Centralizing environmental resilience in emergency agencies using the Sustainable Development Goals

摘要

Together we formulated a draft Sustainability Strategy for the NSW SES Unit using the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The aim was to create a 2019-2024 Sustainability Strategy for the NSW SES, Newcastle Unit, as a pilot for possible broader implementation throughout the NSW SES. From the outset, the intent was to focus on practical sustainability. As our focus is on capability, the sustainability initiatives needed to be pragmatic and practical with effective leadership and up-to-date information. On that note, we developed a comprehensive strategy intended to inspire and equip the NSW SES with the capability to drive long-term sustainability. However, it eventually became apparent that the real opportunity for change had been much broader than the initial idea and hence the project was born. It is increasingly acknowledged amongst first responders that communities are facing additional vulnerabilities due to climate change. Emergency Leaders for Climate Action (ELCA) recently galvanized to coordinate a national response to the Australian climate and bushfire crises. 'We felt we had a duty to tell people how climate change is super-charging our natural disaster risks. I wish we were wrong, but we're not' (Greg Mullins AO AFSM). The ELCA are advocating for vital policy-level changes that acknowledge the direct links between worsening weather hazards and climate change.