To talk of many things ...

Sea level rising, rate increases and a better community understanding of living a sustainable future were some of the main concerns for Peninsula residents when they attended a community information session on Gosford Council's Draft Climate Change Policy on January 29.

More than 50 local residents turned out for the meeting at Ettalong Beach Club, led by council's manager of integrated planning Mr Eddie Love.

Mr Love said the purpose of the policy was to provide council with guiding principles to manage its climate change risks using a combination of sustainable adaptation and mitigation measures including community stakeholder consultation.

Residents were given the opportunity to hear from guest speaker Mr Allen Kearns from the CSIRO Climate Change Adaptation Research Flagship and council officers on climate change and what council is doing to manage the issue.

"Thinking about climate change now is a little bit like retirement planning," Mr Kearns said.

"Around 30 or 40 years ago, I saw retirement as a problem I needed to deal with in the future, not as a current challenge.

"Unfortunately, we cannot afford to procrastinate and hold off on the issue of climate change.

"We need what time we have to start addressing some of the problems and looking at ways we can live well using less water, materials and energy per person.

"I understand climate change has become a more complex debate over the past few years with believers and disbelievers of the issue.

"To me the answer is clear and convincing from a science perspective.

"But surely having an unprecedented seven billion people on the planet (projected to reach nine billion this century) with an increased dependency on natural resources, how can that not have some impact on the planet?

Sure some sceptics believe climate change is only a naturally occurring cycle the planet experiences every hundred million years with, for example, the extinction of dinosaurs.

The earth is undergoing a natural cycle but what is the fundamental difference is the speed at which the climate is changing, and that is a cause for concern."

Following Mr Kearns' presentation, residents were given the opportunity to enter into small groups to discuss their thoughts and concerns on the draft policy.

While many people were concerned about the community's response to climate change as an important issue both locally and internationally, other residents suggested ways council could combat the problem of ignorance and misunderstanding such as community workshops and education awareness campaigns.

One resident suggested council introduce a reward-based system where local ratepayers received a discount off their council rates if they implemented a sustainable way of living such as reduced water usage.

It was also proposed council build a number of community gardens and utilise local produce to reduce the cost and emissions of transporting food.

Gosford mayor Cr Chris Holstein said the community information session were a great opportunity for people to be better informed about the issue and have their voices heard.

"Climate change is one of the key issues for council is addressing at present," Gosford mayor Cr Chris Holstein said.

"As a council, we have to be thinking forward to the future and seek out ways we can make a difference to the impact of climate change.

"As always the community are invited to give their ideas and suggestions on what policies council should be adopting to tackle the issue."

The Draft Climate Change Policy is open for public exhibition until Thursday, February 18.

Details on the draft policy and how the public can make a submission can be found on council's website at www.gosford.nsw.gov.au

Clare Graham, 5 Feb 2010