Launch of Climate Ready

3 March 2016

The Climate Ready website was officially launched at Mt Martha on 3 March 2016. The website is designed to provide residents, businesses and holiday makers with a better understanding of the impacts and risks of climate change.

Guest speakers at the launch included Kelly Crosthwaite (Regional Director, Port Phillip Region at Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning) and the Mayors from each of the three partner councils: Mornington Peninsula Shire, Kingston City Council and Bayside City Council.

Above: Cr Hugh Fraser (Mornington Peninsula Shire), Kelly Crosthwaite (Regional Director, Port Phillip Region at Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning), Carl Cowie (CEO, Mornington Peninsula Shire), Cr Tamsin Bearsley (Mayor, Kingston City Council), Cr James Long (Mayor, Bayside City Council), Cr Graham Pittock (Mayor, Mornington Peninsula Shire) and Cr David Gibb (Mornington Peninsula Shire) at the Climate Ready launch.

CeRDI Project Manager Greg McKenzie said “The Climate Ready project involved extensive community engagement (surveys and focus groups) to inform development of comprehensive online resources and tools”.

CeRDI worked extensively on this project since June 2014. A unique feature of the website is the Climate Ready Action Plan that allows users to identify their own local climate change risks and create a personalised action plan.

Above: Climate Ready Action Plan

Cr Tamsin Bearsley described how her family used Climate Ready to create a comprehensive action plan which they are now implementing. She spoke about the significant difference Climate Ready would make to regional preparedness for climate change. Cr Bearsley encouraged every family to develop their plan together and spoke about the opportunity to engage schools in the Climate Ready rollout.

CeRDI Director Assoc Prof Helen Thompson described Climate Ready as a “one-stop-shop providing easy access to information about preparing for heatwaves, bushfire, drought, flooding, and severe storms”. She further commented that Climate Ready will offer “an invaluable tool for helping communities to prepare for the risks climate change is likely to bring”.

Next steps for the project include a social media and marketing campaign and a series of workshops to introduce Climate Ready to local businesses and communities. There is also potential for expansion of the geographical area of focus for Climate Ready with a number of local governments expressing interest in joining the project.

For further information about this project contact Assoc Prof Helen Thompson.