- Climate Adaptation Strategy sets out how Western Australia will build resilience
- Strategy to ensure communities are equipped to respond to climate change
- Prioritises 37 actions to accelerate climate adaptation across the State
Western Australia’s first Climate Adaptation Strategy has been released, prioritising 37 actions to ensure our communities and economy are resilient to risks posed by climate change.
Almost $40 million has been allocated in the 2023-24 State Budget to deliver the strategy, which will prepare our State for the climate of the future.
WA is already experiencing the impacts of climate change including flooding, bushfires, more frequent and severe droughts, heatwaves and rising sea levels. The costs of climate-induced extreme weather events are expected to escalate.
The Cook Government is acting now to help business and communities prepare, adapt, and avoid growing costs associated with disaster recovery.
The State Budget also included $65.3 million for works at the new Alkimos Seawater Desalination Plant, securing WA’s drinking water supply as rainfall continues to decline in Perth and the South-West.
The strategy sets out four key directions including producing credible climate information, building public sector capability and accountability, enhancing partnerships to coordinate action and supporting the climate resilience of Aboriginal people.
These directions will help ensure communities, the environment and economy are resilient and continuously adapting to climate change in a collaborative way.
The strategy commits to expanding the Climate Science Initiative, developing adaptation plans for key sectors such as primary industries and small to medium businesses, as well as designing a new fund to empower Aboriginal communities to adapt.
The Cook Government is introducing climate change legislation this year to establish a framework for responsible emissions reductions to meet WA’s goal of net zero by 2050. It will also create statutory requirements for adaptation planning, further ensuring the State’s climate resilience into the future.
The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation led development of the Climate Adaptation Strategy in consultation with key stakeholders. For more information, visit: https://www.wa.gov.au/service/environment/environment-information-services/climate-adaptation-strategy
As stated by Climate Action Minister Reece Whitby:
“The Climate Adaptation Strategy sets out core directions for a State-wide adaptation response that prepares our State for the climate of the future while reducing the costs of climate impacts.
“Western Australia is already experiencing the impacts of climate change. The South-West is becoming hotter and dryer with increased heatwaves and bushfire risk. It is essential we build our State’s climate resilience.
“Adaptation is a critical part of our response to address the unavoidable impacts of climate change. We must prioritise measures to adapt and build resilience as well as reduce emissions.
“The strategy includes a focus on empowering Aboriginal communities to draw on their knowledge of Country to identify climate risks through both traditional knowledge and western science, to develop local adaptation solutions.”
