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Break-out 
Session 3 Details

3:00PM

Please choose one
of the four options

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[Rooms 101 & 102]
Climate risk and resilience – Helping vulnerable communities

As we know, climate change impacts hit low socio-economic communities hardest. Councils' community services are already under strain during heatwaves and extreme weather events and these impacts will increase. Even more importantly, communities' basic living conditions, particularly the state of their homes, are threatened by climate change risks. At the same time, costs are rising, and many people are being left behind by the solar and energy efficiency revolution. Never fear! Councils across the state, as well as the Victorian Government, are working on useful community resilience projects. This session is a chance to hear about some of the best and ask what's next.

​Facilitator: Fran MacDonald, Executive Officer, Western Alliance for Greenhouse Action
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Katrina Dunn, Climate Change and Community Resilience Project Coordinator, Centre for Just Places, Jesuit Social Services – Linking health, wellbeing and climate change with councils through municipal public health and wellbeing planning.

Toby Cumming, Team Leader for Evaluation and Research, Sustainability Victoria – The Victorian Healthy Homes Program: a trial to measure the impact of energy efficiency and thermal comfort home upgrades on temperature, energy use, health and quality of life.

​Julie Kirkwood, Climate Resilience Program Manager, SECCCA – Enhancing Community Resilience to Climate Change Program

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[Room 103]
Carbon offsetting – Can Victorian councils adopt a shared policy position and collective approach to offset procurement?

The use of carbon offsets as an emission reduction strategy has received significant negative media attention following a review of the integrity of Australian Carbon Credit Units. However, many councils will still need to purchase offsets to achieve their emission reductions targets. This session will examine the key issues surrounding the various schemes, standards and types of units available in the carbon market. It will also explore best practice offset procurement with a view to establishing a common position on the type and characteristics of offsets that councils should (and should not) invest in. Future scenarios and challenges for joint procurement will be tested through the lens of past experiences, such as VECO and other buying groups.

Facilitator: Scott McKenry, Executive Officer, Eastern Alliance for Greenhouse Action
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Ariadne Gorring, Co-CEO, Pollination Foundation – Risks and opportunities of developing an offset strategy
 
Robert Law, Consultant – Survey of council offset procurement 
    
Katie Mee, Associate Director, Sustainability, University of Melbourne –Best practice guide to offset procurement

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[Room 104]
The race to renewables – Community impacts of the energy transition

As the grid transitions to renewable energy, it’s important to consider the multi-faceted ways in which this impacts communities across Victoria. How can coal communities be best supported to allow for redeployment and economic diversification? What opportunities and social benefits are there for communities in Renewable Energy Zones, and how do we navigate social license challenges? More broadly, how do we prioritise social equity in the energy transition, and increase community resilience? In this session we’ll unpack all of these questions, and explore the role of local government in this space.

Facilitator: Tiffany Harrison, Coordinator, Gippsland Alliance for Climate Action

Bodye Darvill, Manager Regional Programs (Energy), Latrobe Valley Authority –Gippsland and the energy transition

Lisa Lumsden, Senior Project Officer, The Next Economy – Community engagement in the renewable energy transition, with Gippsland and Port Augusta as case studies

Chris Sounness, CEO, Wimmera Southern Mallee Development – Western Victoria: social licence issues around renewable energy projects, with case study of VNI West community opposition; economic opportunities from renewables in the regions

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[Rooms 105 & 106]
Wicked problems debate

"Disaster recovery for towns in extreme danger zones, year after year, is not feasible. Regional townships must 'climigrate' to safer locations out of extreme danger zones."
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​A debate on the vexed issue of townships built in now-deadly fire or flood zones, and relocation vs recovery. But 'climigration', and the loss of culture, community and place-based economies, is a wicked problem that must be addressed in a coordinated way by all tiers of governments and non-governments.

Facilitator: Carole Hammond, Executive Officer, Goulburn Murray Climate Alliance
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No – We can stay put and adapt better:

Michael Chesworth, Director Corporate and Shared Services, Murrindindi Shire Council
Guy Wilkinson, Regional Recovery Manager, Bushfire Recovery Victoria
Brett Luxford, Chief Executive Officer, Mitchell Shire Council

Yes – Planned relocation cannot be avoided:
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John Day, General Manager Environment, Systems & Operations, North East Water
Dr Anna Hurlimann, Melbourne School of Design, University of Melbourne

​ Nicholas Barthel de Weydenthal, Research Fellow, Monash University
 

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