Western Australia has released its Climate Adaptation Strategy, which prioritises 37 actions to ensure its communities are well equipped and resilient to climate change risks.
Not a stranger to extreme weather events and natural disasters, the State Government has allocated almost $40 million in the 2023–2024 State Budget to deliver the strategy which will prepare them for the future.
The Cook Government is actively helping businesses and communities to prepare, adapt and avoid the growing costs that are associated with disaster recovery.
The strategy is set out in four key directions which include producing credible climate information, building public sector capability and accountability, enhancing partnerships to coordinate action and supporting the climate resilience of Indigenous Australians, which will help ensure the communities, the environment and economy are all resilient and continuously adapting to climate change in a collaborative way.
State Minister for Climate Action, Reece Whitby, said the action plan helps to prepare the state for the future whilst cutting the costs of climate impacts.
“The Climate Adaptation Strategy sets out core directions for a State-wide adaptation response that prepares our State for the climate of the future while reducing the costs of climate impacts.
“Western Australia is already experiencing the impacts of climate change. The South-West is becoming hotter and dryer with increased heat waves and bushfire risk. It is essential we build our State’s climate resilience.
“The strategy includes a focus on empowering Aboriginal communities to draw on their knowledge of Country to identify climate risks through both traditional knowledge and western science, to develop local adaptation solutions,” Mr Whitby said.
The Cook Government is introducing climate change legislation this year to help establish a framework which is responsible for emission reductions to meet the state’s goal of net zero by 2050.
The Climate Action Strategy commits to expanding the Climate Science Initiative, developing adaptation plans for key sectors such as primary industries and small to medium business, as well as designing a new fund to encourage Aboriginal communities to adapt.
