Climate Risk Ready – Leading the way

Published on 06 December 2022

In 2021, the Mid North Coast Joint Organisation was provided with subsidised placements for Council Officers to undertake a Climate Risk Ready Course that had been developed in partnership with the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment.

It included the following units of competency:

• Develop Climate Risk Management Strategies
• Identify and Treat Risks
• Manage Risk

Participants from all member Councils took advantage of this opportunity, acknowledging the benefits of having an aligned understanding of how climate change will impact the region. Whilst several impacts are geographically quite specific, how to include climate as a consideration in local government risk process frameworks was a core component of the course and of benefit to member Councils.

As a result of Bellingen Shire Council's participation, the organisation prioritised the inclusion of climate as a consideration in these frameworks and Council’s Senior Management Team and selected employees participated in a Statewide Mutual funded climate change risk assessment.

A Risk Management consultant guided participants through the process utilising climate specific tools and information to identify operational, fiscal and reputational risks. Central to the process was the Australian Standard for Risk management – ISO 31000 and climate scenarios based on the state government’s NARClim data. This process was largely based on the likelihood and consequence approach and the risk matrix developed will be integrated with Council’s risk register, ensuring all departments have a shared understanding of how we need to prepare so that science-based climate projections do not adversely impact our infrastructure, operations and service delivery.