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Taking action on climate change is a shared responsibility. All levels of government, the Victorian community, business and industry have a role in preparing for the impacts of climate change.

 The Victorian Government, through the Future Coasts Program has a key role in providing accurate information and consistent approaches to the way decisions are made about climate change on the coast.

The information being produced by the Future Coasts Program will be used by local government and a range of decision makers to support future adaptation planning for coastal areas with Victorian communities.

Policy, planning and management

The Victorian Coastal Strategy 2008 (VCS) is the coastal policy for planning and managing the coast. The VCS’s development and implementation is coordinated by the Victorian Coastal Council.

The VCS requires coastal decision-makers to consider the impacts of climate change and coastal hazards, such as inundation and coastal erosion. The VCS identifies the need to provide guidance to planners and managers about how to consistently assess the physical vulnerability of the coast and take into account the impacts of climate change. This is a key objective of the Future Coasts Program.

In December 2008 the Department of Planning and Community Development, under the direction of the Minister for Planning, amended the State Planning Policy Framework to reflect and implement the VCS to support land managers and responsible authorities to consider climate change impacts along the coast.

In addition, the Ministerial Direction No.13 Managing Coastal Hazards and the Coastal Impacts of Climate Change and corresponding General Practice Note Managing coastal hazards and the coastal impacts of climate change were released. The General Practice Note identifies the need to understand and manage impacts of coastal hazards, via coastal hazard vulnerability assessments.

The Coastal Climate Change Advisory Committee(CCCAC) has also been established to advise the Minister for Planning on how Victoria’s land-use planning and development controls can best support the VCS for managing the coastal impacts of sea level rise. The CCCAC has released an Issues and Options Paper.