How climate change is impacting Merri-bek

The impacts of human-caused climate change are already being felt in Merri-bek, as well as across Australia. Hotter average temperatures and more extreme weather is already affecting local people, plants, and animals. These impacts will worsen if we do not stop the carbon pollution causing climate change.

Every action to reduce carbon pollution makes a difference.

You can see what actions Council is taking on our Our Sustainability Story page. You can also learn what actions you can take on our How you can take action on climate change page.

Changes we are seeing

The following weather impacts are affecting our community.

• More hot days in a year
• Heavier rainfall and more severe weather
• Drier winters and springs

• More frequent experiences of bushfire smoke

For more information, check out the Department of Environment, Energy, and Climate Action’s website Victoria’s changing climate.

How will this affect us?

The changes we are seeing in Merri-bek will both affect us and our environment. Below are some of the ways that Merri-bek will feel the effects of these changes.

Our health is suffering

Everyone in Merri-bek will feel the health effects of climate change. Our most at-risk community members will feel these effects the most.

• Major weather events can cause injuries, illnesses and death. In Australia, extreme heat causes more deaths than floods and fores combined.
• There is a projected increase in respiratory disease cases. This can come from increased air pollution or allergens. It can also come from changes in pollen levels.
• There are many mental health impacts of climate change. This includes post-traumatic stress after weather events. There are also rising levels of anxiety and depression at the idea of future changes to our world.

Our plants and animals are in decline

Many of our local plants and animals cannot adapt to the changes in their environment. This will cause their population levels to fall or the loss of some species. Groundwater-dependent plants and animals will be most affected.

• Drought and heat stress have sped up the decline of Melbourne’s tree population. Keeping our trees healthy is a necessary way to reduce the Urban Heat Island Effect. You can find out more about this in the How we are addressing the urban heat island effect (UHIE) section on this page below.
• The populations of animal and plants that adapt to warm environments are going up. At the same time the populations of those that adapt to cool environments are going down. These changes reduce biodiversity and disrupt food chains.

We have less food security

• The food production from the food sources that Merri-bek relies on will reduce. This is because of rising temperatures, less rain, and more extreme weather events.
• There will be less regional and national food supplies. We are likely to experience high  food prices instead.

Our infrastructure is strained

• Transport like trams and trains will need to stop running when there is extreme weather.
• Heat waves increase the demand on our power systems. This is because more people are using air conditioners, which also increases emissions.

The urban heat island effect in Merri-bek

Built up areas trap heat in a way that is different to rural areas. This is called the urban heat island effect (UHIE). It is caused by there being a lot of activity in the one area. It is also caused by the dense, dark and solid surfaces in built up environments which absorb and retain heat.

Merri-bek is an area with a lot of activity, and with many built up areas. The UHIE is an issue we need to address, as our aging population and climate change make us vulnerable to extreme heat.

We reviewed the implementation of the Urban Heat Island Effect Action Plan 2016 – 2026 (PDF 2Mb). The Implementation Report describes the past decade’s achievements as well as remaining gaps and challenges. Building on our Urban Heat Island Effect Action Plan 2016-2026, Council continues to embed greening and cooling in our open spaces, buildings, streetscapes, and our environment.

In March 2026, Merri-bek City Council held an Urban Heat Forum with our community. This brought together different partners to think through solutions that we can bring back to our organisations and work on together. The forum has inspired action and new directions in work programs. We captured the themes through the graphic recording below.

 

We need collaboration and effort from all of our community to make our city more liveable. We have committed to encouraging our community to take action on urban heat. This includes consulting with community members, and providing ways they can take action. You can find out how you can take individual action against climate change on our Zero Carbon Merri-bek website.