Barwon South West secures funding for climate resilience project

THE Barwon South West Climate Alliance (BSWCA) has secured a $245,200 grant to kick off the Resilient Community Assets Project, which aims to bolster the region’s defences against climate change and extreme weather.

This initiative, supported by the National Partnership Agreement State and Regional Priority Projects Grants Program, involves a collaborative effort with six member councils: Borough of Queenscliffe, Colac Otway Shire, Golden Plains Shire, Surf Coast Shire, Warrnambool City Council, and City of Greater Geelong.

The project will assess the resilience of key community assets managed by these councils to climate-related threats, integrating advanced climate modelling and vulnerability analysis.

BSWCA president Peter Mercouriou said the funding was good news for his group.

“This is an exciting step for the alliance.

“We’re delighted to have been awarded this funding to help Barwon South West communities in this way.

“This Project will improve the understanding of risks that community assets may face from climate change and extreme weather events.”

BSWCA executive officer Sue Phillips said the project’s goal was to pinpoint necessary interventions for asset protection.

“The vulnerability assessment will help identify asset interventions such as repairs, relocation, reinforcement, maintenance, so that asset resilience to the impacts of climate change and extreme weather is better understood.”

Supported by Geographic Information System tools, which allow for the embedding of information into council systems, the project will prioritise asset risks. Subsequently, selected assets or hazards from the councils will undergo further in-depth analysis.

Set to start this financial year, the 18-month project aligns with the region’s Climate Emergency Response Plan, and is a step towards the Alliance’s goal of achieving net zero emissions and fostering a climate-resilient community.