Creating Resilient Communities in anticipation of Climate Change
As has been argued in these pages before (http://www.gordonmoyes.com/2008/02/28/global-warming/, http://www.gordonmoyes.com/2007/05/17/god-and-global-warming/, http://www.gordonmoyes.com/2008/04/03/earth-hour/) I agree with the top climate scientists that some level of climate change can now be considered unavoidable, no matter how aggressively the problem is combated, and this means that we in Australia will be dealing with unknown changes in the climate, as well as the already deadly environmental extremes that are common here such as drought and flooding.
If we take these warnings seriously we see that there is an urgent need for all of us to be educated and prepared, in order to develop resilience and adaptation to cope positively with whatever comes our way over the coming decades. Resilience is defined as the capacity to cope with stress and catastrophe. It is also used to indicate a characteristic of resistance to future negative events.
Practically speaking, we as individuals, families and communities need to start learning now how to prepare to respond effectively to extreme weather events such as are occurring in Far North Queensland (hurricane), Bangladesh (cyclone, flooding), Burma (cyclone), India and Indonesia (earthquake and tsunami), New Orleans (hurricane), and China this week (earthquake); in fact all around the planet in recent years. There have been some excellent Government suggestions made on the websites listed below.
What is needed is multifactorial: Emergency and disaster plans in place for individuals, families, local councils and regions; Familiarity and rehearsal of emergency plans on micro and macro levels; Appropriate infrastructure suitable to expected hazards including buildings, bridges, roads, stormwater drains, and public services; Up to date, well equipped, well trained, and functioning fire, ambulance, police and hospital services’ Appropriate insurance coverage for property and life; Urban planning and development plans that foresee, grasp, and adapt appropriately to growing risks in particular geographical areas, e.g. coastlines vulnerable to rising sea levels, or areas with anticipated dwindling of fresh water resources over time; Appropriate mitigation measures in place’; Community recovery planning in place; Provision of risk data to community members including chance of temperature extremes, coastal inundation, extreme rainfall, windstorm, hail, bushfire, flooding risk, in plain (that is, non-technical and non-bureaucratic) language and freely available.
Assumptions based on historical experience will no longer serve, as is proven by recent statistical modelling of climate change events. That means that all of our building codes and standards, as well as stormwater mitigation and drainage systems are, in effect, obsolete and will not serve in the extreme cases now expected. Regions with poor resilience will be those least able to cope effectively with the extreme events and are going to suffer more financially, socially, and emotionally, as well as have residents that will be more dependent on very thinly stretched public services. Reflecting on this stark picture, it is worth everyone’s time and effort to encourage preparedness across all levels of the community.
The responsibility for meeting these disasters lies with all of us, as individuals, families, networks, communities, regions, and country. Every level of government and every authority within them has its area of responsibility that now needs to be reassessed and updated in light of the new climatic threats. This is no time for a head-in-the-sand attitude.
Governments are responsible for adapting policy, regulation and legislation that will encourage appropriate community behaviours that increase resilience. They are also responsible for mitigating risks that present a danger to the welfare of the community, and for providing emergency response and recovery capabilities to manage the result of these events.
The Climate Change Adaptation Centre (CCAC) has been founded in Australia to serve as a central Federal and State sponsored entity responsible for coordinating research, stakeholder engagement, and community communication, which are all essential for preparedness of the Australian community. It will develop policy for guidance of industry, business and individuals to help meet the challenges ahead. The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) last year endorsed the National Climate Change Adaptation Framework, as the basis for government action on adaptation over the next five to seven years. This Framework includes possible actions to assist the most vulnerable economic sectors and regions, such as agriculture, biodiversity, fisheries, forestry, settlements and infrastructure, coastal, water resources, tourism and health to adapt to the impacts of climate change. The recent 2008 Federal Budget has set aside major funds to do this.
But equipping ourselves for self-sufficiency as individuals, families and communities is the citizen’s responsibility, as a first step towards preparing for the new threats posed by climate events. If and when the extreme events do occur we will be able to survive, adapt and lend a hand to those around us, being a part of the effort to rebuild our communities. When I was a Boy Scout, our motto was “Be prepared”. It is still good advice.
Resources for individuals and families: http://www.stjohnnsw.com.au, http://www.ses.nsw.gov.au/, http://www.greenhouse.gov.au/impacts/about.html, http://www.csiro.au/resources/ps3j6.html,
http://www.climatechangeinaustralia.gov.au/
Rev The Hon. Dr Gordon Moyes, A.C., M.L.C.
