Local government adaptation planning
Modules and Resources
These modules are based on the methodology of both the Regional Council Climate Adaptation Project (RCCAP) and Tasmanian Coastal Adaptation Pathways (TCAP) projects, and will step the project manager through the relevant work to be undertaken.
The modules and resources are available below, for both Corporate Adaptation or Community-Based Coastal Adaptation.
Corporate adaptation
The four modules and accompanying resources will assist Tasmanian councils to undertake corporate adaptation planning based on the methodology used in RCCAP. Each module will guide the project manager through the methodology.
The person responsible for corporate adaptation planning should be a council officer with an understanding of risk management and how it applies within council.
They will be required to give presentations to council senior management, coordinate a council adaptation working group (including chairing and presenting at a number of meetings), undertake all relevant research (or seek external advice if required), and write the council's corporate adaptation plan.
The methodology outlined by the modules is not a prescriptive process and councils can choose to approach their corporate adaptation planning differently.
Community-based Coastal Adaptation
The four modules and accompanying resources will assist Tasmanian councils to undertake community-based coastal adaptation planning.
The modules are based on the methodology used in TCAP and have a strong emphasis on involving the community in adaptation planning in coastal settlements. The modules outline processes for undertaking a risk analysis and determining adaptation options (referred to as ‘pathways’ in the modules) for a community that has been identified as being at-risk from coastal hazards.
Risks might include erosion or inundation and may be current day or projected future risks.
To determine whether a community in your municipality is at risk from coastal hazards, consider whether the area has any known present day or historical issues with erosion and/or flooding.
To assist you in this process, coastal inundation and erosion hazard mapping is available on the LIST (Land Information System Tasmania).
Each of the four modules will guide the project manager through the methodology.
The project manager should be a council officer with an understanding of risk management and how it applies within council.
They will be required to give presentations to council senior management, coordinate a council working group (including chairing and presenting at a number of meetings), undertake all relevant research and preparation of project reports (or seek external advice if required), facilitate a workshop with the community, and oversee the ongoing review and implementation of the preferred adaptation options.
Community-based adaptation planning can be a complex process and - depending on council resources - external expertise may be required.
The methodology outlined in the modules is not a prescriptive process and councils can choose to approach their community-based adaptation planning differently.
Module one outlines the steps you can take to develop a shared understanding amongst senior management of the risks posed by climate change, and why adaptation planning is important. As part of this module, you will also establish an Adaptation Working Group comprised of relevant colleagues within council.
Tools and templates
Resources
- Local Government Area Climate Profiles (Climate Futures for Tasmania data)
- Climate Futures for Tasmania Reports
- Climate Change in Australia Observed Changes
- Coastal hazard mapping Land Information System Tasmania
- CSIRO and BOM - State of the Climate Report
Module two outlines the process of working with the Adaptation Working Group to identify, analyse, and prioritise climate-related risks to inform corporate adaptation planning.
Tools and templates
Resources
- Local Government Area Climate Profiles (Climate Futures for Tasmania data)
- Climate Adaptation Manual for Local Government: Embedding Resilience to Climate Change (Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government)
Module three guides the development of adaptation options and covers the process to produce a corporate adaptation plan. The plan will detail the risks from climate change, actions for dealing with those risks, and a proposed implementation approach.
Tools and templates
- Adaptation Action Prioritisation Spreadsheet (XLS 230.4 KB)
- Corporate Adaptation Plan template (DOCX 826.6 KB)
Resources
- Climate Adaptation Manual for Local Government: Embedding Resilience to Climate Change (Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government)
Module four outlines the process for reviewing your corporate adaptation plan to determine its effectiveness and identify whether any updates are required.
Resources
- Local Government Climate Change Adaptation Toolkit (ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability)
Module one outlines the steps you can take to develop a shared understanding amongst senior management of the risks posed by climate change, and why adaptation planning is important. As part of this module, you will also establish an Adaptation Working Group comprised of relevant colleagues within council.
Tools and templates
- Senior management meeting presentation template (PPT 757.8 KB)
- Communications plan template (DOCX 66.5 KB)
Resources
- Tasmanian Coastal Adaptation Decision Pathways project overview and reports
- Local Government Area Climate Profiles (Climate Futures for Tasmania data)
- Tasmanian coastal hazard mapping (Land Information System Tasmania - the LIST)
- Developing a Coastal Hazard Adaptation Strategy: Minimum Standards and Guideline for Queensland Local Governments Local Government Association of Queensland QCoast2100
- Adapting to long term coastal climate risks through planning approaches and instruments NCCARF CoastAdapt
- Climate Futures for Tasmania Reports
- CSIRO and BOM - State of the Climate Report
- Climate Change in Australia
Module two outlines the process for identifying the impacts and associated costs that the risks from coastal hazards will have upon public and private assets.
Resources
- Coastal hazard mapping (Land Information System Tasmania - the LIST)
- Tasmanian planning schemes
- Coastal hazards in Tasmania Tasmanian Office of Security and Emergency Management
- Tasmanian Local Council Sea Level Rise Planning Allowances
Module three outlines the process of exploring and selecting adaptation options and the development of a long-term strategy that includes input from the community.
Tools and templates
Module four provides guidance on how the preferred community adaptation option, including funding options, governance arrangements and further technical assessments, can be explored to determine its appropriateness.