City of Mitcham has renewed its partnership with three southern councils to tackle climate change alongside the State Government over the next five years.
Resilient South is a partnership between the Cities of Mitcham, Marion, Onkaparinga and Holdfast Bay aimed at strengthening resilience against climate change in the Southern Adelaide region.
Operating since 2011, the new agreement extends the partnership until 2029.
The goal of Resilient South is to work together to implement emissions reduction and climate change response planning, programs and actions.
This is reflected in the Regional Climate Action Plan (ReCAP) which has been developed after extensive consultation with the community and adopted by all Resilient South partners.
City of Mitcham Mayor Dr Holmes-Ross said climate change was an issue that demanded attention and collective action.
“With temperatures rising and rainfall decreasing, we are experiencing more extreme weather events that are impacting our natural environment, infrastructure and communities,” she said. “It’s crucial that we take action to reduce emissions and adapt to these impacts.”
The Resilient South Regional Action Plan sets out a range of priorities to create cooler, greener and more biodiverse environments, build climate-resilient neighbourhoods and transition to a low-carbon community.
“By working together as a region, we can achieve meaningful progress towards a more sustainable and resilient future. Let’s continue to prioritise climate action and ensure a healthier environment for generations to come.”
Resilient South is widely regarded as being on the leading edge of climate adaptation work nationally, with a number of flagship projects including:
- The Resilient Asset Management Program – leading the integration of climate risk into the management of approximately $5 billion in community assets in the region
- The Future Trees Project, assessing the vulnerability of public trees to climate and biosecurity threats, and making recommendations on how the urban forest can be made more resilient.