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Last Updated: Friday, 23 December 2022 08:59

Published: Friday, 23 December 2022 08:53

Residents are encouraged to complete Toowoomba Regional Council’s (TRC) online climate survey by January 16, 2023 to help inform the development of a Climate Risk Management Strategy.

TRC Planning and Development Committee chair Cr Megan O’Hara Sullivan said Council invited residents to fill in the 10-minute survey by visiting,
Climate Risk Management Strategy – Community Survey

“Survey findings will identify community sentiment about climate change and offer guidance around Council’s future responses to climate risks and how they affect our community,” Cr O’Hara Sullivan said.

“This work will help Council develop a Climate Risk Management Strategy that will provide a shared reference for Council’s collaboration with the community.

“The initial phase involves understanding climate risk and undertaking detailed climate risk planning.

“The strategy will be a foundation document to guide joint action and mitigation measures around the effects of climate change across the Region.”

TRC Planning and Development Committee portfolio leader Cr Bill Cahill said the preparation of the Climate Risk Management Strategy aligned with Council’s involvement in the Queensland Climate Resilient Councils’ (Q-CRC) program.

“Changing rainfall patterns, drought, heatwaves, fire risk and increases in extreme weather events could have a significant effect on the Region’s residents, businesses and environment,” Cr Cahill said.

“Survey responses will help Council to address matters including regional economic resilience, strategic land use planning, disaster management, infrastructure planning, sustainable design (such as our Warm Temperate Climate Building Design Guidelines) and the work preparing a new planning scheme.

“Our climate risk profiling also helps Council to meet obligations under the State Planning Policy to consider the effects of climate change.

“This also complements work on the preparation of a new planning scheme. While land use planning does offer avenues to address climate change, it will require a wider approach involving engineering practices, parks and open space planning, ongoing work to secure future water supplies and building resilience to hazards such as flood and bushfires.”

Survey responses will remain confidential.