1. The Peninsula is particularly vulnerable to the increased frequency of extreme weather events caused by climate change such as intense storms, heat waves, bushfires, flooding, and drought, with unpredictable impacts on the local environment, the biodiversity and habitats, as well as financial costs to the community, agriculture, and tourism.

2. Council, under Victorian legislation, has a duty of care to manage foreseeable risks in relation to climate change. The Climate Emergency Plan provided a framework by which all Council actions would be guided and was achieving impressive financial savings to the Shire while reducing carbon emissions that contribute to climate change.

While the Council states that they will continue to be compliant under the legislation, without a coherent and strategic plan this will be deeply problematic and difficult to achieve.