WALGA's Climate Change Action Framework
WALGA's Climate Change Action Framework sets out a logical sequence of steps that Local Governments can follow to respond to climate change. The framework is intended to guide both Local Governments that are commencing their climate change journey, and those that are well progressed and are strengthening their approach.
Local Governments do not have to adopt all of the actions and may choose different priorities from the four actions areas.
Climate Change Templates and Guidelines
WALGA engaged Ernst & Young to develop a set of the Climate Change Templates and Guidelines as part of a “Climate Resilient Councils” Project-Preparing for the Impacts of Climate Change managed by WALGA and funded by the Commonwealth Natural Disaster Resilience Program.
The Climate Change Templates and Guidelines are part of the WALGA Climate Action Framework being developed that identifies four types of actions Local Government can take to embed climate change planning into their operations and communities including:
- Primary- commitments;
- Secondary-core actions;
- Tertiary-special actions and projects, and
- Integration.
The templates include climate declarations, climate action plan templates and a WALGA Action Planning Excel Tool to strengthen adaptation and mitigation actions undertaken by Local Government.
Local Governments can download the templates below and edit them to reflect their Local Governments commitments and actions, and guidelines on using the templates are included.
To view an introduction and background to using the Climate Change Templates and Guidelines.
A Climate Change Declaration may be used as a first step in addressing climate change in Local Government. The Declaration is taken to Councils for endorsement and should connect to priorities in the Local Government’s Strategic Community Plan or Corporate Business Plan.
The Declaration provides a clear statement that the Local Government:
- Accepts the science behind climate change;
- Commits to adopting climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies; and
- Identifies a clear objective for signing a Climate Change Declaration.
WALGA encourages Local Governments to become signatories of the Climate Change Declaration, which will support WALGA to advocate for the appropriate funding and development of legislative mechanisms to support Local Government climate change management. The Climate Change Declaration template can be modified to suit each Local Government, and WALGA will professionally print the certificate for signing and display.
A Climate Emergency Declaration may be adopted by Local Governments who are committed to taking urgent climate action and allocate resources accordingly, to rapidly scale up their mitigation and adaptation actions.
A Climate Emergency Declaration is a commitment to ‘mobilise society-wide resources at sufficient scale and speed to protect civilisation, the economy, people, species and ecosystems’ and to ‘fully restore a safe climate’ (Climate Emergency Declaration 2021).
A WALGA Action Planning Excel Tool has been developed that provides a list of action areas that Local Governments may want to adopt as part of the following Action Plans:
- Community Adaptation Action Plan;
- Corporate Adaptation Action Plan;
- Community Mitigation Action Plan; and
- Corporate Mitigation Action Plan.
It is recommended that Local Governments select assess each of the actions areas selected from the WALGA Action Planning Excel Tool against their selected criteria (provided in templates) to ensure that selected actions are realistic and will achieve the greatest impact in building resilience to climate change.
Community Adaptation Action Plan Template
A Community Adaptation Action Plan may be developed as a third step by a Local Government following the development of a Climate Change Policy and Climate Change Declaration and/or Climate Emergency Declaration.
The Community Adaptation Action Plan specifically focuses on identifying actions that the community can take at an individual and whole of community level to adapt to climate change.
Corporate Adaptation Action Plan Template
A Corporate Adaptation Action Plan may be developed as a third step by a Local Government following the development of a Climate Change Policy and Climate Change Declaration and/or Climate Emergency Declaration.
The Corporate Adaptation Action Plan specifically focuses on identifying actions that the Local Government can take to manage the risks, and adapt to the impacts of climate change on their operations.
Community Mitigation Action Plan Template
A Community Mitigation Action Plan may be developed as a third step, by a Local Government following the development of a Climate Change Policy and a Climate Change Declaration and/or Climate Emergency Declaration.
The Community Mitigation Action Plan specifically focuses on identifying actions that the community can take at an individual and whole of community level to reduce and mitigate climate change.
Corporate Mitigation Action Plan Template
A Corporate Mitigation Action Plan may be developed as a third step by a Local Government following the development of a Climate Change Policy and Climate Change Declaration and/or Climate Emergency Declaration.
The Corporate Mitigation Action Plan specifically focuses on identifying actions that the Local Government can take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions within its operations to help avoid future impacts of climate change.
WALGA Climate Change Templates and Guidelines Launch Event
See the Climate Change Templates and Guidelines Launch Event hosted in 24 March 2021. This information session was intended to support Local Government in managing the impacts of climate change (adaptation) and reduce greenhouse gas emissions (mitigation). The templates and guidelines were developed by Ernst & Young as part of a Climate Resilient Councils project managed by WALGA.
Mitigation Tools
Corporate Emissions Inventory Guide
WALGA, working with the Cities of Cockburn and Swan, have created this short guideline for Local Government to develop a basic corporate emissions inventory. This Guide and associated excel spreadsheet are intended to be an introductory resource, particularly useful for those Local Governments who have limited capacity and resources to engage consultants.
The Marginal Abatement Cost Curve Tool (MACC)
The MACC tool is a decision support tool designed to help Local Governments identify which carbon abatement option is the most cost-effective. Additionally, this tool enables Local Governments to develop a visual representation of their greenhouse gas abatement projects listed from the most cost effective methods of abating carbon dioxide emissions (tCO2-e) to the least cost effective.
