How Well Are We Adapting is a web-based climate change adaptation monitoring, evaluation and reporting tool for Victorian local governments. Through an internal reporting section, it helps local government staff track the impacts on council services and assets and evaluate responses over the long term to understand how well they are adapting to climate change.
For residents in participating municipalities, the tool raises awareness of local climate change impacts and how to address them.
Residents can also access information on how they can prepare and respond to the impacts of climate change, what local governments can do to respond, and some specific case studies on recent action by the participating councils.
This tool allows council decision-makers to create an evidence base for informed decision-making, identify where services might be impacted in the future, and ensure residents most at risk to climate impacts will be protected.

Project background

The tool was developed from 2013 -2017 by the WAGA Councils in partnership with RMIT University, Net Balance Foundation and Federation University Australia, with funding assistance from the Victorian Government.
In 2018, WAGA and RMIT University received a grant from the Victorian Government, pursuant to the ‘Supporting Our Regions to Adapt’ program, and additional funding from WAGA and non-WAGA Councils to build asset and land use planning indicators into the tool and expand the use of the tool for all Victorian local governments. From 2020 a fully developed tool and project learning network for participating councils is offered under a subscription service. Currently thirteen Victorian local governments are using the tool to improve their understanding of climate impacts on their services.

Project Aims

• Build capacity for monitoring, evaluation and reporting for climate change adaptation
• Embed climate change adaptation considerations across council service and asset portfolios.
• Broaden the scope and capacity of the monitoring, evaluation and reporting (ME&R) tool, indicators and process to enable adaptable use of ‘How Well Are We Adapting?’ by all local governments in Victoria
• Develop a full set of indicators to encompass all local government operations, services and assets.