Motion · 23 September 2025
Climate change: Adaptation and emissions reduction: Planning
Wording in the final text came from Suzanne OrrLabor · Minister (1)
In short
- Proposed
- Andrew Braddock brought this motion on 23 September 2025.
- Changed
- 1 change proposed by Suzanne Orr; 1 agreed.
- Decided
- Agreed as changed. No individual votes were recorded, so this doesn't show who supported it.
- Final wording
- Compared with the original, 3 words taken out and 56 words put in. See every difference
- What was proposedAndrew BraddockGreens · Crossbench
Read the original wording (480 words)
That this Assembly: (1) notes: (a) the significance of climate change as a global issue impacting cities worldwide; (b) the first National Climate Risk Assessment, released on 15 September 2025, and the national emission reduction target of 62 to 70 percent by 2035, released on 18 September 2025, by the Commonwealth Government; (c) that despite efforts to reduce emissions, a very significant level of global warming has already occurred and been locked in, which will increase the incidence and severity of extreme weather events, including heatwaves and severe storms; (d) that adapting to climate change is no substitute for efforts to reduce direct and indirect emissions as a part of the global effort to limit global warming, but will be necessary in conjunction with continued mitigation efforts; (e) that previous climate strategies have achieved a lot in the ACT for emissions reduction, and climate adaptation policy is becoming an increasingly important area for government attention in the next strategy; (f) that since the election, the Government has created the position of a Government Landscape Architect, which will necessarily operate in the context of climate adaptation policy; (g) the ACT’s Living Infrastructure Plan contains goals and actions including city-cooling initiatives and the development of landscape plans, which should remain an ongoing focus for the Government; and (h) that climate-proofing new and existing buildings can help maintain Canberran’s health and wellbeing within their home through thermal comfort and indoor air quality. Techniques include insulated slabs, double glazing, light-coloured roofs, rooftop gardens, green walls, green courtyards and maximising solar orientation of blocks; and (2) calls on the ACT Government to: (a) reaffirm its commitment to the ACT’s legislated emissions targets; (b) ensure the ACT’s upcoming Climate Strategy: (i) recognises the need for whole-of-government coordination and collaboration on climate change adaptation across the diverse fields of environmental management, health, planning, landscape planning and city services; (ii) prepares for the increased incidence of extreme weather events; (iii) embeds climate change adaptation planning and emissions-reduction considerations into all ACT Government day-to-day operations; (iv) implements further strategies to enable Canberrans to climate-proof both new and existing buildings; (v) ensures contributions to reviews of building standards and construction codes are done in a way that supports resilience and liveability in a changing climate; and (vi) further advances the goals of the ACT’s Living Infrastructure Plan; (c) ensure that the ACT Landscape Plan’s objectives include: (i) ensuring landscapes are resilient to climate change, supporting biodiversity and water-sensitive urban design; (ii) supporting an integrated approach to the ACT Government’s targets for housing, emission reduction, climate adaptation, and ecological conservation; and (iii) enhancing liveability through high-quality design and innovative use of green infrastructure; (d) report back to the Assembly on its progress against these calls by no later than the end of August 2026; and (e) update the Assembly on the status of the Climate Strategy on the second sitting day of 2026. Debate ensued.
Grouped by key words as: added a new call or point, added reporting or consultation.
The exact wording of this change
Add: “(3) further calls on the ACT Government to identify and report back to the Assembly by the last sitting day of June 2028, the five highest heat island areas within the urban footprint and potential options for addressing the heat island impacts in these areas as part of the development of the ACT Landscape Plan.”. Debate continued.
Agreed on the voices. No individual votes were recorded. Its wording is in the final text.
- What the Assembly decidedAgreed
Decided on the voices: no individual votes were recorded, so this doesn’t show that every MLA agreed.
Final agreed wording, with changes marked
That this Assembly: (1) notes: (a) the significance of climate change as a global issue impacting cities worldwide; (b) the first National Climate Risk Assessment, released on 15 September 2025, and the national emission reduction target of 62 to 70 percent by 2035, released on 18 September 2025, by the Commonwealth Government; (c) that despite efforts to reduce emissions, a very significant level of global warming has already occurred and been locked in, which will increase the incidence and severity of extreme weather events, including heatwaves and severe storms; (d) that adapting to climate change is no substitute for efforts to reduce direct and indirect emissions as a part of the global effort to limit global warming, but will be necessary in conjunction with continued mitigation efforts; (e) that previous climate strategies have achieved a lot in the ACT for emissions reduction, and climate adaptation policy is becoming an increasingly important area for government attention in the next strategy; (f) that since the election, the Government has created the position of a Government Landscape Architect, which will necessarily operate in the context of climate adaptation policy; (g) the ACT’s Living Infrastructure Plan contains goals and actions including city-cooling initiatives and the development of landscape plans, which should remain an ongoing focus for the Government; and (h) that climate-proofing new and existing buildings can help maintain Canberran’s health and wellbeing within their home through thermal comfort and indoor air quality. Techniques include insulated slabs, double glazing, light-coloured roofs, rooftop gardens, green walls, green courtyards and maximising solar orientation of blocks; (2) calls on the ACT Government to: (a) reaffirm its commitment to the ACT’s legislated emissions targets; (b) ensure the ACT’s upcoming Climate Strategy: (i) recognises the need for whole-of-government coordination and collaboration on climate change adaptation across the diverse fields of environmental management, health, planning, landscape planning and city services; (ii) prepares for the increased incidence of extreme weather events; (iii) embeds climate change adaptation planning and emissions-reduction considerations into all ACT Government day-to-day operations; (iv) implements further strategies to enable Canberrans to climate-proof both new and existing buildings; (v) ensures contributions to reviews of building standards and construction codes are done in a way that supports resilience and liveability in a changing climate; and (vi) further advances the goals of the ACT’s Living Infrastructure Plan; (c) ensure that the ACT Landscape Plan’s objectives include: (i) ensuring landscapes are resilient to climate change, supporting biodiversity and water-sensitive urban design; (ii) supporting an integrated approach to the ACT Government’s targets for housing, emission reduction, climate adaptation, and ecological conservation; and (iii) enhancing liveability through high-quality design and innovative use of green infrastructure; (d) report back to the Assembly on its progress against these calls by no later than the end of August 2026; and (e) update the Assembly on the status of the Climate Strategy on the second sitting day of 2026; and (3) further calls on the ACT Government to identify and report back to the Assembly by the last sitting day of June 2028, the five highest heat island areas within the urban footprint and potential options for addressing the heat island impacts in these areas as part of the development of the ACT Landscape PlanOrr.
Original and final wording compared
That this Assembly: (1) notes: (a) the significance of climate change as a global issue impacting cities worldwide; (b) the first National Climate Risk Assessment, released on 15 September 2025, and the national emission reduction target of 62 to 70 percent by 2035, released on 18 September 2025, by the Commonwealth Government; (c) that despite efforts to reduce emissions, a very significant level of global warming has already occurred and been locked in, which will increase the incidence and severity of extreme weather events, including heatwaves and severe storms; (d) that adapting to climate change is no substitute for efforts to reduce direct and indirect emissions as a part of the global effort to limit global warming, but will be necessary in conjunction with continued mitigation efforts; (e) that previous climate strategies have achieved a lot in the ACT for emissions reduction, and climate adaptation policy is becoming an increasingly important area for government attention in the next strategy; (f) that since the election, the Government has created the position of a Government Landscape Architect, which will necessarily operate in the context of climate adaptation policy; (g) the ACT’s Living Infrastructure Plan contains goals and actions including city-cooling initiatives and the development of landscape plans, which should remain an ongoing focus for the Government; and (h) that climate-proofing new and existing buildings can help maintain Canberran’s health and wellbeing within their home through thermal comfort and indoor air quality. Techniques include insulated slabs, double glazing, light-coloured roofs, rooftop gardens, green walls, green courtyards and maximising solar orientation of blocks;
[taken out: and](2) calls on the ACT Government to: (a) reaffirm its commitment to the ACT’s legislated emissions targets; (b) ensure the ACT’s upcoming Climate Strategy: (i) recognises the need for whole-of-government coordination and collaboration on climate change adaptation across the diverse fields of environmental management, health, planning, landscape planning and city services; (ii) prepares for the increased incidence of extreme weather events; (iii) embeds climate change adaptation planning and emissions-reduction considerations into all ACT Government day-to-day operations; (iv) implements further strategies to enable Canberrans to climate-proof both new and existing buildings; (v) ensures contributions to reviews of building standards and construction codes are done in a way that supports resilience and liveability in a changing climate; and (vi) further advances the goals of the ACT’s Living Infrastructure Plan; (c) ensure that the ACT Landscape Plan’s objectives include: (i) ensuring landscapes are resilient to climate change, supporting biodiversity and water-sensitive urban design; (ii) supporting an integrated approach to the ACT Government’s targets for housing, emission reduction, climate adaptation, and ecological conservation; and (iii) enhancing liveability through high-quality design and innovative use of green infrastructure; (d) report back to the Assembly on its progress against these calls by no later than the end of August 2026; and (e) update the Assembly on the status of the Climate Strategy on the second sitting day of 2026;[taken out: Debate ensued.][put in: and (3) further calls on the ACT Government to identify and report back to the Assembly by the last sitting day of June 2028, the five highest heat island areas within the urban footprint and potential options for addressing the heat island impacts in these areas as part of the development of the ACT Landscape Plan.]Compared word by word by computer, ignoring punctuation. It shows what differs, not which change made each difference; the steps above show that.
Check the official record
- Minutes of Proceedings No 32, 23 September 2025, item 9
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