Plan 2003-

2010 include:

Establishment of a Revolving Energy Fund to re-invest savings from energy bills

towards future energy reduction projects;

Introduction of the Environmentally Sustainable Design

(ESD) Policy to improve environmental performance of

buildings;

Retrofit of key buildings with efficient lighting such as

LED and T5 fluorescent lights;

Heat reflective paint on the Knox Civic Centre; and

Installation of solar panels and solar hot water in three

Council buildings (Knox Leisureworks pictured).

Figure 3.2: Electricity use for the Knox Civic Centre showing a decline in power use. The power prices have continued to increase despite

the reduction in energy use. The significant reduction in energy between 2007 and 2009 is due to the introduction of the Sustainability

Initiatives Capital Works budget which resulted in major energy efficiency projects at the Civic Centre. The reduction in Annual Spend

between 2005 and 2006 is due to savings realised by Council through a new energy supply contract.

$135,000

$140,000

$145,000

$150,000

$155,000

$160,000

$165,000

$170,000

1,000,000

1,050,000

1,100,000

1,150,000

1,200,000

1,250,000

1,300,000

1,350,000

1,400,000

1,450,000

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Knox Civic Centre Annual Electricity Use (kWh) and Expenditure

Annual Use (kWh) Annual Spend ($)


3.2 National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting System

By 2008, with the emergence of the proposed Emissions Trading Scheme, the Federal

Government cut funding for the CCP program and the program became a fee-based service

for Councils. A new framework called the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting

System (NGERS) emerged as the national standard for carbon accounting. This framework is

designed to apply to the largest carbon emitting corporations and industries as part of

implementing an Emissions Trading Scheme in Australia.

While the NGERS framework was developed for the largest emitters, the framework allows

for smaller entities to adopt the same methodology and an increasing number of Councils

across Australia are adopting the NGERS framework. This ensures consistency within the

Local Government sector as well as other industries that are reporting on greenhouse

emissions. The advice from the Municipal Association of Victoria is also for Local

Governments to transition towards the NGERS framework (MAV, 201013).

SCOPE 1 Emissions from a facility or site under the

direct control of the Council

SCOPE 2 Indirect emissions created off-site for

facilities under the direct control of the Council.

SCOPE 3 Emissions from off-site facilities or

activities, not under operational control of the Council.

Examples include emissions from landfills

owned by Council, Reticulated Natural Gas & Council’s Fleet

Examples include metered electricity

purchased for Council’s facilities

Examples include unmetered electricity such as street lights, waste from Council

operations, staff travel for work purposes, emissions from leased buildings such as

leisure buildings Figure 3.2: Carbon Accounting under the NGERS Framework.

The NGERS defines operational control as the organisation that has the biggest influence in

implementing Operating, Environmental, and Health and Safety policies at a particular

facility or site. This test would be relatively straight forward to apply to most sites,

however, further analysis may be needed in some cases to delineate whether a site is

included in Scope 2 or Scope 3 emissions.

Adopting the NGERS framework will result in a significant change to the Carbon footprint

that Council has previously worked towards under the CCP framework. As such, a new

baseline for carbon emissions from Council’s operations will need to be established in order

to develop an energy reduction strategy. This would require assessing existing lease

agreements for all facilities owned by Council that are operated by community groups such

as sporting clubs, not-for-profit organisations and pre-school committees. Table 3.2 below

highlights some of the key differences between the CCP framework and the NGERS

framework in terms of assessing the carbon footprint for Knox City Council.

13 MAV, 2010. The Victorian Local Government Guide to Reducing Carbon Emissions. Municipal Association of Victoria.


CCP Framework NGERS

SCOPE 1 SCOPE 2 SCOPE 3

Landfill Emissions (e.g. Cathies Lane) No No* No No

Knox Civic Centre Yes Yes (Gas) Yes (Electricity) No

Knox Leisureworks – Gas & Electricity No No Yes* No

Unmetered Streetlights Yes No No Yes

Metered Car Park Lights Yes No Yes No

Recreational Facilities (e.g. Basketball Stadium) No No Yes* No

Council Fleet Yes Yes No No

Flights and other travel by Staff & Councillors No No No Yes

Waste generated by Council operations Yes No No Yes

Kindergartens No Yes (Gas) Yes (Electricity) No

Table 3.2: The differences in two carbon accounting frameworks for a selection of Knox facilities and services. (*TBC)

3.3 Limitation to Data Availability

Due to the nature of Scope 3 emissions, Council’s ability to accurately account for all

emissions from this sector is severely limited. It relies on establishing “data access”

agreements with operators of sites that qualify for Scope 3 emissions. The ability to

determine the amount and composition of waste produced from Council’s smaller sites

(such as Maternal Child Health Centres and Child Care Centres) will also severely limit

Council’s ability to accurately account for Scope 3 emissions.

Given the restrictions with Scope 3 emissions, the recommendation from the MAV for Local

Governments is to set formal carbon reduction targets to cover Scope 1 and Scope 2

emissions only.

3.4 Current Actions towards Mitigation

The following is a list of headline measures taken by Council to date in relation to

minimising its greenhouse emissions from its operations:

Revolving Energy Fund created to divert savings from energy reduction projects

towards future projects;

Lighting upgrades in major facilities such as Civic Centre, Rowville Community Centre

and Knox Community Arts Centre using T5 and LED lighting;

Heat reflective paint on Civic Centre to help keep the building cooler in summer;

Installation of solar-powered heat extraction fans at the Civic Centre and many Pre-

Schools and Kindergartens;


Installation of flow restrictors, rainwater tanks to flush toilets, dual flush toilet

conversions, waterless urinals and water monitoring systems in the majority of

Council buildings;

Working with the Residents, Community Groups, Schools and Businesses through the

Greenleaf Living and Greenleaf Learning programs;

Introduction of an Environmentally Sustainable Design Policy for Council projects in

major redevelopment projects such as the Knox Leisureworks Warm Water Pool

Upgrade;

Methane capture and flaring at the Council owned landfill site;

Provision of public transport tickets for staff travel as well as both electric-assist and

traditional bicycles for staff use; and

Introduction of a Triple-Bottom Line rating tool to assess suitability of vehicle choices

as part of the Council Fleet Policy.

3.5 Current Strategies and Actions towards Adaptation

Council has also developed a number of strategies and plans that will help prepare the

community and Council by adapting to a changed environment. While most, if not all, were

developed due to other dominant drivers (e.g. frequent flooding issues, Bushfire Royal

Commission or State Government requirements), they no doubt have a significant

contribution towards the organisation’s preparedness in adapting to a changing natural

environment. A number of these initiatives include:

Municipal Emergency Management Plans covering bushfires and flood (currently

under development) and Heat Wave Plan;

Identifying vulnerable Home and Community Care (HACC) residents and proactively

responding to their needs in the event of an emergency;

Warm Season Grass Conversion and Stormwater Harvesting projects in Council’s

sporting ovals and the development of the Water Sensitive Urban Design and

Stormwater Management Strategy;

Sustainable travel initiatives including investment in bike paths and footpaths, as

part of the Knox Integrated Transport Plan;

Management Plans for Buildings, Drainage and Open Space assets; and

An increased frequency of cleaning stormwater drains in high-risk catchments.


4. Service Provision in a Changing Climate

4.1 Council’s Buildings

Council owns and manages over 200 large and small buildings across Knox, with some

buildings dating back to the turn of the last Century. As building designs are generally based

on the historical climatic conditions of the local area, they may not perform too well under a

future climate that’s predicted to be hotter with more frequent and intense rainfall. This is

particularly relevant for the levels of insulation and drainage infrastructure in existing

buildings as well as issues with poor building orientation, little natural ventilation or

utilisation of natural lighting.

If these buildings are to continue serving the community safely, long into the future, energy

reduction and adaptation measures will need to form an essential part of the service

provision. Increasing the level of insulation, installation of rainwater tanks for toilet

flushing, energy efficient lighting and shading of windows are a number of measures that

can be retrofitted to existing buildings. This not only helps reduce the operating costs for

Council through a reduction in energy and water bills, but will also help provide a more

comfortable environment for users of the facility.

Council’s Building Asset Management Plan (KCC, 200914) identified the average age of the

Knox Council buildings to be over 40 years and highlighted the need to increase building

renewal expenditure to ensure that the buildings continue to meet compliance against

relevant building codes and standards and remain fit for purpose to serve their role for the

Knox community. The Plan also identified a number of governance and procedural

improvements to better manage the building assets into the future.

14 KCC, 2009, Building Asset Management Plan, Knox City Council.


4.2 Drainage Assets

It has been well documented that increased hard surface areas (such as roofs, footpaths,

driveways and roads) lead to an increased frequency of localised flash flooding, as existing

drainage struggles to cope with intense rainfall in a short amount of time. With the

projections of future climate pointing to an increase in frequency of such storms, this issue

will be an on-going concern for Council and community. A research paper, co-authored by

Melbourne Water (Pedruco & Watkinson, 201015), which applied the climate predictions

from the CSIRO with the existing flood modelling to assess the impact of urban flooding in

2030 and 2070, noted that:

“...drainage infrastructure designed to the 1 in 5 year standard may be

overwhelmed on average at least once every 3 years by 2030 in smaller urban

catchments. These results also suggest that the typical “safe” design standard of

the 1 in 100 year ARI (Average Recurrence Interval) event may be halved by

2070. As a result, areas currently considered appropriate for development may

be at higher risk of flooding in the future than currently acceptable.”

With the overwhelming majority of drainage assets already

constructed and in the ground, the opportunity to take

significant remedial action to minimise such occurrences is

limited and very costly. However, there are opportunities to

continue working with catchment areas that are highly

susceptible to flash flooding in order to minimise damage to

properties.

The Drainage Asset Management Plan (KCC, 201016) outlines a number of key

recommendations including the need to replace existing 150mm diameter stormwater pipes

with larger 225mm diameter pipes when assets are renewed. This would increase the

capacity of the stormwater network during storm conditions to cope better with extreme

rainfall events. The Plan also highlighted the need for better understanding of local flood

prone areas by carrying out detailed mapping to identify at-risk properties and assets. Such

mapping tools would be highly valuable for both Council, in planning emergency response

measures and flood-minimisation works and the community in getting a better

understanding of flooding scenarios in a local context.

15 Pedruco, P & Watkinson, R (2010). The Impacts of Climate Change on Urban Flooding In The Melbourne Area Using Existing Flood Models, BMT WBM & Melbourne Water, www.melbournewater.com.au 16 KCC, 2010., Knox Drainage Asset Management Plan, Knox City Council.


4.3 Emergency Management

Whether it is an increased risk of bushfires, more frequent storms or heatwaves, emergency

response from Local Governments will continue to be a critical role in minimising damage to

people and property. As noted by Professor Ross Garnaut in his final report on The Climate

Change Review (Garnaut, 200817):

“With the mainstream science projecting increases in the intensity and

frequency of severe weather events across Australia in the absence of

mitigation, and to a lesser extent with mitigation, there will be increased

demands on emergency services. Understanding the implications of climate

change at a local level will be centrally important in the future planning of

these services.”

The report also notes that in some cases (e.g. coastal flooding and storm surges), investing

in emergency management provisions will be the most cost effective strategy for dealing

with the uncertainties of climate change. While coastal flooding and storm surges are not

issues that will directly concern the Knox community, it does highlight the fact that

opportunities for serious mitigation of the effects of climate change have already passed

and that Governments and agencies should be well prepared for the effects of changed

environmental conditions.

The release of the January 2009 Heatwave in Victoria: An Assessment of Health Impacts

Report (DHS, 200918) helped focus the serious consequences of heatwaves on the health

and wellbeing of the most vulnerable citizens of the community. The report found that the

heatwave that resulted in temperatures reaching over 43 degrees in Melbourne for three

successive days saw 374 deaths due to heat related illnesses – of this, people aged 75 and

above represented 65%.

Knox Council developed the Knox Heatwave Action Plan in 2009 to reduce the impacts of a

heatwave event on the Knox community. The Council has identified that people over the

age of 65 and those involved in structured strenuous exercise

as the two key sectors of the community most at risk from the

effects of a heatwave. Early warning, provision of information

and assistance through existing support services, such as Food

Services, form the core of Council’s response in such events.

17 Garnaut, R., 2008, The Garnaut Climate Change Review: Final Report, Commonwealth of Australia. p. 381. 18 DHS, 2009. January 2009 Heatwave in Victoria: an Assessment of Health Impacts, Department of Human Services, State Govt of Victoria.


4.4 Biodiversity & Bushland Management

The impact on the biodiversity of the natural environment is perhaps the single biggest

concern for scientists and researchers. While global temperatures have been higher in the

past, the rate of change in global temperatures attributed to the recent observation is

unprecedented. While as humans, we can adapt to the changing environment, the same

cannot be expected from the flora and fauna which historically has taken thousands of years

to evolve and adapt to the conditions.

Changes in the ecosystem are already being observed and reported on, such as changes in

species behaviour, shifts in genetic composition, reproduction timing and rates, altered

migration patterns, emergence of new species of flora and weed invasion (Steffen et al,

200919). A research paper commissioned by the Eastern Alliance for Greenhouse Action

(EAGA, 201020) to enable Local Government to manage its biodiversity assets in a changing

climate concluded that:

“[There is] compelling evidence from current trends that ecosystems are starting to respond in terms of their distribution, composition, structure and function to the changes in temperature, precipitation and increased CO2

levels that are occurring. Experimental studies as well as modelling studies have given an indication of what changes may occur (or continue to occur) in the future. Together these studies indicate that some ecosystems may shift poleward or upwards in mountainous regions. Indeed there are already indications of uphill migration of some treelines. Changes in species composition and richness have been documented and are likely to become more widespread. Novel interactions between species may form or invasive species may become established. Such changes in species composition could lead to changes in the physical and trophic structure of ecosystems, with resulting effects on system function and composition.”

The Knox community highly values the green-leafy image of the municipality, highlighted by

over 70 bushland reserves. Management of these important assets in a rapidly changing

climate presents a real challenge to Council in terms of pest, diseases and fire.

19 Steffen W, Burbidge AA, Hughes L, Kitching R, Lindenmayer D, Musgrave W, Stafford Smith M and Werner P (2009) Australia’s biodiversity and climate change: a strategic assessment of the vulnerability of Australia’s biodiversity to climate change. Department of Climate Change, Commonwealth of Australia 2009 20 EAGA, 2010. Bushland and Urban Biodiversity Management in a Changing Climate, Eastern Alliance for Greenhouse Action. p22-23.


4.5 Recreation and Open Space Assets

The effects of the prolonged drought in Melbourne that began in 2003 highlighted the

impact such events have on Council’s recreational and open space assets, with severe

disruption to organised sports, damage to playing surfaces and irrigation infrastructure.

Many of Council’s open spaces also faced significant stress with vegetation suffering under

drought conditions. While many of the drought conditions in southern Australia are the

result of El Niño, which in the past has occurred at least once every three to seven years,

based on past history this trend is set to continue into the future.

It is still unclear what effect, if any, the changing climate will have on the El Niño/La Niña

cycle (Garnaut, 200821), however, with the expected increase in mean surface temperatures

coupled with an increase in evapo-transpiration, climate change could prolong or

exacerbate drought conditions in the future.

Although the immediate threat of on-going water restrictions have been averted with the

construction of a desalination plant and the recent above-average rainfall, continued

demand for water from population increases as well as the effects of climate change are

likely to see Melbourne back in Stage 1 restrictions by 2036 (DSE, 200822). Furthermore,

climate change is expected to result in up to a 20% decrease in stream flow in the East

Gippsland region – where the majority of Melbourne’s water catchments are located.

Given the above, it’s clear that water demand strategies will continue to play an important

role in delaying or even averting the need for very expensive water supply augmentation

projects. In Melbourne, only about 0.25% of the stormwater is currently reused, and clearly

any demand management strategy must also include significant increase in the reuse of

urban stormwater (Engineers Australia, 201023). The recently released Living Melbourne,

Living Victoria Plan for Water (Victorian Government, 2012) also strongly advocates for an

increase in stormwater use and Council’s existing program of stormwater harvesting for

sportsgrounds is consistent with the objectives of this Plan.

In addition to Stormwater Harvesting, Council has also undertaken a program of gradually

converting all irrigated ovals to warm season grass species and improving irrigation delivery

methods to further reduce the demand for water.

Water Sensitive Urban Design concepts are increasingly being used in open space and urban

landscape projects (e.g. Wantirna Mall, Wicks Reserve) to not only passively irrigate

vegetation, but also to help to keep the area cooler and minimise the effects of the Urban

Heat Island effect.

21 Garnaut, R., 2008, The Garnaut Climate Change Review: Final Report, Commonwealth of Australia. 22 DSE, 2008. Augmentation of the Melbourne Water Supply System: Analysis of Potential System Behaviour. Department of Sustainability and Environment. State Government of Victoria. 23 Engineers Australia, 2010. Victorian Infrastructure Report Card 2010. www.engineersaustralia.org.au/ircvic


Figure 4. 1: Natural Disasters by Numbers between 1980 and 2010. (Source: Munich Re, 2011)

4.6 Risk and Insurance

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) along with other key scientific

bodies such as CSIRO have been providing advice for policymakers on the likely impacts of

climate change for the best part of 20 years. With each IPCC assessment report, the

uncertainties have become clearer and the advice to Governments and policymakers

provided more certainty about outcomes expected from a changed climate.

In a 2007 research report, the question of Local Government liability was explored by

Griffith University’s Dr Phillipa England. The report focused on three potential liabilities

including negligence, private nuisance and public nuisance and concluded that:

“Local Governments currently have available to them a number of defences

that seem likely to protect them from claims based on a failure to recognise

and respond to information about climate change. Nevertheless, just as the

science of climate change is gathering momentum, so too the law in this

area is evolving rapidly. Local Governments should therefore take care to

ensure their actions, decisions and policy responses to matters that may

either contribute to, or be affected by, climate change remain current and

reasonable in what is a rapidly evolving policy context.”

The insurance industry also has a vested interest in the topic of climate change as weather

and climate related natural disasters account for the vast majority of insurance claims.

Already media reports24,25 have started to emerge of insurance companies increasing the

premiums by as much as 10-fold for flood cover or even completely refusing to insure entire

towns based on their flooding frequency.

A report published in 2011 by one of

the world’s largest reinsurance

companies (Munich Re, 201126),

shows a clear increase in natural

disasters that are related to

atmospheric conditions (Figure 4.1).

While the record only dates back to

1980 the clear trend in the past 30

years has been the increase in

atmospheric events (such as hail,

bushfire, floods, cyclones, heatwaves and

droughts) across the globe.

24 Gadd, Gemma., “Shires Blamed for Insurance Hike”, Weekly Times Now, 25 Jan 2012. Accessed on 7 May 2012. http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/article/2012/01/25/434371_latest-news.html 25 Jabour, Birdie., “Suncorp refuses to insure Queensland towns”, Brisbanetimes.com.au, 7 May 2012. Accessed on 7 May 2012, http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/suncorp-refuses-to-insure-queensland-towns-20120507-1y7nj.html 26 Munich Re, 2011. TOPICS GEO: Natural catastrophes 2010 Analyses, assessments, positions. Munich Reinsurance Company. Available for download from www.munichre.com.

http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/article/2012/01/25/434371_latest-news.html

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/suncorp-refuses-to-insure-queensland-towns-20120507-1y7nj.html


4.7 Planning

The Planning Institute of Australia in its National Policy Statement on Climate Change27

notes that:

“Planners should adopt a precautionary approach in relation to climate

change and have an important role in identification and implementation of

adaption options. The development of adaption responses to climate

change relies on information from global climate models, climate

projections and impact assessments, but effective integration of this

information with the knowledge and tools of planning and other

practitioners and sectors will be essential.”

As one of Council’s core functions, both Statutory and Strategic Planning play a strong role

in helping the community to mitigate greenhouse emissions as well as creating the

framework for better adaptation strategies. While there are limits to the influence Planning

has in responding to climate change (DCCEE, 201128), planning decisions have an influence

well outside the boundary of the developments through minimising flooding, protecting

vegetation (and thereby minimising the effects of Urban Heat Island Effect), improving

public transport and promoting walking and cycling.

Currently Knox City Council through the Knox Planning Scheme encourages the

incorporation of sustainable design principles for all new development. As part of the

planning application process, Knox City Council requires Environmentally Sustainable Design

(ESD) reports to be provided for all residential development (containing three or more

dwellings), commercial development exceeding 500sqm, and for all mixed used

development. This is generally achieved by using the SDS (Sustainable Design Scorecard)

and STEPS29 (Sustainable Tools for Environmental Performance Strategy) tools. For all other

development, Council encourages applicants to incorporate ESD principles into their design,

however this is not a mandatory requirement.

27 Planning Institute of Australia, 2007. National Position Statement: Climate Change. www.planning.org.au 28 DCCEE, 2011. The role of regulation in facilitating or constraining adaptation to climate change for Australian infrastructure. Prepared by Maddocks for The Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency. Commonwealth of Australia. 29 www.sustainablesteps.com.au


4.8 Emerging Challenges

A changing climate is likely to place significant strain on a number of Council services,

particularly services that need to respond rapidly to extreme weather events. The following

is a list of such challenges that have been identified:

The impacts of heatwaves on an ageing population, particularly residents over the

age of 65;

Not being able to meet community expectations after major storms particularly

workload on arborist advice and Parks Services;

Enforcing unauthorised development on overland flow paths that affect the flow of

stormwater during intense rainfall events leading to localised flooding;

Additional legal obligations on Council following the release of the Bushfire Royal

Commission recommendations;

Heavy reliance on external funding for emergency preparedness;

Managing the conflict between protecting the biodiversity values of bushland

reserves and community angst about bushfire risk;

Communication about bushfire risk from State Government agencies being

inconsistent with Council’s biodiversity goals;

Gradual loss of large canopy trees, particularly in privately owned land across the

City due to the impact of drought conditions, and from removal of trees due to an

increase in storms and fire proofing;

Communication about flood management for private properties;

Emergence of new weeds and plant diseases and Council’s ability to manage these

within existing resources; and

Ability for ageing Council assets to be maintained to a contemporary standard to

remain functional and fit for purpose into the future.


5. Action Plan for Mitigation and Adaptation

5.1 Goal of the Climate Change Response Plan

As outlined in the Knox Sustainable Environment Strategy 2008-2018, the goal of this

Climate Change Response Plan is to reduce greenhouse emissions, improve air quality and

be well prepared for climate change.

These goals are achieved through the following approaches as detailed in the Strategy:

1. Achieve community and Council greenhouse gas reduction goals;

2. Offset greenhouse gas emissions;

3. Plan for adaptation to climate change;

4. Develop partnerships to address climate change mitigation and adaptation; and

5. Improve air quality

5.2 Budget and Resources

There have been numerous reviews in the past five years on the economics of climate

change – the most notable of these are the Stern Review30 in 2007 and the Garnaut Review

in 200831. Both concluded that the global cost of action to mitigate climate change is far

less than the global cost of inaction. While the likelihood of global agreement to curb

emissions seems a long way away, both reviews stressed the need for each nation to play

their fair and proportionate role in reducing greenhouse emissions.

The Local Government sector has been leading the agenda on climate change issues for well

over 15 years and Councils have been playing an active role in mitigating emissions through

energy efficiency, fleet emission reductions and climate change adaptation. Knox City

Council established the Revolving Energy Fund in recognition of the financial savings that

can materialise from energy reduction projects. This fund enables financing additional

energy reduction projects in future years by allocating the financial savings from past

projects. The introduction of the Carbon Tax along with the annual increase in network

energy prices means that energy efficiency projects will continue to be an essential

response for reducing Council’s operating costs.

By taking proactive steps to minimise Council’s exposure to extreme events and reducing

our dependence on fossil fuels, the Council can also realise financial savings in the form of

lower energy bills, lower insurance premiums and lower clean up costs.

30 Stern, N., 2007. The Economics of Climate Change: The Stern Review, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. www.hm-treasury.gov.uk 31

Garnaut, R., 2008, The Garnaut Climate Change Review: Final Report, Commonwealth of Australia.


This Plan outlines the headline actions that Council endeavours to carry out over the next 10

years, highlighting additional resources that will be required for new projects and actions.

Given the timeframe of the Plan, the costs are estimated based on the following

categorisation:

Existing - Carried out using existing budget initiative or program

Low - New budget initiative under $50,000

Medium - New budget initiative under $200,000

High - New budget initiative over $200,000

While the expected costs for initiatives are outlined in the Implementation plan below, it's

important to note that all new and existing initiatives will be subject to the allocation of

budget from Council or from external grant opportunities that may become available. The

Implementation Plan is an indication of priorities, their expected timeline and the expected

cost to Council in implementing those priorities.


5.3 Implementation Plan

Action Primary Driver Due By Required Budget

Lead

Department

APPROACH 1 - Achieve community and Council greenhouse gas reduction goals

1.1 Through the Greenleaf program work with Council staff, residents, schools, community groups and businesses on ways to reduce their carbon footprint.

Leadership Ongoing Existing City Futures

1.2 Help reduce the costs of landfill disposal by continuing to implement waste reduction programs across the Council and Community.

Financial Ongoing Existing Sustainable Infrastructure

1.3 Implement passive cooling measures such as heat reflective paints, insulation and external shading to reduce heat ingress into Council Buildings.

Financial Ongoing Medium Community Infrastructure

1.4 Investigate the feasibility of incorporating utility billing for community buildings that are currently the responsibility of user groups under Council’s retail energy supply contract.

Financial 2013 Low Community Infrastructure

1.5 Review Knox Environmentally Sustainable Design Policy to ensure the policy reflects best-practice approach to building design and construction.

Leadership 2013 Existing City Futures

1.6 Carry out a carbon emissions inventory based on the NGER framework to determine Council’s Carbon Footprint

Regulatory 2013 Existing City Futures

1.7 Set a Carbon Reduction goal for Council for Scope 1 & 2 emissions and reduce energy and fuel use from Council operations.

Financial 2013 Existing City Futures

APPROACH 2 – Offset greenhouse gas emissions

2.1 Adopt a methodology of Avoid > Reduce > Switch > Offset in achieving the carbon reduction goals set by the Council.


2.2 Investigate the feasibility of local waste to energy facilities and refer to Council for implementation.

Financial 2017 Low City Futures

2.3 Investigate co-generation and tri-generation opportunities for major Council sites and refer to Council for implementation.

Financial 2017 Low City Futures



Lead

Department

APPROACH 3 – Plan for adaptation to climate change

3.1 Consider the implications of a Changing Climate in the review of all relevant Council strategies.

Responsible Governance

Ongoing Low City Futures

3.2 Help minimise the impacts of the Urban Heat Island Effect by protecting and enhancing bushland reserves and significant conservation areas from development pressures and implementing WSUD as part of urban landscape projects.


Ongoing Low Community Infrastructure

3.3 Review the projects carried out to date under the Sustainable Sportsground Initiative and assess further opportunities to incorporate Stormwater Harvesting in Council operations.

Leadership 2014 Low City Futures

3.4 Carry out detailed flood mapping to identify areas at most risk from extreme rainfall events.


2017 Medium Community Infrastructure

3.5 Develop an Integrated Water Management Strategy to continue to deliver on the objectives of the Knox Sustainable Water Use Plan and the Knox Water Sensitive Urban Design and Stormwater Management Strategy.

Leadership 2013 Low Community Infrastructure

3.6 Develop Community Engagement plans utilising clear communication tools to help prepare the Community (including CALD communities) to better respond to emergency situations.


2017 Low Corporate Communications

3.7 Carry out a risk assessment based on climate change projections to develop a risk profile for Knox.


2017 Medium City Futures

3.8 Undertake Heat Wave Rating for all Council buildings as part of the next Building Asset Management Plan Audit.


2017 Low Sustainable Infrastructure

3.9 Investigate how smart phone technology and social media can be utilised in providing early warning and communication to Knox residents and visitors during emergencies.


2017 Low City Safety and Health



Lead

Department

APPROACH 4 – Develop partnerships to address climate change mitigation and adaptation

4.1 Explore opportunities for regional collaboration through the Eastern Alliance for Greenhouse Action (EAGA) in order to deliver large scale community projects cost-effectively.

Financial Ongoing Low City Futures

4.2 Work with the Council Alliance for a Sustainable Built Environment (CASBE) in ensuring that the implementation of Council’s ESD policy is consistent with other Councils in Victoria.

Leadership Ongoing Low City Planning

4.3 Continue building strong relationships with South East Water to deliver water conservation projects across the municipality.


4.4 Work in partnership with Melbourne Water to implement projects of mutual benefit to increase the uptake of WSUD in Council and Community.

Leadership Ongoing Existing Community Infrastructure

4.5 Continue to build relationships with Community Groups such as Knox Environment Society, Transition Knox and Friends Groups to build capacity for community-led projects and campaigns.


4.6 Work with the Municipal Association of Victoria to advocate for removal of regulatory and technical barriers that exist in replacing street lights to more energy efficient alternatives.

Financial Ongoing Existing Community Infrastructure

4.7 Investigate reciprocal resource sharing arrangements with neighbouring Councils that can be activated during and after a declared emergency to respond to community requests quickly.

Leadership 2017 Existing Operations

4.8 Develop partnerships with existing Community groups to identify further opportunities for Community Gardens and local food production sites.


2022 Existing Community Wellbeing

4.9 Build capacity of both staff and community to raise awareness of strategies which can mitigate the adverse risks of heatwaves.


Ongoing Existing City Safety and Health



Lead

Department

APPROACH 5 – Improve air quality

5.1 Continue to implement the Knox Integrated Transport Plan Leadership Ongoing Existing Sustainable Infrastructure

5.2 Specify Zero-VOC paints for all Council Building and Renewal Projects to improve indoor air quality and minimise health impacts on building users.


5.3 Continue to advocate for major public transport initiatives to provide viable alternatives to car travel.


Ongoing Existing Sustainable Infrastructure

5.4 Promote EPA Victoria’s Smoky Vehicles Campaign and smog Alert Days as declared by EPA Victoria.

Leadership Ongoing Existing City Safety and Health

5.5 Investigate the feasibility of incorporating electric vehicle charging infrastructure as part of Council Projects.

Leadership Ongoing Medium Community Infrastructure

5.6 Install Bike Storage facilities in all major Council buildings for both visitors and staff.

Leadership Ongoing Medium Community Infrastructure

5.7 Work with the Country Fire Authority and Department of Sustainability and Environment to improve communication around planned burn-offs to minimise the impacts on people suffering from respiratory illnesses.


2017 Low City Safety and Health

5.8 Incorporate a review of Air Pollution Ratings for Council’s Fleet and incorporate a minimum requirement as part of Fleet Policy

Leadership 2017 Existing Operations


5.4 Reporting, Review and Next Steps

The reporting and review of this Plan will become part of the annual review and reporting of

the Knox Sustainable Environment Strategy 2008 – 2018, which is delivered through a rolling

4-year action plan. This review process is undertaken with significant input from the Knox

Environment Advisory Committee, relevant internal stakeholders and adopted by Council.

This ensures that the identified actions remain relevant and feasible – both from a technical

and economical perspective.

Following the adoption of the Climate Change Response Plan and the adoption of the

National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting System (NGERS) of carbon accounting, Council

will begin working on transforming its existing footprint to the new NGERS framework. This

will provide a clear picture of Council’s baseline emissions, which will then inform the

setting of a carbon emissions reduction target and the measures Council would take in

achieving the reduction target.


Glossary

Adaptation Developing and implementing strategies, programs and projects to minimise the adverse impacts of climate change on communities.

Biodiversity Refers to the ‘richness’ of natural systems that thrive in a particular location and the extent to which the interlinked relationships the native flora and fauna have are considered to be in a healthy state.

CALD Culturally and Linguistically Diverse

Carbon Footprint The amount of greenhouse gas emissions that an individual or organisation is directly responsible for under a recognised framework.

CCP Cities for Climate Protection, a program developed by the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives, that developed a framework for Local Governments across the globe to reduce their greenhouse emissions.

Climate The long term (usually over 30 years or more) trend of weather in a particular region.

EAGA Eastern Alliance for Greenhouse Action, an alliance of Councils in the Eastern region consisting of Knox, Whitehorse, Monash, Boroondara, Maroondah and Yarra Ranges.

ESD Environmentally Sustainable Design is development that is socially and ecologically responsible by considering the human and environmental impacts of buildings.

IPCC The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change was established by the United Nations Environment Program and the World Meteorological Organisation to review and assess the scientific understanding of climate change and provide the world’s policy-makers with potential environmental, social and economic impacts.

Mitigation Implementing programs and projects that help reduce carbon emissions from a particular activity.

NGERS National Greenhouse Energy Reporting System is a national framework developed under the NGER Act by the Federal Government to establish a consistent national methodology to account for their carbon footprint.

Offsets Reduction in greenhouse emissions achieved through a nationally or internationally recognised method of removing an equivalent amount of carbon emissions from another part of the economy either within Australia or overseas.

VOC Volatile Organic Compounds are chemical compounds based on carbon that contain oxygen, nitrogen or other elements that could act either directly or indirectly as greenhouse gases.

Weather Day to day observations of atmospheric conditions over a number of hours or spanning a few days.

climate change response plan 2012 2022...3. plan for adaptation to climate change 4. develop...

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