Yarra City Council has lodged its submission to the Parliamentary Inquiry into Climate Resilience, providing local insights into the risks facing Victoria's built environment and infrastructure from climate change.
Councils are at the forefront of managing the impacts of climate change on communities, built assets and natural environments.
State and Federal Government action is necessary to both directly fund local government adaptation investments and to mobilise other public and private capital into this much needed area.
As climate impacts mount it is often people of low socioeconomic status who are most vulnerable.
Economically disadvantaged people are more likely to live in substandard housing or near to infrastructure which does not mitigate climate risk.
The Yarra City Council submission emphasises the need to keep this front-of-mind when planning for climate resilience.
The submission covers a range of topics including:
- Financial capacity of local governments to respond to climate change
- Proposed amendments to the Victorian Planning Scheme to ensure climate resilience
- Stringent minimum standards for rental housing and improving energy ratings for new homes
- State and Federal Government investments in preparedness and climate resilience
Many of the themes found in Council's submission are drawn from Yarra's draft Climate Emergency Plan (2024-2030), which itself was informed by community engagement in 2023.
The plan is currently on public exhibition and consultation until 6 May 2024. You can provide feedback on the draft Plan here: Climate Emergency Plan | Your Say Yarra
You can read our submission to the Inquiry into Climate Resilience here
