Local Government - Crucial for helping build community resilience...
Whether it is a natural disaster, economic instability, resource constraints or unpredictable and damaging climatic events, the need for local resilience is increasingly relevant today. There is no doubting we have some biophysical, economic and environmental challenges all looming at the same time.
While there can be challenges in working in the framework of Local government in terms of regulations and the bureaucratic process, municipal government has the potential to make a real difference, as it can engage the grass roots community relatively quickly. Local government has the ability to focus on the appropriate strategies and solutions for the region and community. Local government has a major role to play in helping to ensure a smooth transition to more resilient future.
While some organisations are taking the appropriate steps and preparing for the future, many organisations are still allocating capital and resources to projects that will be redundant in the coming years.
Those that have taken action have asked the tough questions, like:
> Are there better, more sustainable and cost-effective ways of doing things?
> Have we identified vulnerabilities and potential risks to our community, resources and infrastructures?
> Are resources being adequately allocated to the appropriate projects?
> What is the risk exposure from climate change and what are the costs associated with extreme climate impacts?
> What about energy, do we really understand the implications of resource depletion and do we really understand what a renewable future really looks like?
> How do we transition to a more resilient future?
The first step in building organisational, community and financial resilience is in understanding the challenges. Our 'Shifting the Paradigm' workshop has been designed to start the conversation within the organisation.
