REDLAND City Council will continue its efforts to manage risks and plan for emerging risks that will impact the city's coastal communities, thanks to a $240,000 grant from the state government.
Council has completed a first phase into current hazards, while the next phase of the Coastal Hazards Adaptation Strategy into emerging hazards is to be finished by October next year.
Redlands MP Kim Richards said the announcement of the grant - to help council prepare for the changing climate - was timely coming soon after Tropical Cyclone Oma impacted south-east Queensland.
"The local CHAS will help our local communities understand and prepare for coastal erosion and storm tide inundation hazards and the emerging threat of sea level rise caused by climate change," Ms Richards said.
"The Redlands Coast is a beautiful part of Queensland and we need to protect out vast coastlines, so they can continue to support local tourism, industry and protect our wonderful conservation and cultural heritage values."
Capalaba MP Don Brown said the council would use the funding to carry out the final three phases of the strategy, focusing on specific areas at risk.
"This new funding will mean council can identify and evaluate potential coastal hazard adaptation options within the Redland Bay area to keep the local community safe," Mr Brown said.
"Engagement and education of the community is an important part of the project to ensure people have a role in shaping the response to this significant issue."
A Redland City Council spokesperson said the council was grateful for the funding.
"So far our communications and engagement plan and gap analysis have been completed, with work currently under way to identify areas and assets that could be impacted by coastal erosion and other emerging risks to our coastal communities," the spokesperson said.
Environment Minister Leeanne Enoch said the money was part of the Palaszczuk government’s $12 million QCoast2100 program.
"The council has already received $195,650 to complete the initial phases of its CHAS, which identified the priority areas that may be exposed to coastal hazards," Ms Enoch said.
"The preliminary work indicates that 8 per cent of the urban footprint may be vulnerable to erosion and sea level rise and 11 per cent to storm tide inundation."
The QCoast2100 is administered by the Local Government Association of Queensland.
LGAQ president Mark Jamieson said the program was designed to be accessible to coastal local governments irrespective of their current level of planning, capability and resourcing.
"More than half of Queensland's 77 councils will be exposed to coastal hazards in the future," Mr Jamieson said.
"It's vital that local governments work together to assess risks and identify practical solutions that will help coastal communities prepare for serious issues such as storm tide inundation, coastal erosion and sea level rise from climate change."
Information about the council's strategy process is available at yoursay.redland.qld.gov.au/coastal-adaptation.
