The State Budget includes investment of $3 billion to support climate action across the State.

A record $2.8 billion to decarbonise the State’s electricity grid and built capacity in renewable energy generation will support the Government in reaching net zero emissions by 2030.

An important inclusion in the Budget was $3.75 million over two years for an Urban Greening Grants program, which will build on the work of Local Governments in greening our neighbourhoods.

The allocation of $38.9 million across State agencies to address priority adaptation and resilience initiatives includes:
  • $5.5 million to the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage to integrate climate adaption into policy and planning frameworks
$300,000 from the State Government to develop a Stage 2 Infrastructure Australia proposal for a Western Australian coastal hazard adaptation program. The advancement of a business case is a key step in securing additional funds needed to address coastal erosion and inundation hotspots in Western Australia.
 

  • $807,000 over three years to model the heat island effect across the Perth Metropolitan Area, supporting the ongoing work Local Governments are doing on the ground in managing the impact of heat across their communities.

  • $3.4 million to deliver stage two of the Climate Science Initiative, which will produce the most comprehensive Western Australian climate projections to date.

  • $2.8 million to expand the Sector Adaptation Plan Program, supporting fit-for-purpose adaptation solutions for small and medium businesses and the environmental and primary industries sectors.

  • $2.7 million to develop a training program to educate small and medium businesses on adaptation, fund research grants to support solutions and develop a climate adaptation toolkit.

  • $5 million for a reverse osmosis desalination program in the Wheatbelt and Great Southern, supporting farmers to deliver high quality water.

  • Almost $2 million to work with Aboriginal groups on designing a First Nations Climate Resilience Fund.

  • $1.5 million to identify actions needed to improve the resilience of rivers in the South-West.

It is disappointing that ongoing funding for the Regional Climate Alliance Program has not been included in the State Budget. WALGA will be strongly advocating for the continuation and expansion of this program.