The Andrews Labor Government has taken another major step in responding to global warming by releasing seven landmark Climate Change Adaptation Action Plans and a new publication, Building Victoria’s Climate Resilience.

The plans set out current and future actions for seven key sectors, which are defined by Victoria’s nation-leading Climate Change Act as those most vulnerable to climate change or vital to building the state’s climate resilience.

The plans were developed through consultation with industry, communities and other stakeholders, and provide an evidence-based, system-wide guide to adaptation efforts over the next five years. They include 127 actions to ensure public assets including schools and transport can better withstand and cope with climate change.

The actions include adjusting government policies, operations, and decisions; supporting Aboriginal self-determination; helping partners, industries and communities make climate ready decisions; and building new skills and explore new technologies to help Victoria prosper in a changing climate.

The seven sectors are:

• Built environment – homes, other buildings and infrastructure and public parks and sports fields
• Education and training – early childhood, school, higher education, and training and skills sectors
• Health and human services – public health and wellbeing services and assets and social housing
• Natural environment – land-based ecosystems, aquatic ecosystems, and coastal and marine ecosystems
• Primary production – agriculture, plantation forestry, productive fisheries and infrastructure
• Transport – transport users, freight services, transport networks, facilities, systems and vehicles
• Water cycle – the supply of water and services for managing wastewater, drainage and flooding.

Building Victoria’s Climate Resilience sets out what Victoria is doing to adapt and build resilience to the changing climate across the seven sectors and with communities throughout the state.

The plans build on the Government’s investment of almost $2 billion in climate action over the last two years and Victoria’s Climate Change Strategy which has set a target to halve emissions by 2030 − a significant step towards meeting net-zero by 2050.

To read the plans visit climatechange.vic.gov.au/victorian-government-action-on-climate-change.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio

““We know that climate change means a warmer, drier climate with hotter days, harsher fire seasons and less overall but more intense rainfall, and more extreme weather events including storms and flooding.”

“Our Climate Change Act is world-leading and is the most comprehensive legislation in Australia. We have also invested nearly $2 billion to address climate change which will help us reach our ambitious target of halving emissions by 2030.”

“We are continuing to work with industry and communities to tackle the impacts of climate change and build climate resilience.”