Stephen
I think we are moving in the right direction.
Your suggested IPWEA conference (future) got me thinking - Keep thinking innovation!
Tie financial viability and climate change together! We need to get the climate change sceptics on board.
We need to talk about this financial problem (as a focus). Poor asset management has been (and still is) a major contributor to this (financial shortfalls and problems).
Huge dollar values for backlog (and renewal) are also of concern.
One way to reduce this concern (backlog) is having "proper" disposal policy - very rare for most councils.
Disposal is a key component od Good Asset Management Practice ('GAMP') but is not often practiced (as it is politically difficult to achieve).
Generally disposal is thought about where the service the asset was providing is no longer needed or relevant.
Get rid of the asset off the books - gets rid of the depreciation and future work on this and any backlog attributed to it.
Do this on a big enough scale and reduce backlog and we improve future financial sustainability.
But hey hang on, what about the services it provides - we need to decide (with the community) is this service (or a different service) now required. Good so far, we are taking the community into our confidence.
Now bring in climate change considerations (little at a time).
Lets assume sea levels will rise.
Then look at assets that are close/on sea side (that will be affected) and decide;
1 Should we dispose of them
2 Do we do any work (maintenance, renwal) on them
3 Do we ignore them
4 Do we continue to operate them
5 Shouldn't we save current expenditure and future expenditure and use this elsewhere
We could "kill a few birds" with one stone.
Just a thought in our (your and my) debate. We could proably do this via email a lot more quickly (as no one else seems to care!)
Regards
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Darron Passlow
Asset Management
Pittwater Council
MONA VALE NSW
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Original Message:
Sent: 22-04-2013 20:20
From: Stephen Lees
Subject: Climate Change Adaptation Examples from Local Councils
Hi Darron,
Thanks for your suggestion. An update on what APE has been doing in regards to sustainable would be timely. The attached file provides a snapshot of the various actions in progress.
We have been busy developing an APE Sustainability Strategy and now have a number of initiatives underway to help build capacity, enhance our networks, engage with other partners and hopefully provide some leadership to the sector. This work is being undertaken with the support and assistance of ACELG.
***
You specifically asked about a blog I posted last December seeking examples of good climate change adaptation initiatives by local councils. What did it turn up?
The blog generated two responses from academics, but unfortunately none from local government / public works professionals. Paul Bateson from the University of Canberra provided a link to the IKEN forum website with Australian adaptation examples. IKEN is the Innovation and Knowledge Exchange Network run by the Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government (ACELG). The second response was from Associate Professor Heather Zeppel of the University of Southern Queensland. She included a copy of a recently published paper by her on local adaptation responses in climate change planning in coastal Queensland (which may now be out of date because of subsequent planning changes introduced by the Queensland Government). I know that many local councils have now assessed their climate change risks, but it seems that it is still 'early days' for climate change adaptation.
I hope you and others find this update and our initiatives of interest.
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Dr Stephen Lees
National Director Sustainability
APE
stephen.lees@ipwea.org.au
(m) 0412 264 187
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Original Message:
Sent: 21-04-2013 19:08
From: Darron Passlow
Subject: Climate Change Adaptation Examples from Local Councils
Stephen,
Chris's recent post got me thinking that you had some good ideas in this early post.
I notice not much has happened to inform members on your progress (in the last 4 - 5 months).
Perhaps an update might be in order - or is the issue dead!
Regards
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Darron Passlow
Asset Management
Pittwater Council
MONA VALE NSW
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Original Message:
Sent: 19-12-2012 23:12
From: Stephen Lees
Subject: Climate Change Adaptation Examples from Local Councils
Hi Sustainability COP Colleagues,
As a result of comments received about my message - seeking details of climate change adaptation actions - I would like to clarify what is meant by 'no-regrets', 'low-regrets' and 'high-regrets' adaptation actions. A useful source of definitions by the World Bank can be found at:
http://climatechange.worldbank.org/content/adaptation-guidance-notes-key-words-and-definitions
The following may help clarify their meanings:
'no regrets' adaptation actions are those that would be justified under all plausible future climatic scenarios, including no climate change - e.g. strengthening current local emergency response capabilites
'low regrets' adaptation actions are those involving a moderate additional investment to increase the capacity to cope with future climate risks, where this is a low-cost option compared to having to increase capacity at a later date to cope with climate change - e.g. installing a larger diameter drain than is currently warranted to anticipation of climate change increasing rainfall intensities
'high-regrets' adaptation actions are those involving decisions about large-scale planning and investments with high irreversibility, where considerable consequences and investments are at stake and there are long lasting implications. For such decisions, uncertainties about future climate projections mean that the decisions made could turn out to be 'high regrets' - e.g. building an item of major infrastructure with a 100-year expected life to cope with projected climatic conditions in 2112.
.
As mentioned in my message, I am very keen to hear about councils that have implemented 'low regrets' adaptation actions; or 'high regrets' actions, if there are any.
Dr Stephen Lees
National Director Sustainability
APE
stephen.lees@ipwea.org.au
(m) 0412 264 187
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Original Message:
Sent: 18-12-2012 16:56
From: Stephen Lees
Subject: Climate Change Adaptation Examples from Local Councils
Hi Sustainability COP Colleagues,
The National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF) has received funds to report on good examples of climate change adaptation practice by Australian local councils. I will be attending a meeting about this initiative with NCCARF's deputy director in early January.
Many councils have implemented 'no regrets' adaptation actions that, by strengthening capacity to deal with existing floods, bushfires, droughts, storms etc., are worthwhile - even if the climate changes more slowly than projected or not at all (improbable!)
However I am particulary keen to hear about 'low regrets' adaptation actions that local councils have implemented. These are actions based on the future, rather than the past or current climate, which might involve some degree of regret if the climate changes more slowly than projected. One example of a 'low regrets' adaptation action is designing and building infrastructure or buildings to cope with the severe extreme weather events expected in the future. Another example is prohibiting or conditioning developments in areas that are currently 'safe', but are projected to become vulnerable to flooding, bushfires, coastal erosion etc. in the future. I suspect that very few local councils have implemented 'low regrets' adaptation actions.
If your Council, or another council you are aware of, has implemented a 'low regrets' adaptation action, or plans to do so shortly, I would be very grateful to hear about it from you in the next week or two.
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Dr Stephen Lees
National Director Sustainability
APE
stephen.lees@ipwea.org.au
(m) 0412 264 187
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