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Home>Your Environment>Climate Change
 Leading Change on Climate Change
What is Climate Change?
Impacts of Climate Change on Human Settlements in the Western Port Region: An Integrated Assessment
Further Information
| Leading Change on Climate Change | | Mornington Peninsula Shire has been preparing for the impacts of climate change for a number of years.
Our Sustainable Peninsula initiative – developed in consultation with the community in March 2001 – drives our actions, addressing social, environmental and economic goals in a much more positive, co-operative manner.
We were also one of the first municipalities to seriously consider and discuss the implications of climate change on local government – it was the theme of our Your Community Your Future workshops in 2006.
And in late 2007, we established a dedicated team of Shire Officers – the Renewable Resources Team – to drive a ‘whole of Council approach’ to water and energy conservation across the Peninsula.
Early and thorough planning allows the Shire to establish preventative measures to lessen the risks associated with climate change including risks to human health, the natural environment and community assets and infrastructure.
The diversity of the Mornington Peninsula means a ‘one size fits all’ approach will not be suitable. Working with the community, the Shire will need to develop tailored solutions to suit our diverse towns and villages, coastal and rural communities and our unique natural environment. Top
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| What is Climate Change? | | The 20th Century was the warmest the world has seen in 1800 years.
Australia’s average temperatures have increased 0.8° celsius since 1900. The increasing levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere such as carbon dioxide are the chief contributors to climate change. Carbon dioxide is released through the burning of fossil fuels for electricity and transportation, and land clearing.
A warming climate will lead to changes in many aspects of the climate system including precipitation, wind patterns and the frequency and severity of extreme weather events. These changes will have wide ranging effects.
We can slow the rate of climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, the long atmospheric lifetime of greenhouse gases means that some level of climate change over this century is inevitable. We need to start planning for adaptation now.Top
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| Impacts of Climate Change on Human Settlements in the Western Port Region: An Integrated Assessment | | Over the past 200 years, human activities have significantly altered the Earth’s atmosphere. Increases in greenhouse gas concentrations have led to a warming of the Earth’s surface and, because greenhouse gas concentrations are continuing to rise, this warming will continue. Other changes in climate – particularly to rainfall frequency and intensity – are also resulting from this warming.
Over the past two years, Mornington Peninsula Shire has participated in a project to examine climate change impacts on our region.
Titled Impacts of Climate Change on Human Settlements in the Western Port Region: An Integrated Assessment, the project identifies the likely impacts of climate change over the next 50 years.
And the predictions are very alarming:
• Droughts will be longer and more severe, and when it does rain, the rain will be more intense leading to flash flooding and erosion.
• Temperature will rise by up to 3.5 degrees by the year 2070, placing greater stress on elderly residents and those living in older homes with inadequate insulation. A greater demand for air-conditioning will also place stress on the power grid, resulting in more frequent and longer electricity blackouts.
• Sea levels will rise by up to 0.49m by the year 2070, putting coastal communities and infrastructure at risk or erosion and flooding.
• High fire risk weather will increase, placing ecosystems, life and property at risk.
• Storms will be more severe and more frequent, damaging assets and infrastructure and placing a greater strain on emergency response resources.
For further information please visit the external web link: Impacts of Climate Change on Human Settlements in the Western Port Region (found at the bottom of this webpage). Top
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| Further Information | | We have a chance to minimise our exposure to the risks of climate change if we act now.
The decisions we make today about community infrastructure, health, water, energy and waste management, housing and agriculture will determine how well placed we are to handle the challenges in front of us.
There are many important initiatives that place Mornington Peninsula Shire at the front of Local Government planning for climate change and you can read more about them by in the attached webpages (located below).
We’ve also included some useful tips you can implement around the home to help reduce your water and energy consumption along with a number of external web links below which will provide you with a range of information relating to the impacts of climate change.
Alternatively you can contact Customer Service by using the email link a the bottom of this webpage. Top
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