Next week’s federal budget will provide more than $800 million to establish new climate change and disaster mitigation bodies.
The budget, to be handed down on Tuesday, will fund a $210m Australian Climate Service which will inform planning for infrastructure, housing and services.
The initiative, a collaboration between the Bureau of Meteorology, the CSIRO, ABS and Geoscience Australia, will begin operating from July 1.
Environment minister Sussan Ley says the service will help the nation anticipate and adapt to climate change and extreme weather events.
Environmental road map
“Australian Climate Service will bring together our best scientists to help us better anticipate, manage and adapt to climate impacts now and for the generations to come”, Ms Ley said.
“We do face more extreme weather events due to changing climate and this is about being prepared, and being able to take steps to make our communities more resilient.
“It will help provide an environmental road map in our planning for infrastructure, housing and basic services like power, telecommunications, and water.”
Disaster preparation and mitigation
The climate service will advise a new National Recovery and Resilience Agency, announced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Wednesday, which will advise the government on policies and programs to mitigate the impact of natural disasters.
It will be led by Shane Stone and bring together the former National Drought and North Queensland Flood Response and Recovery Agency and the National Bushfire Recovery Agency, including the $2 billion National Bushfire Recovery Fund.
The agency will manage a $600 million disaster preparation and mitigation program.
Meanwhile, emergency management minister David Littleproud said Emergency Management Australia will receive $4.5 million to support disaster recovery training and upgrade the National Situation Room.
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