Climate Change Projects

Yallingup Beach in the Southwest of Western Australia

Regional Climate Alliance Program

The Regional Climate Alliance Program aims to support Local Governments in Western Australia to take action on climate change, energy and sustainability through regional partnerships. The Program is an initiative under the State Government’s Western Australian Climate Policy, and the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) partnered with WALGA to administer the Pilot Program.

In 2021, all regional Local Governments were invited to submit proposals to join forces with neighbouring Local Governments to address the impacts of climate change and to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Two Regional Climate Alliances were selected to participate in the Regional Climate Alliance Program:

Goldfields Voluntary Regional Organisation of Councils (GVROC)

Shire of Coolgardie

Shire of Dundas

Shire of Esperance

City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder

Shire of Laverton

Shire of Leonora

Shire of Menzies

Shire of Ngaanyatjarraku

Shire of Wiluna

South Coast Alliance (SCA)

City of Albany

Shire of Denmark

Shire of Jerramungup

Shire of Plantagenet

The Pilot Program has now been delivered, and provided a total of $500,000 in funding from 2021-23. Funding enabled each Alliance to employ a Regional Climate Alliance Coordinator, and to deliver climate adaptation and mitigation projects that provided economic, environmental and social benefits within their regions. The Pilot Program demonstrated the power of Local Governments collaborating to share resources and make lasting change for their communities.

Evaluation of the Pilot Program is currently being completed, with WALGA advocating for continued funding to expand the Program.

For more information about the Program, email environment@walga.asn.au or call Jade Mains, Senior Policy Advisor, Environment on (08) 9213 2027.

Zero Emissions Transport - WALGA Support

The transition to zero emissions transport forms an important part of Local Government Corporate and Community Carbon Reduction Plans, with transport accounting for approximately 18% of Australia's total greenhouse gas emissions. There are also significant health benefits associated with reducing noxious air pollution. The electrification of transport in WA is underway, with the State Government investing $20 million to install 90 new electric vehicle fast charging stations from Kununurra to Esperance and east to Kalgoorlie by early 2024. Many Local Governments are in the process of transitioning their corporate vehicle fleets to electric vehicles (EVs), and assisting communities in the transition by providing public charging infrastructure and engaging on local needs.

WALGA has established a database of Local Government contacts that receive communications on guidance materials, funding opportunities and WALGA initiatives to support the transition to EVs and stay abreast of developments in green hydrogen technology. Key priorities being addressed for the sector include:

Aggregated pricing opportunities on energy supply, electric vehicles and charge station infrastructure
Guidance on developing a 3-5 year EV transition strategy
Guidance on facilitating a regional approach to map and deliver charge station networks
Governance and procurement considerations for EV charging infrastructure
Application of renewable hydrogen fuel for waste collection vehicles
Funding opportunities to assist with the transition

WALGA also participates on the State Electric Vehicle Working Group. For more information, please email the Environment Policy Team or call 9213 2065.

Useful links

Fact Sheet: Electric Vehicle Charging Stations - Governance and Procurement Considerations (WALGA)
A Guide to Electric Vehicles (Department of Water and Environmental Regulation)
Charge Together Fleets Program (Electric Vehicle Council)
State of Electric Vehicles March 2022 (Electric Vehicle Council)
iDriveWA Local Government Seminar Session 2021 (WALGA)

Climate Resilient Councils Project

In June 2019, WALGA, with support from the State Government and Local Government Insurance Scheme (LGIS) was successful in gaining funding through the Commonwealth's Natural Disaster Resilience Program to deliver the Climate Resilient Councils project. The project aims to assist WA Local Governments to prepare for the impacts of climate change by strengthening their frameworks for climate resilience planning.

Stage One of the project undertook a desktop governance assessment to determine the extent to which climate change and disaster management are embedded in the strategic decision-making and governance documents of all WA Local Governments. Overall, ten quantitative governance indicators were assessed. WA Local Governments generally performed well in the consideration of climate change in strategic planning and land use planning, while key gaps were found in emergency management and climate risk management. The Western Australian Climate Change Adaptation Governance Assessment Summary Report can be viewed here.

Stage Two of the project was implemented from June 2020 to February 2023, and focused on building capacity in Local Government in areas where a clear need was idntified through Stage One. This was achieved through the provision of expert sessions, training and guidance materials. For further information, please email environment@walga.asn.au.

Energy Efficient LED Street Lighting

Street lighting is a key consideration for Local Government from several perspectives, including environmental, economic and community safety. The information resources below provide background information on energy efficient street lighting and examples of where LED street lights have been installed in WA.

Member Update on Energy Efficient Street Lighting (Submitted to State Council in May 2017)
Energy Efficient Street Lighting: Opportunities and Barriers for Local Governments (WALGA 2016)
WA Rural & Regional LED Streetlighting Retrofit (WALGA 2016)
Street Lighting Discussion Paper Submission Summary (WALGA 2015)
Energy Efficient Street Lighting Discussion Paper (WALGA 2014)

Climate Change and Coastal Areas

Coastal areas including the natural and built environment assets and their associated environmental, social, cultural and economic values are vulnerable to coastal hazards such as erosion and inundation and Local Governments, being are one of the key coastal decion makers, are required to address any risks posed by coastal hazards through appropriate coastal planning and management.

The Local Government Coastal Hazard Risk Management and Adaptation Planning (CHRMAP) Forum provides opportunities for officers working in coastal Local Governments in WA to share information, challenges and experiences in relation to coastal hazard risk management adaptation planning and coastal adaptation in general. The Forum also includes presentations from coastal experts.

Angus Gordon OAM (NSW Coastal Council member) presentation covered many issues and challenges that coastal planners and managers face in the coastal zone
Professor Charitha Pattiartch (UWA) presentation addressed sea level variability in Western Australia and implications for Local Governments

If you are interested in being involved in this Forum, please email environment@walga.asn.au or call (08) 9213 2049.

Further information and resources regarding coastal matters:

Local Government and Coastal Land Use Planning Discussion Paper (WALGA 2014)
Coastal Hazard Risk Management and Adaptation Planning (CHRMAP) Guidelines (WA Planning Commission 2014)
State Planning Policy 2.6 State Coastal Planning Policy and Guidelines (WA Planning Commission 2014)
Coastal Risk: An interactive Graphic Information System designed to predict coastal flooding resulting from climate change.
OzCoasts Smartline Map: A module containing detailed coastal landform and landform stability mapping for the entire continental Australian open coastline (including many large islands) (GeoScience Australia 2015).
CoastAdapt and CoastExchange: Information portals developed by the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF). CoastAdapt provides up to date information on all aspects of climate change, from the science through to the impacts on the environment, the economy, and wellbeing, to the legal aspects of adaptation. The tool includes databases, fact sheets, information booklets and case studies from all over Australia. CoastAdapt also provides a document on how to engage with coastal communities to ensure participation when implementing adaptation measures.
Coastal Vulnerability Assessment projects that have been conducted in Western Australia and Australia wide can be found here.

Legal Advice

The following documents are various legal opinions on potential liability for Local Government in relation to climate change and planning decisions.

In 2016, WALGA prepared a paper which investigates liability implications for Local Government arising from the management of natural hazards. The paper is available here.

Divestment

In the Local Government sector, fossil fuel divestment refers to removing investment from banks and superannuation funds that invest in companies involved in fossil fuel projects. WALGA prepared a discussion paper that provides an overview of divestment and examples of Local Governments around Australia that have divested.

Fossil Free Australia provides a step-by-step guide on how to divest from banks and superannuation. For information about Local Governments across Australia that have divested, visit the Fossil Free Australia website - information on international divestment commitments can be found here.

At the Climate Change Collaborators meeting in June 2016, the City of Fremantle and 350.org presented on divestment. The presentations can be found on the WALGA Events: Past Presentations page.

Funding Opportunities for Local Government Projects

A resource listing different climate change-related funding offered by Federal and State Governments that is available to Local Governments can be viewed here.

Log in

Sign up