A PLATFORM FOR SMART GOVERNMENT.

Transcription

1 A PLATFORM FOR SMART GOVERNMENT VICTORIAN STATE ELECTION Victorian Council of Social Service ( VCOSS )

2 034. CLIMATE CHANGE. We have already delayed too long, now we need to act urgently to arrest the speed of climate change and to prepare our community particularly people who are disadvantaged for the changes that will hit them both next summer and in coming decades.

3 CLIMATE CHANGE 035. THE ISSUES. Victorian communities are at the frontline of climate change, and disadvantaged people, households and communities are going to be hit first and worst. Yet there is the risk that climate change will be off the agenda at the 2010 State election, even though catastrophic bushfires, heatwaves, longer droughts and extreme weather are already impacting on the lives, well-being and economic security of our communities. The need to transform our unsustainable energy and transport systems and our built environment to reduce emissions and ensure reliability in a harsher climate will come at a high cost which must be shared equitably. Yet planning, infrastructure and investment decisions continue to be made which lock in increasing emissions and increase our vulnerability to the impacts of a changing climate. All low income households will be affected by rising energy costs, especially in periods of peak demand, and are unlikely to be able to afford or access efficiency measures to cut energy use and costs. Elderly and/or chronically ill people on low incomes are more likely to be living in poor quality housing that is difficult and expensive to keep cool in summer, and gets dangerously hot in heatwaves. This is particularly the case in public and private rental properties where there are no standards to govern housing quality and no real incentive for landlords to fund improvements. Rural and regional Victorian communities are also facing major change and costs. Among them are agricultural communities facing long term and severe drought, irrigation communities facing chronic water shortage, and coastal communities facing inundation and coastal erosion. Regions like the Latrobe Valley, which depend on fossil fuel intensive industries, also face significant economic structural adjustment. Many rural communities and communities on the urban fringe are also at high risk from extreme bushfires and vulnerable people in those communities may be unable to easily evacuate or relocate. We have already delayed too long, now we need to act urgently to arrest the speed of climate change and to prepare our community particularly people who are disadvantaged for the changes that will hit them both next summer and in coming decades.

4 CLIMATE CHANGE 036. THE PROOF. Current and projected Victorian greenhouse gas emissions. Number of days over 35 degrees in Melbourne. Mt of CO 2 e Source Australian Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Australian national greenhouse accounts: State and Territory greenhouse gas inventories, Australian Government, Canberra, 2010 and Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet, Understanding the potential to reduce Victoria s greenhouse gas emissions, Victorian Government, Melbourne, December Unless we take urgent action to reduce Victoria s greenhouse gas emissions, our emissions will continue to rapidly increase, fuelling global climate change. Source Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment, Climate change in Victoria: 2008 summary, Victorian Government, Melbourne, June *Projections based on current greenhouse gas emissions trajectory. In Victoria this means higher temperatures and more heatwaves as well as more frequent droughts, more severe storms and rising sea levels. If global emissions don t decrease, the number of extreme fire danger days in Victoria is likely to increase by between 5-40 per cent by 2020, and per cent by

5 CLIMATE CHANGE 037. No. of deaths per year Predicted increases in heat related deaths. Source Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment Climate change in Victoria: a summary, Victorian Government, Melbourne, 2006 Increased frequency of heatwaves put vulnerable members of our community at risk, especially those who have few options to escape from the heat due to poor housing conditions, limited income and isolation. Issues for renters in a climate change world. Living in a harsher climate makes the quality of housing even more important, and contributes to higher utility costs. Some households will be affected more than others. Typically, rental housing is older and of a poorer quality than other housing stock. Surveys of rental housing indicate that 10 per cent of Victorian rental properties have no fixed heating and that over 50 per cent of tenants have structural or repair issues with their properties. Houses in the private rental market are twice as likely to be uninsulated as other housing. 02 While 26 per cent of housing in Victoria is a rental property, 50 per cent of low income households are renters. 03 Of the 74,000 public housing properties in Victoria, 56,351 fail to meet energy efficiency standards Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment, Climate change in Victoria: 2008 summary, Victorian Government, Melbourne, June *Projections based on current greenhouse gas emissions trajectory. 02. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), Housing characteristics and decisions: a comparative study of Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Canberra 1991, ABS, Canberra, ABS, Housing Occupancy and Costs, Australia, , Canberra 2007, and ABS, Australian Social Trends, Canberra J Campbell, Green Apartments Too Hot to Handle, The Sunday Herald Sun, Victoria, 29 March 2009.

6 CLIMATE CHANGE 038. THE WAY AHEAD. RECOMMEND- ATIONS. 01. Drive substantial emissions reduction and Victoria s transition to renewable energy through legislative change, policy and investment that ensures a fair distribution of costs across the community. 02. Protect vulnerable people and communities from a disproportionate share of the impacts of climate change including energy price hikes, heatwaves, fires and drought. 01. Introduce minimum rental housing standards into the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 that includes measures for property safety, security and energy efficiency. 02. Fund an overhaul of the energy and water efficiency of public housing. 03. Ensure that emissions reduction and climate change risks are factored into planning decisions for all major developments and infrastructure projects. 04. Provide a coordinated package of subsidies and advice to enable low income households to upgrade the energy and water efficiency of their homes. 05. Put more funding towards on-theground assistance for people who are particularly at risk during heatwaves. 06. Ensure emergency management policies provide extra support for people who are particularly vulnerable in bushfires to evacuate or relocate.

7 The VCOSS election platform is an important community vision, produced to influence and inform candidates and the community before each state election. The platform has been developed in consultation with VCOSS members, and is informed by their work and expertise. To join VCOSS, and become a part of our strong and collaborative voice for change contact our membership officer Lisa Williams on lisa.williams@vcoss.org.au or go to