Adaptation action – key projects and activities
The Victorian Government has a number of programs and projects in place to help prepare Victoria for the impacts of climate change. This section outlines some of the adaptation actions the Victorian Government is taking in response to climate change.
- Agriculture
- Communities & local government
- Coasts
- Natural resources & biodiversity
- Water
- Business & industry
- Health
- Infrastructure
- Research & information
Agriculture
The Victorian Government is working to ensure that Victorian primary production and rural communities can respond effectively to climate change. Some of the current activities being undertaken include:
Future Farming Strategy
The Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Future Farming Strategy is a four-year, $205 million initiative focused on positioning farm businesses, the processing industries they supply, and the communities in which they are based, to meet the large challenges and opportunities of the future by improving productivity, competitiveness and sustainability of farm businesses. Action 3 of the strategy focuses on understanding and managing climate change, including support for a range of initiatives including:
- $5.2 million over four years to enable farm businesses to plan for climate change. This initiative will provide accessible and relevant information and research, and develop tools and techniques to build skills and engage key rural stakeholders and organisations.
- $6.22 million over four years will be available to provide lamb, grains and horticulture farmers with new technologies and strategies to enable them to adapt their specific farming systems and practices to future climate conditions.
- AgFutures which aims to assist farmers and farming communities make sense of the changes that will affect agriculture in the future and enable better long term decision making. Over the next 4 years, AgFutures will work with 12 rural communities each year about climate change and other impacts on their future livelihoods.
- extend the Sustainable Farm Families Program to include an initiative to address the health and well-being of farmers in climate change. This program has been funded to support the physical, mental health and well-being of farmers and their families. Funding will be used to run workshops and focus on practical steps to improve the lives of farm families, targeting 500 farmers in areas that are undergoing significant change.
The Future Farming Rural Planning Group has been engaged by the Department of Planning and Community Development (DPCD) to provide the Victorian Government with advice in implementing its Future Farming strategy. The Group is charged with providing specialist advice to the Minister for Planning that leads to land use planning policies to address issues relating to farm production and adjoining land uses; value of high amenity rural land; demands of urban growth on agricultural areas; and providing a level of certainty and flexibility to enable rural economic adjustment.
Managing climate change in fisheries and aquaculture
Fisheries and aquaculture are important Victorian industries that may be especially vulnerable to climate change. These industries need to develop management practices that recognise the potential impact of climate change. Working with industry, the Government has developed a Victorian Climate Change Strategy for Fisheries and Aquaculture 2008-2018 which will assist fisheries managers and stakeholders to plan for and adapt to climate change.
Victorian Climate Change Adaptation Program: agriculture
The Department of Primary Industries (DPI) has developed a research program called DPI VCCAP ensuring Victoria’s agricultural industries can adapt to a changing climate. The aim of the research program is to increase the knowledge and capabilities of government, the agriculture sector and farming businesses to undertake sound and informed planning and policy decisions that maximise the benefits, and minimise the economic, social and environmental costs of climate change. Key projects include:
- measuring the resilience of agricultural businesses to various climate change scenarios through an Impact Modelling and Land Suitability Analysis, and develop a series of tools to assist in likely transitions
- creating and communicating regional Farming Systems Scenarios using 3D visualisation tools, under the Virtual Climate Change Futures project
- developing a policy choice framework to assist Victorian primary industry decision-makers to adapt to climate change
- develop and maintain an ‘e-resource centre’ online resource to facilitate collaboration amongst adaptation researchers
The Water Smart Farms Initiative will increase farm water-use efficiency and integrate planning, management and implementation of investment in farm irrigation systems and irrigation water delivery systems. It provides $10 million over 4 years from 2007/2008.
It supports activities that either investigate, plan or implement improved on-farm irrigation practices, with a focus on on-ground works programs associated with reconfiguration/infrastructure programs, eg. the Shepparton Modernisation Program. It supports irrigators in adjusting to the changes being brought in through the Our Water Our Future reforms.
Biosecurity Strategy for Victoria
The Biosecurity Strategy for Victoria outlines a new vision for biosecurity management in Victoria and demonstrates the Victorian Government's commitment to:
- protect Victoria from biosecurity threats that affect primary industries, environment, social amenityand human health
- understand and address emerging risks that may arise from climate change, changes in land use and increasing global travel and trade.
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Communities and local government
Victorian Local Government Sustainability Accord II
The Victorian Local Sustainability Accord II is a cooperative partnership between local government and the Victorian Government on environmental sustainability. It will improve alignment of state and local climate change policy, community plans and targets.
Rural women in a changing climate
Rural Women in a Changing Climate initiative aims to facilitate opportunities for rural women to meet and share information about local activities and approaches, and develop supportive networks to deal with drought and climate change.
Moderning Neighbourhood Houses (EcoLiving funding stream)
The EcoLiving grants program is designed to build the capacity of households and communities to respond to the impacts of climate change and sustainability issues. The program provides funding to assist development of EcoLiving Centres to support households and communities reduce everyday environmental impacts by:
- helping households overcome barriers to change
- providing locally relevant information and learning programs
- working together with a range of community members, organisations and businesses to help achieve the changes needed
- demonstrating sustainable technologies and practices.
Providing financial assistance to combat rising utility bills
The Department of Human Services has allocated $2.5 million to provide a 17.5% Medical Cooling Concession on electricity bills to assist Victorians suffering from health conditions that affect their ability to regulate body temperature.
Western Port region: Climate change risks and adaptation
The Western Port Climate Change Integrated Assessment was a two-year study examining climate change impacts on the built environment and communities of the Western Port region. Sponsored by the Australian Department of Climate Change and Victoria’s Department of Sustainability and Environment, the Western Port Greenhouse Alliance undertook to work with five local councils to identify:
- regional climate changes and biophysical impacts
- socio-economic and infrastructure impacts
- risk assessment and adaptation responses.
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Coasts
Victorian Coastal Strategy
The release of the Victorian Coastal Strategy in December 2008 was a key step on guiding how government addresses climate change along the coast. The strategy highlights three significant issues affecting Victoria’s coasts: climate change, population growth and marine ecological health. It is a key plank in the Victorian Government’s response to climate change along the coast. The policy directions and actions in this document will be implemented through a number of initiatives by the Government.
The strategy is referenced in Clause 15.08 of the State Planning Policy Framework of all planning schemes. The Minister for Planning has issued Direction No. 13 and, to assist planning and responsible authorities, the General Practice Note, Managing Coastal Hazards and the Coastal Impacts of Climate Change.
Based on the IPCC 4th Assessment Report, the VCS includes a policy to plan for a sea level rise of not less than 0.8 metres by 2100, to allow for the combined effects of tides, storm surges and coastal processes on local topography and geology. As new scientific data becomes, the threshold of 0.8m will be reviewed. An Advisory note: How to consider a sea level rise along the Victorian Coast provides guidance for decision makers in using the sea level rise predictions in the VCS.
Future Coasts
Future Coasts is a major program of the Victorian Government to assess the physical vulnerability of Victoria’s coast to climate change, and develop strategies to help communities and industry respond and adapt. The Future Coasts program is being led by the Departments of Sustainability and Environment and Planning and Community Development.
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Natural resources & biodiversity
Victoria’s natural ecosystems are vital to all aspects of life. They provide food and natural resources as well as supporting communities and regional economies. There are a number of activities being undertaken by the Victorian Government that are aimed at increasing the resilience of Victoria’s biodiversity and landscapes to climate change impacts including:
EcoMarkets
EcoMarkets such as EcoTender, BushTender and BushBroker are market-based systems aimed at addressing environmental decline by creating opportunities for landholders to implement environmental improvements on behalf of ‘buyers’ such as private companies or individuals seeking to offset environmental impacts through remedial action elsewhere. The main function of ecomarkets is to provide incentives for private landholders, who own 65% of Victoria’s land, to manage their land in ways that conserve and enhance the environment.
Land and Biodiversity in a Time of Climate Change
- setting the direction for Victorian Government policy and investment priorities in natural resource management, land health and biodiversity for the next 20-50 years
- considering how environment and natural resource management activity at the regional, catchment, local and farm scale, and on public land, is contributing to Victoria’s overall environmental health
- making sure Victorian Government policy and investment is responsive to new threats and opportunities.
EPA is a leader in helping Victorians understand and respond to changes in our environment. Recent EPA research on the impact of drought, bushfires, river health and air quality provides examples of how climate change is effecting our environment. For further information visit the EPA’s website.
lnternational Tundra Experiment (ITEX)
The Department of Sustainability and Environment is a supporting partner for the International Tundra Experiment (ITEX) - a scientific network of experiments focusing on the impact of climate change on selected plant species in tundra and alpine vegetation. The Victorian Government is supporting one of only two southern hemisphere components of this research, which involves warming parts of the alpine environment with small open topped chambers to observe how species, plant communities and landscapes are likely to respond to climate change.
This research in the Victorian alps includes studies of genetics, ecology, species interactions, and land management and will lead to a better understanding of the management actions most likely to effectively conserve biodiversity in the face of climate change.
Timing of flowering of plants as an indicator of climate change
The Government's Arthur Rylah Institute has investigated the potential for using herbarium records and other data sources to track changes in the time of flowering of Victorian coastal species in response to climate warming. The project concluded that there is great potential to use this data, and 12 species were identified as useful indicator species to track future change.
Biological Indicators of Climate Change 2008 (PDF - 444 KB)Climate change and the potential distribution of weeds
This project modelled the potential distribution of 25 weed species under several climate change scenarios for 2030 and 2070 to show how each weed's potential distribution might alter with climate change. Included in the project were six 'weeds of national significance' (blackberry, lantana, Chilean needle grass, serrated tussock, mesquite and athel pine).
The process of identifying weeds for declaration in different categories and the determination of regional priorities are expected to be progressively informed by this type of modelling.
Climate change and potential distribution of weeds: whither the weeds under climate change (2008) (PDF - 7.4 MB)Page top
Water
The Victorian Government is delivering significant investment to secure Victoria’s water future, including:
- Acting on a long-term plan for water with Our Water Our Future which aims to secure Victoria’s water future for the next 50 years and includes more than 100 initiatives for water conservation across every sector of the community. In 2007, an additional $4.9 billion for the Victorian Water Plan, the next stage of Our Water Our Future was allocated, which includes funding for building Australia’s largest desalination plant, modernising irrigation infrastructure in northern Victoria, upgrading the Eastern Treatment Plan and expanding Victoria’s water grid.
- Expanding the efficient use of recycled water and setting targets to recycle 20% of Melbourne’s waste water.
- Introducing the Water Smart Gardens and Homes Rebate Scheme which has saved more than 1.8 billion litres of water since 2003 by providing more than 190,000 rebates The Water Smart Gardens and Homes Rebate Scheme includes rebates for large rainwater tanks, approved grey water systems and hot water recirculators. Households can also exchange their old showerhead for a three-star water efficient for free with their local water authority.
- Support for the South Eastern Australian Climate Initiative research program investigating the causes and impacts of climate change and climate variability across south eastern Australia. The initiative will address the increasing demand for improved climate risk management by furthering research on climate change and climate variability in south eastern Australia. SEACI will revolve around three research themes, focussing on current climate and its drivers, long term projections of climate change and improved seasonal forecasting.
Business, industry and trade
Business response program
The Department of Innovation Industry and Regional Development is working to support provincial industries affected by climate change through the Business Response Program. The program will focus on a broad industry sector approach using counselling, forums and workshops and involving companies, industry associations and other economic development bodies to establish how businesses can build capability to respond to the challenges of climate change.
Keep winter cool
The Keep Winter Cool initiative aims to increase skiers, snowboarders and snow visitor’s awareness of the potential effects of climate change on Australia’s alpine environments and encourage behaviour change.
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Health
The Department of Human Services is examining the potential impacts of climate change on human health, and implications for public health services. In particular, DHS is developing and implementing ways to reduce the human health impacts of heatwaves in Victoria.
Climate Change and Health: An Exploration of Challenges for Public Health in Victoria was launched in 2007. The document provides a brief overview of the potential health impacts of climate change, and relates this to Australia, and where possible, Victoria. The discussion paper aims to stimulate interest and debate across government, non-government agencies and community groups and is a starting point for further research and stakeholder consultation.
Climate change and health - An exploration of the challenges for public health in Victoria (PDF - 2.7 MB)Senior research fellowship on climate change biodiversity health effects
A Senior Research Fellow is being established through a funding partnership between VicHealth and Monash University with additional support from the Department of Sustainability and Environment, to identify and explore new and emerging research questions related to the health consequences of climate change and the health consequences of the decline in biodiversity. Over three years, the Senior Research Fellow’s key objective will be to build on the knowledge and evidence base surrounding the effects of climate change and the decline of biodiversity.
Climate change adaptation: a framework for local action
The Southern Grampians and Glenelg Primary Care Partnership has developed Climate Change Adaptation: A Framework for Local Action to guide local action to address the health and social impacts of climate change and rural adjustment. The Framework takes a strategic approach to the impacts of climate change, with a focus on health promotion.
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Infrastructure
The Victorian Government has undertaken a preliminary study on the potential impacts of climate change on the State's infrastructure. Climate Change and Infrastructure – Planning Ahead, the first study of its kind in Australia, examines the potential risks to key infrastructure areas such as water, power, telecommunications, transport and buildings. This project was a collaboration between the Victorian Government and CSIRO, Maunsell Australia and Phillips Fox.
Climate Change and Infrastructure: Planning ahead (PDF - 994 KB)The full technical report is also available in the following two parts:
Infrastructure and Climate Change Risk Assessment Part 1 (PDF - 3.1 MB) Infrastructure and Climate Change Risk Assessment Part 2 (PDF - 4.0 MB)Building resilient public transport infrastructure
Resilience to climate change will be a fundamental design feature of all public transport infrastructure proposals. This will ensure that every project, including those in the Victorian Transport Plan , genuinely considers the impacts of climate change and explores resilient alternatives throughout the project cycle.
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Research & information
Regional climate change projections
The Department of Sustainability and Environment has commissioned CSIRO to produce regional climate change projections for Victoria. First produced in 2004, these projections were updated in 2008 following the release of the Fourth Assessment by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Victorian Climate Change Centre for Adaptation Research
A new climate change adaptation research centre will be coordinated by the University of Melbourne as a centre of excellence in developing solutions to the impacts of climate change on Victoria.
The Victorian Climate Change Adaptation Research Centre (VicCCCAR) will support the Victorian Government’s other climate change investments and programs, help the Government address knowledge gaps and build on existing capacity and learning. The Centre will inform government decisions about how to best respond to changes in our climate, encourage the inclusion of adaptation needs into government planning by bringing together cross-disciplinary expertise.
The Centre will be co-ordinated through the University of Melbourne with other initial members from Monash, La Trobe and RMIT universities. It aims to foster a collaborative effort between the Victorian Government and Victorian universities to undertake climate change adaptation research and assist in building the capacity of both the Victorian Government and the university sector.
Increasing Victoria's capacity to undertake multi-disciplinary research on climate change adaptation, specific to Victoria, will underpin evidence-based policy development. By supporting the Research Centre, Victoria will also be able to engage with, and contribute to, national and global networks, research knowledge gaps between traditional disciplines, and provide direct evidence to support to the ability of government and the community to make better choices in an uncertain future.
The Victorian Government has committed $5 million dollars to the Centre over the next 5 years.
Professor Rod Keenan, former head of the Department of Forest and Ecosystem Science within the University of Melbourne is the inaugural Director of the Centre. He will oversee the development of a research program that will include annual forums to showcase research, a research grants program to complement the national adaptation research efforts, regional think tanks and a visiting fellowship program to draw on international expertise.
Project updates
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Project Update Adaptation Research Centre September 2009 (PDF - 610 KB)Please note: Documents on this page are presented in PDF format. If you do not have the Adobe Reader, you can download a copy free from the Adobe web site
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