The fires impacted over 100 local government areas burning 24 million hectares, killing 33 people, destroying more than 3,100 homes, and caused the death and displacement of an estimated 3 billion animals.
While the Royal Commission said State Governments hold most of the responsibility for the protection of life, property and the environment, they also must ensure local governments have the capacity and capability to perform their roles in disaster management.
Read MoreThe Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) has supported the recommendation by the CSIRO that all jurisdictions should work with local government to improve climate and disaster resilience. This specific recommendation is one of 25 in the CSIRO’s Climate and Disaster Resilience report. A more integrated and long-term approach to landscape management and hazard reduction was also a priority recommendation from a new report by the Emergency Leaders for Climate Action and the Climate Council.
Read MoreOn 23 July 2020, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) unveiled a new Global Standard for Nature-based Solutions (NbS). The Global Standard is the first-ever set of benchmarks for NbS and will be applied in practice by local and regional governments through the international CitiesWithNature program.
Read MoreAs local governments adapt to life under lockdown many face disruptions to their climate plans. Confronting the dual challenges of coronavirus and climate change will require municipal governments to get creative and draw on non-monetary reserves: their community’s compassion and social capital to help them navigate these uncertain waters.
Read MoreFor the coming months, GCoM will be sending a regular newsletter to share latest updates, resources, and references to COVID-19-related efforts - across our Regional Covenants, from our partners, and in local governments.
Read MoreThe slogan “What you can measure, you can manage” has become a guiding principle for local climate action. There’s an accounting standard made for this purpose: the Global Protocol for Community-scale Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventories. Free online CO₂ emissions snapshots for municipalities in Australia, recently launched by Ironbark Sustainability and Beyond Zero Emissions, make the protocol more accessible than ever for local governments and communities that want to know what their emissions are, and what to do about them.
Read More11,000 scientists have banded together to deliver the World Scientists’ Warning of a Climate Emergency.
This solutions-focused report presented 6 critical actions that the world must promptly deliver to avoid “untold suffering due to the climate crisis”.
Read MoreLord Mayor of Hobart, Anna Reynolds delivered a Statement on behalf of all Australian capital cities at the Seoul Mayors Forum last week outlining their commitment to climate and calling for stronger cooperation with the Australian Government. The Lord Mayor also spoke at a high level plenary at the Forum and was interviewed for ICLEI’s CityTalk blog.
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