Climate Ready

The Climate Ready portal assist businesses and property owners in the bayside suburbs of south eastern Melbourne with information, resources and tools to better plan for the effects of climate change.
 

Climate Ready - website

Background

Climate Ready has been designed to provide residents, businesses and holiday home owners in the Bayside City Council, Kingston City Council and Mornington Peninsula Shire areas of south eastern Melbourne with a better understanding of the impacts and risks of climate change, including the increased risks of flooding, fire, drought and heatwaves. Climate Ready was officially launched in March 2016. It provides tools and resources for home owners and businesses to reduce their environmental footprint and to plan for the adverse effects of climate change.

Climate Ready is a ‘one-stop-shop’ that provides easy access to information about preparing for heatwaves, bushfire, drought, flooding, and severe storms and provides  an invaluable tool for helping communities to prepare for the risks climate change is likely to bring. It provides information about the effects climate change may have on property and lifestyle, especially changes in the frequency or severity of flood, fire, drought and heatwave. Detailed explanations of these climate change risks are provided to help people understand why it’s important to prepare, even if these risks seem a long way off.

Climate Ready was funded by the Victorian State Government's Victorian Adaptation and Sustainability Partnership program.

Climate Ready has been developed with Mornington Peninsula Shire Council as the lead agency, in partnership with Bayside City Council and Kingston City Council.

Mornington Peninsular, Shire Kingston City and Bayside City are all members of the South East Councils Climate Change Alliance (SECCCA) which supports communities, businesses and industries in Victoria’s south east region to respond and adapt to the impacts of climate change.

At the launch of the Climate Ready website at the Shire’s Eco Living Display Centre: (Left to right) Cr Hugh Fraser – Nepean Ward Councillor, Mornington Peninsula Shire; Kelly Crosthwaite – Regional Director Port Phillip Region Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning; Carl Cowie – CEO, Mornington Peninsula Shire; Cr Tamsin Bearsley – Mayor, Kingston City Council; Cr James Long – Mayor, Bayside City Council; Cr Graham Pittock – Mayor, Mornington Peninsula Shire; Cr David Gibb – Seawinds Ward Councillor, Mornington Peninsula Shire.

Outcomes

The Climate Ready portal provides information about climate change, the risks associated with climate change and the effects climate change may have on businesses and property owners, especially changes in the frequency or severity of flood, fire, drought, heatwave, storms and sea level rise.  

Technical Features

Climate Ready provides information to the community from a wide range of sources in a single portal.  Providing disparate information in a seamless way increases the engagement and improves the outcomes for those using the site.

Approach

CeRDI has worked on this project since June 2014 and has undertaken extensive community engagement (surveys and focus groups) to inform the development of this comprehensive online resource. A unique feature is the Climate Ready Action Plan that allows users to identify their own local climate change risks and create a personalised action plan.

Future Directions

There are additional councils within the South East Councils Climate Change Alliance who may choose to become involved, widening the impact and reach of the portal.