President’s Report for 2022 AGM
At the previous AGM, fire was the dominant concern, at this 2022 AGM it is floods! Next year is challenging to even think about! As we reflect on the changes to our lives and environment we find almost every aspect of life has been affected by climate change. While mitigation is the dominant discourse, adaptation to the already changed climate is the less explored challenge. The adaptive capacity of whole countries was on the agenda at COP27 where 84% of countries claimed to have one adaptive instrument in place although not necessarily practical strategies. This pattern of mitigation over adaptation is repeated across all levels of governance. At a regional workshop implemented by Strathbogie Ranges Conservation this year in collaboration with Monash and the University of Melbourne, it was found that Federal and State institutions in Australia are inadequately funded or prepared for adaptation monitoring and implementation.
