"Making proactive, responsible decisions to deliver and manage climate-ready council assets and services, supporting a safe and connected and thriving resilient southern region"

(Resilient Asset Management Project pilot mission statement)

Project Summary

This Resilient South project (Cities of Holdfast Bay, Marion, Mitcham, Onkaparinga) provides the information required for councils and asset managers to commit funds and resources towards climate risk management obligations confidently. It will be delivered in four phases over four years.

The timing allows project outcomes to feed into the next round of legislated Asset Management Plans and Long Term Financial Plans.

Anticipated project outcomes

1. SA Local government asset managers know which tools, methodologies and products to use when assessing climate risk.
2. Councils have a shared understanding of how to respond to climate risks in asset management.
3. SA Councils have the information they need to incorporate climate risk into asset management and long-term financial plans.
4. Councils are saving money and reducing duplication of effort.
5. SA Local government AMPs and LTFPs consider climate risk.

Project Website: https://www.resilientsouth.com/ramp

Progress, December 2023

Current % completion: 65%

The risk assessment of selected asset classes at three-time scales (2030, 2050 and 2090) and two emissions scenarios associated with low (The Highway) and high emissions reduction (The Green Path), has now been completed.

The draft risk registers were provided to councils for review and following revisions were linked to the spatial data. The Geoportal displays the spatial outputs (locations of assets at risk from climate hazards) and is now accessible to the councils.

A Methodology Report has been prepared that describes the approach to undertake the Risk Assessment. This will allow the assessments to be repeated by the councils for other asset classes, or by other councils. This is a key deliverable of the Resilient Asset Management Project.

Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the pilot project are complete, and the reports are attached to this submission.

Phase 1 of the pilot aimed to build awareness of the project within the four councils, develop a vision for the project and scenarios to be used through subsequent stages of work. Workshops with council staff were held to help create scenarios to describe how the future could unfold depending on different social and economic factors and the local implications of global scenarios.

Through Phase 1 of the project, over 70 council staff from a range of functions of council with responsibilities for assets, risk management, finance, economic development and growth, planning and sustainability were engaged. Many of these council staff have continued their involvement in the project, and attended a risk workshop in Phase 2 to increase their understanding of transition risks and opportunities.

Phase 3 of the pilot has commenced and will develop options for addressing the risks identified in Phase 2.

Project Distribution

The following councils participate as observers on the Resilient Asset Management Project Reference Group:

• Campbelltown City Council
• Resilient East Regional Climate partnership of the Cities of Adelaide, Burnside, Norwood Payneham and St Peters, Prospect, Tea Tree Gully, Unley, the Town of Walkerville
• AdaptWest Regional Climate partnership of the Cities of Charles Sturt, Port Adelaide Enfield and West Torrens

The Resilient Asset Management Project was presented as a case study for a new university course, Integrated Natural Hazard Risk Management at the University of Adelaide, presented by the Resilient South Regional Coordinator Dr Stefan Caddy-Retalic.

Updates on the project have been provided at key LGA events (including Showcase and GAROC Forum).