The Barwon South West Climate Alliance (BSWCA) has been awarded $245,200 of grant funding to deliver the Resilient Community Assets Project.
The Project, funded through Round 3 of the National Partnership Agreement State and Regional Priority Projects Grants Program, will be delivered by the BSWCA in partnership with its six member councils - Borough of Queenscliffe, Colac Otway Shire, Golden Plains Shire, Surf Coast Shire, Warrnambool City Council and City of Greater Geelong.
"This is an exciting step for the Alliance" states Peter Mercouriou, the President/Chair of the BSWCA. "We're delighted to have been awarded this funding to help Barwon South West communities in this way. This Project will improve the understanding of risks that community assets may face from climate change and extreme weather events."
The Project will focus on key community assets that councils own, manage or operate for communities. It will assess the resilience of these assets to climate change and extreme weather events, by re-confirming climate modelling and undertaking a high level vulnerability assessment.
"The vulnerability assessment will help identify asset interventions– such as repairs, relocation, reinforcement, maintenance etc – so that asset resilience to the impacts of climate change and extreme weather is better understood" says Sue Phillips, BSWCA Executive Officer.
"Supported by Geographic Information System tools which enable information to be embedded in council's systems, asset risk will be prioritised. Up to six selected assets/hazards from councils will then undergo deeper analysis to ready these projects for works".
The BSWCA is a formal collaboration of Local Government, Water Corporations, Catchment Management Authorities and Deakin University, committed to working together on climate mitigation and adaptation projects across the Barwon South West region.
"This funding supports the first of many Alliance projects, which will help us reach our goal of a net zero emissions and climate resilient Barwon South West" says Peter Mercouriou.
The Project will run for 18 months and is expected to commence this financial year.
