Climate Change Policy Research

Outcomes

This project aims to deliver:

• Climate Change Support Plan (completed): to explore opportunities and challenges and provide direction for LGA's resources to enable it to lead the sector in understanding and managing its climate risk.
• Sustainable Housing Policy: to understand the urgent and immediate changes required to the SA Planning System to embed requirements for sustainable and resilient housing for South Australians.

Councils are thought leaders and ready for the future

The LGA's member councils are seeking sector leadership from the LGA. Climate change is an existential problem that needs to be addressed urgently and across all layers of government. This project will work with SA councils to prepare them for the future impact of climate change.

Collaboration across the local government sector

Climate change cannot be addressed by a single council or a single layer of government. Significant work has already occurred in working collaboratively with State Government and this will be progressed through this project by working with all councils and providing sector leadership.

How the project is being delivered

Climate Change Support Plan

The Climate Change Support Plan will be developed from existing knowledge from work that has been undertaken and also future work already proposed by all levels of government.

This purpose of this plan is to make sure all councils are brought along the process, and are benefiting from work on climate change that is already underway.

The methodology will involve:

• preparing a review of activities
• developing an evidence base
• building a basis for a Support Plan
• engagement with councils through a survey and targeted workshops
• using existing knowledge of how councils can contribute to mitigating and adapting to climate change.

Climate Resilient Residential Housing Project

The investigation of improved sustainable housing planning policy will involve:

• a review of what already exists
• researching an evidence base for change
• developing a business case for a code amendment.

Project progress, May 2025

This project has been given an extension.

The Climate Change Support Plan has been completed. LGA are now exploring funding opportunities to implement this plan for the benefit of councils.

Delivery of the Climate Ready Housing Project had setbacks due to challenges in:

• recruiting the planning role at LGA
• managing expectations from the State Government and the Planning Minister.

LGA have now successfully recruited a Planning Lead who's made significant progress into delivering a sustainable housing policy investigation. This investigation is into the urgent and immediate changes required to the SA Planning System to embed requirements for sustainable and resilient housing for South Australians.

The LGA Policy Team is managing the Climate Resilient Residential Housing Project. LGA have recruited a position to help lead this work. They'll be responsible for drafting a project plan and setting up a project team to advise and engage a consultant.