Climate change is already bringing hotter conditions, more intense rainfall and a greater risk of disruption to the systems and services we rely on. These impacts will not be experienced equally, with some people, places and services having fewer options to prepare and recover. The Resilient, Adaptable and Empowered Action Plan sets out how Council will strengthen Stonnington's ability to anticipate, prepare for and respond to these changing conditions over the next three years.

Three focus areas

• Understanding and planning for climate risks: Building the knowledge and capability needed to respond to climate impacts.
• Climate ready infrastructure and services: Preparing the assets and services our community relies on for changing climate conditions.
• Climate ready communities: Supporting people, households, organisations and businesses to prepare for climate impacts and take practical action.

What we're proposing

• Undertake a municipality-wide climate vulnerability assessment and assess risks to core Council services and buildings.
• Improve how climate risks are considered in Council planning, procurement, asset management and financial planning.
• Strengthen emergency preparedness and business continuity, including for extreme heat and flooding.
• Assess how Council-managed parks, open spaces and biodiversity areas can be made more resilient to hotter, drier and more variable conditions.
• Provide practical heat-safety information and targeted support for people and households at greater risk during extreme weather.
• Help households, community organisations and businesses understand local climate risks, prepare for disruption and build stronger local connections.

What the community told us

• Residents wanted to be better prepared for extreme weather, improve comfort at home during hot weather and stay safe and well during heatwaves.
• Clear, accessible information and practical, targeted education were seen as some of the most useful ways Council could support action.
• Renters and apartment residents identified limits on their ability to act independently and a greater need for guidance, targeted support and equitable programs.
• Social connection and stronger neighbourhood networks were seen as important ways to help people prepare, support one another and build resilience.

Read the full draft Action Plan for more detail on our proposed actions:

→ Resilient, Adaptable and Empowered Action Plan

Greenhouse gas emissions are driving changes to our climate. Council has a responsibility to reduce emissions from its own operations and can also help make lower-emissions choices more accessible for households, businesses and community organisations. The Climate Positive Action Plan sets out the next steps in this transition and begins preparing Council to move beyond net zero towards becoming climate positive.

Three focus areas

• Reducing Council's direct emissions: Reducing the energy and fuel used to deliver Council facilities, services and operations.
• Reducing community emissions: Supporting households, businesses and organisations to reduce their emissions.
• Preparing for a climate positive future: Understanding and reducing Council's wider emissions and exploring ways to go beyond net zero.

What we're proposing

• Continue the staged electrification of Council facilities and prepare major assets, including aquatic facilities, for future transition away from gas.
• Improve the energy performance of Council buildings and infrastructure and expand the use of solar energy and battery storage.
• Upgrade sports and street lighting to energy-efficient smart LED systems powered by renewable electricity.
• Help households improve energy efficiency, move away from gas and access renewable electricity, with targeted support for renters, apartment residents and households facing cost barriers.
• Support local businesses and community organisations to understand and reduce their energy use and emissions.
• Improve how Council measures and manages emissions from purchased goods, services and construction, and investigate credible opportunities to remove carbon from the atmosphere in the future.

Our draft Transport Strategy and Sustainable Transport Action Plan (currently being finalised) outline the actions Council plans to take to reduce transport-related emissions. These include transitioning Council vehicles, plant and equipment to lower or zero-emissions alternatives as suitable options become available, and supporting the Stonnington community to walk, cycle, take public transport, and adopt EVs. Read the draft Transport Strategy.

What the community told us

• Participants wanted to reduce household energy use, improve energy efficiency, move away from gas and increase access to rooftop solar, batteries and renewable electricity.
• Renters and apartment residents identified significant barriers, including limited space and the need for support from landlords or owners corporations.
• Younger people and families placed greater emphasis on sustainable transport and renewable energy, while older residents were more focused on affordability and energy security.
• Across all groups, people wanted clear, practical information, financial support and stronger advocacy on energy, transport and building systems beyond Council's direct control.

Read the full draft Action Plan for more detail on our proposed actions:

→ Climate Positive Action Plan

Water is essential, but too little or too much of it also creates challenges. Hard surfaces across our increasingly built-up city leave rain fewer places to soak into the ground, increasing flood risk and washing pollution into waterways. At the same time, hotter and drier conditions increase demand for water. The Water Sensitive and Flood Ready Action Plan sets out how Council will manage and care for water as a living and connected system, better understand and reduce flood risk, and improve the health of our waterways.

Three focus areas

• Water sensitive Stonnington: Using water wisely and helping our city soak up and slow down rain.
• Flood ready Stonnington: Understanding our flood risk, reducing it where we can, and helping our community prepare for heavy rain.
• Healthy, living waterways: Caring for our rivers and creeks as living entities, and connecting our community to them.

What we're proposing

• Make water-sensitive design a standard consideration in street, building and open-space renewals, and trial permeable and water-absorbing treatments.
• Progress stormwater harvesting, smart irrigation and water-efficiency improvements across Council sportsgrounds, open spaces, buildings and facilities.
• Work with Melbourne Water to update local flood mapping and develop a long-term Flood Risk Management Plan.
• Strengthen planning controls and design guidance for water sensitive and flood ready development, expand monitoring of stormwater drains and trial practical support for households at risk of flooding.
• Improve stormwater pollution controls and water-quality monitoring and investigate opportunities to restore degraded waterways to a more natural form.
• Support Traditional Custodian stewardship and create more opportunities for the community to experience, connect with, monitor and care for Birrarung (Yarra River) and KooyongKoot (Gardiners Creek) as living entities.

What the community told us

• Water was a particularly high priority for younger participants, who wanted more education and encouragement to help people care for water and the environment.
• People affected by local drainage and flooding focused on maintenance, known flooding hotspots, permeability and practical infrastructure improvements. People in denser areas were more likely to emphasise waterway health and care.
• Limited understanding of local flood risk was a common barrier. Participants wanted clear, practical and targeted information about preparing their homes and reducing risk.
• Other priorities included reducing water use and stormwater pollution, making greater use of rainwater and recycled water, protecting waterways and learning from Traditional Custodians.

Read the full draft Action Plan for more detail on our proposed actions:

→Water Sensitive and Flood Ready Action Plan

Trees, plants and healthy habitats cool our neighbourhoods, support wildlife, improve wellbeing and help our city cope with a changing climate. However, urban growth, climate pressures and the gradual loss of vegetation on private land are placing increasing pressure on Stonnington's natural environment. The Biodiverse, Green and Connected Action Plan sets out how Council will protect and strengthen nature and help more people experience, understand and care for it.

Three focus areas

• Greener public places and stronger habitat: Protecting and strengthening trees, vegetation and habitat across Council managed land and assets.
• Protecting and growing nature on private land: Strengthening tree protection and supporting better greening and habitat across private land and new development.
• Connecting with and caring for nature: Working with Traditional Custodians and our community to build knowledge, connection to nature and active care for Country.

What we're proposing

• Develop an Urban Greening Framework and strengthen monitoring of canopy, vegetation, biodiversity and habitat condition.
• Improve policies and planning for Council-managed trees, including species selection and succession planning for Stonnington's ageing tree population.
• Plan greening in low-canopy, heat-vulnerable and growth areas and introduce more diverse, climate-resilient vegetation across suitable Council-managed land.
• Strengthen habitat and ecological connections along Birrarung, KooyongKoot and across Stonnington's streets, open spaces and other public places.
• Strengthen tree protection and greening outcomes on private land and in new development, including better support for apartment greening.
• Expand opportunities to learn about and participate in wildlife-friendly gardening, citizen science, volunteering and nature-based learning, including programs for children and young people.
• We are also developing a new Open Space Strategy, which will consider opportunities to increase and improve open spaces across Stonnington.

What the community told us

• Creating greener neighbourhoods, protecting biodiversity and increasing tree canopy were consistently identified as high priorities.
• People wanted existing trees to be better protected and more native and wildlife-friendly planting across gardens, balconies, nature strips, streets and public spaces.
• Many participants were already planting native species, caring for local green spaces or contributing to citizen science and wanted more opportunities to participate.
• Limited space, renting, apartment living, cost and a lack of time or knowledge can make participation difficult. People wanted practical information, affordable resources and accessible ways to learn, volunteer and connect with others.

Read the full draft Action Plan for more detail on our proposed actions:

→Biodiverse, Green and Connected Action Plan

The products, food and materials we use require natural resources and energy to produce, transport and eventually dispose of. When useful materials are discarded, their value is lost and the environmental impacts extend well beyond the waste placed in our bins. The Circular and Resource Conscious Action Plan sets out how Council will help prevent waste, keep products and materials in use for longer and make more responsible use of resources.

Three focus areas

• Circular operations and services: Reducing waste and improving reuse and resource recovery through Council operations and services.
• Circular assets and infrastructure: Extending asset life, reusing materials and reducing waste through design and renewal.
• Sustainable, conscious consumption: Helping residents, businesses and community organisations avoid waste and keep products and materials in use for longer.

What we're proposing

• Reduce single-use products and avoidable waste across Council workplaces, facilities, venues and events, and expand food-waste collection across Council facilities.
• Improve recycling and resource recovery services for apartments and other multi-unit developments.
• Address contamination, review kerbside collection schedules, and investigate alternatives to landfill and recovery options for additional materials.
• Expand participation in the Container Deposit Scheme and develop a coordinated approach to reducing litter and dumped rubbish.
• Strengthen circular procurement, design and asset-management practices so Council assets and materials last longer and can be repaired, adapted, recovered or reused.
• Expand local opportunities to repair, borrow, share and reuse products and help households reduce food waste.
• Work with businesses, community organisations and clubs to adopt circular practices.

What the community told us

• Reducing waste and using resources responsibly was among the leading priorities raised through community engagement.
• Many people were already using FOGO, avoiding single-use plastics, buying second-hand or ethically produced items and taking difficult-to-recycle materials to collection points.
• There was strong interest in repair and sharing initiatives and in renting, hiring or borrowing products instead of buying new.
• Apartment residents and renters identified particular challenges with access to FOGO, storage space, shared waste systems and understanding which services are available.

Read the full draft Action Plan for more detail on our proposed actions:

→Circular and Resource-Conscious Action Plan