$4 million to protect communities from coastal hazards

• The Palaszczuk Government will invest $4 million to help councils build and prepare for climate change-induced coastal hazards
• It’s additional funding to the QCoast2100 program that supports local governments to implement climate change adaptation and has provided some $16.2 million to 37 councils to-date
• The climate adaptation funding builds on Queensland’s Climate Action Plan and action on climate change like the $62 Billion Energy and Jobs Plan

Queensland councils will share in another $4 million to rollout infrastructure like seawalls and bolster resilience to coastal hazards including storm tide inundation and coastal erosion.

In a partnership between the Palaszczuk Government and Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ), councils over recent years have been analysing future impacts of climate change-induced coastal hazards on their communities.

With much of that analysis and planning done, this funding will help councils build the projects they need to deal with hazards including climate change sea level rise.

Quotes attributable to Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon:

“Human-induced climate change is real and the resulting sea level rise is here now.  It will cause significant problems to coastal communities in the future.

“While we mitigate the harm and accelerate towards a low-carbon economy, we also need to adapt so we can moderate the effects of climate change in the longer term.

“As we’ve seen on the Torres Strait, coastal First Nations communities are particularly vulnerable to the impact of coastal hazards and it is considered critical to continue to provide support so their councils can tool-up to better manage the risks from coastal hazards arising from our changing climate.

“Feedback we have received from Queensland councils involved in QCoast2100 demonstrates we are on the right track, but that we need to do more faster.

“Councils appreciate the extra work they have been able to do in preparing for sea level rises, storm tide inundation, and other climate change impacts on our coastal communities.”

Quotes attributable to the Local Government Association of Queensland chief executive officer Alison Smith:

“Since 2016, the State Government’s QCoast2100 funding has helped coastal councils with coastal hazard adaptation planning.

“Extending this funding for another two years means more help for councils and communities to reduce exposure to coastal hazard risks.

“Queensland’s coastal councils are focused on reducing risks, improving the health of our coastlines and working with the State Government to implement these important projects.

“The QCoast2100 initiative addresses a very real need for Queensland’s coastal councils and communities and the funding it provides will ensure councils are best prepared for these upcoming uncertainties.”

Further information on the QCoast2100 program is available here.

ENDS

Media contact: Francis Dela Cruz - 0420 592 078