Lake Macquarie Council has been named a “Champion of Climate Adaptation” for its proactive response to planning for rising sea levels.
The Council is one of only three organisations across Australia to receive the recognition, awarded by the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility.
The Council’s Sustainability Manager, Alice Howe says Lake Macquarie was one of the first Councils in the country to begin planning for rising sea levels.
“In relation to our sea level rise policy, we adopted that in August 2008,” she said.
“That was two years before the State Government policy and was almost exactly the same measure, so we feel that we’ve provided a leading edge to the State Government in this area.”
Council says its proactive approach to rising sea levels will ensure that the risk to property and residents is minimised.
Ms Howe says Council has time to plan for the impact.
“What we need to be doing is thinking about the long-term,” she said.
“Making sure that the decisions that we make today, put us in a better position to deal with these impacts into the future.
“So I don’t think people should be alarmed, but they certainly should be prepared.”
