How will Climate Change affect Cockburn?
Climate change is expected to impact Local Government, communities and the environment. The impacts we are likely to experience in Cockburn include increased heat waves and storm surges, a drier climate, increased frequency and intensity of bush fires and the possible loss of flora and fauna species.
These changes are likely to pose significant risks to the safety and wellbeing of the community, the natural and built environment and will impact the liveability and amenity of our City.
Under a changing climate, it is expected that by the end of this century, Cockburn will experience:
Higher temperatures
- Double the number of hot days per annum and heatwaves twice as long.
Less rainfall
- Dry conditions may be experienced for an additional 2.3 months each year which will significantly reduce groundwater availability.
Sea level rise
- 0.9m increase in sea level.
More extreme weather
- Increase in the number of high fire weather danger days, and more high-intensity storms.
Climate Change Risk Assessment
The City undertook a risk assessment and updated its climate change risk register in 2020. The process considered the consequences and likelihood of climate risks to the City of Cockburn.
The risk assessment identified 6 overarching climate risks:
- Reduced water availability from decreased rainfall
- Biodiversity loss from climate change impacts
- Coastal impacts from sea level rise
- Urban forest decline from climate change
- Community infrastructure damage from climate change impacts
- Public health decline from climate change
Detailed information on the risk assessment methodology and results are provided in the City of Cockburn 2020 Climate Change Risk Assessment.
What is the City doing to address climate change?
The City has a strong, 20 year history in taking decisive and responsible action on climate change.
The City is engaged and prepared to meet the challenges of climate change. We are currently working on a range of major projects in street lighting, renewable energy and coastal adaptation.
The Climate Change Strategy 2020 -2030 sets strong targets and guides action for the next decade. We aspire to be carbon neutral and will increase our adaptive capacity by implementing the climate action plan.
The City is working toward reducing emissions, taking action to minimise our exposure to climate risks and adapting to these changes by increasing our resilience as a community.
Each year, the City measures and reports greenhouse gas emissions, invests in renewable energy, undertakes energy efficiency projects, supports research and new technologies.
The Coastal Adaptation Plan has been prepared to help our coastal communities and infrastructure adapt to coastal processes, including risks of coastal erosion and inundation.
The City is an active member of the Cities Power Partnership, Climate Clever and the Cockburn Sound Coastal Alliance.