13 December
2006 - The Victorian community of Westernport
is to take part in a nation-wide research project
to identify the impact of climate change on Australian
communities.
Parliamentary Secretary for
the Environment and Heritage and Member for Flinders,
Greg Hunt, today announced Australian Government
funding of $498,000 for an assessment of the impacts
of climate change in the Westernport region.
Mr Hunt said while climate change
was a global issue that required a global response,
local action and local research was needed and
he was keen to support the project.
“Climate change is real and
a challenge that will affect us all and we need
data and research to make the best decisions and
options for action,” Mr Hunt said.
“Involving Australian communities,
businesses and industries and helping them to
adapt to the inevitable effects of climate change
is a key part of the Australian Government’s $2
billion climate change strategy.”
Mr Hunt said the research would
involve an integrated assessment of the impacts
of climate change on settlements in the Westernport
region. In particular, on coastal areas and on
the urban growth corridor, focusing on housing,
accommodation, infrastructure and planning.
The Westernport Greenhouse Alliance,
including Bass Coast, Cardinia, Casey, Frankston
and Mornington Peninsula councils will carry out
the project in partnership with Marsden Jacob
Associates, Victorian Government agencies, and
the Regional Development Company.
The results of the project,
which is due to be completed by June 2008, will
not only provide information and adaptation options
for our region, but other communities across Australia.
The research will draw on a
range of disciplines, bringing together knowledge
from economics, policy and law, social science,
and climate change science to provide a better
picture of how climate change will affect Australian
communities.
Mr Hunt said Australia’s populated
settlements, such as towns and cities, were identified
by the 2005 Climate Change Risk and Vulnerability
report as a national priority for further vulnerability
and adaptation research.
John Deller / Gina Schwass
First complete history of SA's
4000 floods
12 December 2006 - The most
comprehensive book produced on South Australia's
4000 floods since European settlement will be
officially released in Adelaide today.
Parliamentary Secretary to the
Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Greg
Hunt, launched the Bureau of Meteorology’s Floods
in South Australia: 1836-2005.
“Amid the bushfires and furnace-like
conditions of recent days, it seems almost hard
to believe it will flood again,” Mr Hunt said.
“But the flash flooding which
hit Gawler two weeks after Ash Wednesday in 1983
is a sharp reminder of the weather extremes in
South Australia.
“And just over 12 months ago,
Adelaide experienced floods that damaged infrastructure
and caused price rises in local produce.”
Mr Hunt congratulated a team
of 89 Work for the Dole participants and 27 volunteers,
including students from University SA, who put
in more than 30,000 hours over four years to complete
this project.
“Researchers checked more than
600,000 microfilmed newspaper pages to produce
a 240-page book covering some of the State’s most
dramatic events,” Mr Hunt said.
“Here we have a composite record
which includes over 2000 articles and photographs,
together with DVD footage of floods which swept
through South Australia.
“This has been a mammoth effort
to sift through all these records to produce what
is an outstanding history and reference guide.
“I am advised that the book
is expected to be used by emergency services to
help plan mitigation strategies for future floods,”
Mr Hunt said.
“It is a unique and comprehensive
tool of considerable public interest and of great
use to engineers, hydrologists and researchers.
Students will also find it useful and fascinating.”
More information: www.bom.gov.au/weather/sa/inside/flood_history/
John Deller (Mr Hunt’s Office)
Research into effects of climate
change on our communities
13 December 2006 - The Minister
for the Environment and Heritage, Senator Ian
Campbell, today announced $1.6 million for five
grants to help Australian cities and towns prepare
for the challenges of climate change.
Senator Campbell said each project
would provide data on the likely effects of climate
change on towns and cities and their infrastructure
such as buildings, transport and health systems
and water supply.
"Many parts of Australia
are vulnerable to the effects of climate change,"
Senator Campbell said.
"Severe storms, more frequent
heat waves, less water in our dams and rising
sea levels are some of the threats of climate
change that can affect our lifestyles and the
infrastructure we rely on.
"By choosing a range of
study areas, such as Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart,
the Gold Coast and inland areas of NSW and Victoria
as well as the ACT, we build a better picture
of the likely effects of climate change on our
large cities right through to rural and coastal
towns."
Senator Campbell said priorities
identified in the 2005 report on climate change
risk and vulnerability in Australia highlighted
areas to focus on, particularly human settlements.
"Adapting to climate change
is a huge challenge for everyone," Senator
Campbell said.
"With this data we'll be
better prepared to understand the effects of climate
change and to protect and maintain our communities,
our businesses and our industries."
The five projects will all use
an integrated assessment methodology, an approach
which knits together knowledge from a variety
of disciplines such as economics, policy and law,
social science and climate change science to gain
an understanding of the impacts of climate change.
The projects, to be completed
by June 2008, will involve partnerships with state,
territory and local governments, research institutions
and local communities.
The projects will provide information
and adaptation options for decision makers in
the study areas that will be transferable to other
similar settlements across Australia.
Rob Broadfield
