The Hon Josh Wilson MP, Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy
The Hon Kristy McBain MP, Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories
The Albanese Government has released a new Local Government Climate Risk Management Guide to help Australia's councils and shires strengthen how they identify, assess and manage the risks posed by climate change.
The guide has been developed through the Climate Risk and Opportunity Management Program (CROMP) and is aimed at helping local government shape their response to risk, building on tools and resources already available across the public sector.
It provides councils with practical and accessible guidance they can use to better understand climate risks, strengthen planning, and support more resilient communities.
A practical "how-to" resource for councils, the guide includes climate risk management benchmarks, learning and development modules and a digital tool, supplemented with webinars and a dedicated local government community where members can share insights and learnings.
Councils will be able to walk through the process of looking at both physical risks - like flooding, bushfires, coastal erosion and extreme heat - and transition risks, such as regional change from transition to renewables or new industries.
Sitting alongside the guide and already used by 120 councils, the free online Climate Risk Digital Tool enables councils to work through a risk assessment step‑by-step.
For example, a council might use it to better understand future flood risk and decide whether to upgrade drainage, change planning rules, or invest in protective infrastructure.
Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Josh Wilson:
"The Albanese Government's new Local Government Climate Risk Guide brings together integrated, accurate, timely, and accessible information that underpins expert advice to ensure that local councils and shires have better tools, capability and guidance to respond effectively to climate change.
"We know councils are on the front line of dealing with climate change and are already managing the risks and impacts of events like bushfires, heatwaves, flooding and coastal hazards in their communities, often with limited resources, which is why this work is focused on providing practical, accessible support.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories, Kristy McBain:
"I've seen firsthand the significant impacts climate change is having on local governments, who are front and centre when it comes to responding to natural disasters.
"This resource is another example of the Albanese Government supporting local government to address these impacts, helping to strengthen how they identify, assess and manage climate risks."
BACKGROUND
Developed in partnership with the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) and the Victorian Climate Resilient Councils (VCRC), the climate risk guide is currently being trialled in 16 councils - Alpine, Bass Coast, Boroondara, Hume, Indigo, Kingston, Knox, Maroondah, Mornington Peninsula, Nillumbik, Pyrenees, Stonnington, Surf Coast, Warrnambool, and Yarra Ranges.
The pilot, which will continue over the next 18 months, aims to test its usability, better understand council needs, and strengthen climate risk capability across the sector, with the guide refined and updated as feedback is received.
The Local Government Climate Risk Guide, supported by additional resources, will be available to local governments across Australia from 24 June 2026.
