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City of Wanneroo councillors endorse climate change strategy

Laura PondWanneroo Times

STREET tree planting, water reuse and protection of the Gnangara Mound are some of the ways the City of Wanneroo will deal with climate change.

Councillors endorsed the Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Strategy 2016-2020 at last week’s meeting, which focuses on the key themes of temperature, rainfall, extreme weather events and sea level rise.

A report by the City said the strategy’s purpose was to identify risk areas where it and the community may be exposed to the effects of climate change and find ways to reduce these.

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“The application of the (strategy) will aim to ensure that the City is in a better position to respond to climate change impacts as they arise,” it said.

Features of the strategy include preparing a shade policy for parks and community facilities, investigating the use of alternative pathway and road materials, exploring best-practice technology for irrigation delivery and implementing a coastal monitoring and storm response program.

It will also conduct an energy audit of the top 20 energy use sites in the City to identify areas for energy-efficient improvements and implement an energy reduction plan.

The importance of the Gnangara Mound is highlighted, with actions to advocate the Department of Water to “properly consider” wetland protection in its preparation of the Gnangara Groundwater Allocation Policy and to the State Government to prepare a final Gnangara Sustainability Strategy.

Cr Dianne Guise said she was particularly interested in how the “scarce supply” of water was being used.

“It’s ridiculous in this day and age using drinking water on our parks and gardens,” she said.

Cr Domenic Zappa praised the implementation of a street tree planting program.

He encouraged the City to invest heavily in creating “urban forests” and Cr Samantha Fenn agreed.