Liveable and Just

'Liveable and Just' is a project funded by the Local Sustainability Accord. The partners are the VLGA, the McCaughey Centre, DSE and the Brotherhood of St Laurence.

These notes were taken at a workshop held at the VLGA on 30 June. This was the final workshop of a series conducted around the state

Panellists: John Wiseman and Taegan Edwards , McCaughey Centre, Liana Thompson, VLGA, Bronwen Davies, DSE

attendees: a range of community development, social and health planners, environmental staff, and councillors

'Liveable and Just' aims to

• consider the social impacts of climate change


• consider what this will mean for councils


• think about and develop some tools to assist local governments address the social impacts of climate change

Introductory:

• 'Climate change is the biggest global health threat of the 21st century' [Lancet, May 16, 2009]

Workshops:

The areas of social impact that workshop participants identified/anticipated

• transport


• food scarcity


• depression/mental health


• stressed service systems


• ageing community


• heatwave


• pressure on recreational facilities


• distrust of Council - council messages don't have credibility with community


• 'ghost' suburbs


• isolated settlements of retired people with no access to services/transport


• managing change, expectations


• inspiring positive change rather than despair


• evacuation - consider buddy councils


• social disharmony

Opportunities:

• don't necessarily see low incomes as a 'deficit'. Celebrate those who live with less


• skills in local government sector - (refer to the response to fires) Q: would the same level of responsiveness be in evidence if crises arise each year?


• skilled volunteering Q: can it be sustained year on year?


• council leadership


• work with neighbourhood centres


• support sustainability ambassadors/leaders in the community


• council enabling, rather than frustrating action S: a suite of trees residents could choose from rather than waiting years for trees to be planted


• support local travel/local services


• communication: within and across councils, with communities, levels of government,


• never been a more important topic to work across/coordinate across council departments


• skill up communities


• manage relationships, which partnerships need strengthening?

What resources are needed?:

• more localised information to postcode level - green maps


• scorecards in decision making that favour climate friendly initiatives


• cards to generate discussion


• make it easy to access relevant information


• best practice community engagement - examples and stories


• a pool of engaging facilitators


• a clearing house for information


• partnerships with universities


• networks, mentoring and relationships - also between producer/consumer, urban/rural


• partnerships and regional collaboration

S: suggestion Q: question