OUR COMMITMENT
Climate Change is a global problem, but we understand that local action is needed to better prepare for the challenges ahead. We have taken a regional approach in implementing climate change adaptation in southern Adelaide, and this commitment is shown through our Regional Climate Action Plan (ReCAP). In addition to this, each Council has a climate change plan or policy to help them address their own priorities.
Our Vision
Southern Adelaide is climate resilient, with healthy and diverser natural environments and connected communities.
Our Priorities
Grow cooler, greener, biodiverse environments
Create climate resilient neighbourhoods
Transition towards a low carbon region
Reduce climate risk
The Regional Climate Action Plan (ReCAP) describes what we can do by working together to create a region that is climate resilient, with healthy and diverse natural environments, low emissions and connected communities.
The ReCAP identifies opportunities to enhance and accelerate action through partnerships between the councils, community organisations, businesses, households, state government agencies and other regional climate partnerships.
We developed the ReCAP after listening to our community, young people, Kaurna, businesses, council staff and Elected Members. More than 900 people shared ideas and provided feedback. More detail about how the ReCAP was developed can be found here.
The ReCAP was officially launched by Minister Susan Close, Minister for Climate, Encironment and Water, and Mayors Moira Were AM, Amanda Wilson, Kris Hanna and Heather Holmes-Ross in March 2024.
In February 2018, the Cities of Mitcham, Onkaparinga, Marion and Holdfast Bay and the Government of South Australia signed a new Resilient South Sector Agreement for Climate Change Adaptation for the Southern Adelaide Region (2018-2020). The Sector Agreement acknowledges the importance of taking a leadership role in climate change and sustainability and commits to take a collaborative approach to tackle climate change impacts and work towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The City of Marion climate change policy is to lead our community in response to the risks and opportunities posed by climate change and to enable climate change resilience into the future.
The City of Mitcham demonstrates a commitment by Council to Resilient South and its objectives including:
improve hazard management and minimisation of risk associated with climate change
improve emergency response capabilities relevant to climate change impacts, and
increase the Council’s understanding of climate change risks, vulnerability and adaptation responses.
The City of Onkaparinga has been responding to concerns about climate change since 1998 and their Climate Change Response Plan continues that commitment.
The City of Holdfast Bay recognises climate change as the most complex problem of our generation. On behalf of its coastal community, their climate change response strategies are based on four core areas of activity; mitigation of energy usage, adaptation to impacts, offsets of unavoidable emissions and community leadership.