A new environment strategy for the Macedon Ranges
Fact Sheet - Climate Change
Climate Change refers to changes in climate such as temperature, extreme weather events and
rainfall, caused by an increase in the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect is where
warmth is trapped in the earth’s atmosphere due to gases absorbing and re-emitting heat.
These greenhouse gases include water vapour, carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane.
According to the 2013 State of the Environment report, Victoria’s greenhouse gas emissions continue
to rise: between 1989–90 and 2010–11, total emissions increased by 12%. The report emphasises that
emissions of greenhouse gases need to be reduced if we are to minimise the severity and impacts of
climate change. However, the report also states that addressing climate change is ‘proving to be a
difficult global challenge … especially because [it] is hard to visualise; it happens slowly, almost
imperceptibly; and impacts may have long lead times’ (Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability
Victoria, 2013, p.34, available at https://www.ces.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/Part-AChapter-1.pdf)
Climatic changes in Victoria and the Macedon Ranges
The 2014 State of the Climate report notes that data and analysis from both the Bureau of Meteorology
and CSIRO show ongoing warming of the atmosphere and oceans in the Australian region. The report
also notes that ‘warming has seen Australia experiencing more warm weather and extreme heat, and
fewer cool extremes’ and that there ‘has been an increase in extreme fire weather, and a longer fire
season, across large parts of Australia’ (Commonwealth Scientific Industrial and Research Organisation
(CSIRO), 2014, p.3, available at http://www.csiro.au/en/Research/OandA/Areas/Assessing-our-climate/State-ofthe-Climate/2014-SoC-Report).
Some key findings of the 2013 State of the Environment report regarding climate trends in Victoria are
listed below (Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability Victoria, 2013, p.36, available at
https://www.ces.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/Part-A-Chapter-1.pdf):
 Average temperatures in Victoria have risen by approximately 0.8°C since the 1950s.
 The severity, duration and frequency of heatwaves have increased.
 Between 1997 and 2009, Victoria experienced a record-breaking 13-year drought, the longest
period of rainfall deficits on record.
 Over the past two decades, there has been a large decline in autumn rainfall, a small decline in
winter and spring rainfall, a small increase in summer rainfall, and reduced frequency of wet years.
 Victoria experienced its highest summer rainfall on record in 2010-11. The record rainfall led to
major flooding that affected a third of Victoria.
What changes are likely in the Macedon Ranges?
The likely changes to climate in the Macedon Ranges Shire have been summarised in the 2012
Macedon Ranges Climate Change Adaptation Report:
Northern Macedon
Ranges
Southern Macedon
Ranges
Temperature (°C)
Average
+0.9
Range
0.6 to 1.2
Average
+0.8
Range
0.6 to 1.1
Rainfall (%)
Annual
-4
-9 to +1
-4
Charlton
Spring
-7
-15 to +1
-7
Summer
-1
-2
Autumn
Winter
Rainfall intensity
-1
-4
+1.1
-2
-4
+0.9
-8 to +5
-11 to +1
-7.7 to 15.2
Charlton
Charlton
Southern coastal NSW
Number of rainy days
(%)
Potential evaporation
(%)
-5
-11 to
+10
-9 to +6
-14 to +2
-7.2 to
15.9
-17 to -1
-8 to no
change
-17 to no
change
-10 to +7
-6
-17 to -1
Charlton
+3
+1 to +5
Northern Loddon
Mallee
Relative humidity (%)
-0.7
-0.6
-1.2 to -0.1
Solar radiation (%)
+0.7
+0.9
+0.2 to +1.7
Northern Loddon
Mallee
Northern Loddon
Mallee
Frosts (no.)
26
No
change
to +5
-1.5 to 0.1
No
change
to +1.6
29 to 22
2
20 to 1
Northern Loddon
Mallee
Hot Days (no.)
Over 30°
Over 35°
Over 40°
52
14
2
50 to 57
13 to 16
1 to 2
34
11
2
33 to 37
10 to 13
2 to 2
Ouyen
Ouyen
Ouyen
+2
Future Macedon
Ranges climate will be
similar to
Ouyen
Charlton
Charlton
(Macedon Ranges Shire Council (2012), Climate Change Adaptation Report, available at website:
http://www.mrsc.vic.gov.au/Waste_Environment/Climate_Change),
Possible impacts of climatic changes
Translating these predicted changes into potential impacts is an inexact science. According to the
Victorian Climate Change Adaptation Plan 2013, climate change is likely to impact on almost all
aspects of life, including:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Land use planning and the built environment
Water (e.g. water supply and quality, impacts on sewerage and drainage systems, etc)
Government buildings and built assets
Business and industry (e.g. nature-based tourism).
Agriculture, fisheries and forestry
Biodiversity
Waterways (e.g. impacts during droughts or flooding)
Health and human services (e.g. increased demand for health services)
Communities and culture (e.g. damage and loss of community infrastructure)
Emergency management.
(State of Victoria, 2013, available at
http://www.depi.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/284044/4493_DSE_Climate_Change_Adaptation_Plan_
WEB.pdf)
Addressing climate change in the shire
Minimising climate change
We can aim to lessen the extent of climate change by adopting actions that reduce resource use and
greenhouse emissions, without decreasing the quality of services. These “mitigation” actions include
reducing energy consumption, increasing energy efficiency, and reducing reliance on coal-fired power.
Council does not have a current plan for mitigating climate change, such as a Greenhouse Action Plan.
However, the following projects aimed at reducing greenhouse emissions are either underway or
planned for 2015-2016:




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Commencing a staged changeover of old technology streetlights to energy efficient LEDs
Including some energy efficient measures in the design of new Council buildings and major
works, for example the new Gisborne Early Years Centre and the extension to the offices at
Gisborne
A feasibility study for installing solar panels on some key Council buildings.
A comprehensive energy audit of the Kyneton Toyota Sports and Aquatic Centre, the Gisborne
Aquatic Centre, and eight other council leisure facilities
Adopting the default practice of changing over any lights within council buildings to more energy
efficient lamps as they become due for replacement.
Having a good understanding of greenhouse emissions and their sources will help Council make good
decisions about minimising the impacts of its operations on climate change. Council’s (indicative)
profile of greenhouse gas emissions at March 2015 is shown below. Of the total 7,087 tonnes of
emissions, almost half are from electricity consumption from buildings, a quarter from electricity
consumption by streetlights, 9 percent from mains gas, and the remainder from a mix of fuels used in
Council’s fleet and operational vehicles. A more complete profile, based on data from 2014–2015, will
be provided in the draft new environment strategy.
(indicative) greenhouse emissions profile (tonnes CO2e)
for Macedon Ranges Shire Council (March 2015)
1,248
electricity at buildings
630
3,513
electricity for streetlights
mains gas
1,696
fuel for fleet (combined)
Adapting to climate change
Climate change adaptation involves taking actions to avoid, manage or reduce the impacts of a hotter,
drier and more extreme climate, and to take advantage of opportunities that the changes may present.
Council’s Climate Change Adaptation Report 2012 outlines a number of potential impacts of climate
change on Council’s operations, and how these might affect service provision to the community. For
example, an increased number of hot days, heatwaves and extreme events may impact recreation
facilities, vulnerable people in the community, and volunteers. Council can plan for and make decisions
about the way we manage these facilities and systems to minimise impacts on the community during
climate change events.
Where to from here?
Council is keen to capture your interest and ideas in climate change to inform the development of a new
environment strategy for the Shire. You are invited to complete a survey at the following link
mrsc.vic.gov.au/yoursay.
Your responses will be considered alongside responses from other community members and
stakeholders, to help shape strategic directions for future work in addressing climate change.
If you would like further information about the development of the new environment strategy, please
contact Silvana on 5421 9659 or spredebon@mrsc.vic.gov.au.