Climate change impacts on Wyong Shire

Wyong Shire is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change due to its natural and built assets, its diversity of land uses, and low lying coastal topography. Some of these vulnerabilities include:

• Increased temperature resulting in increased number and intensity of bushfires, adding to operational costs, impacting human health (temperature stress) and an increased rate of asset deterioration;
• Changes in rainfall that potentially result in reduced volumes of potable water supply, increased frequency and level of flooding, and changed management activities for open space;
• Sea level rise causing; increased flooding, coastal recession, erosion and rate of asset damage in estuarine and coastal areas; and loss of coastal and estuarine ecosystems; and
• Extreme wind and storm events causing impacts on emergency services, upgrading building standards, stormwater flooding and damage to infrastructure and natural assets.

To minimise some of the expected negative social, environmental and economic impacts of climate change, Council has committed to the development of a policy framework. This will guide development, strategic and operational planning decisions, and the development and implementation of Adaptation and Mitigation Action Plans.

For more information take a look at our Coastal Management Plan.