by Mat Churchill

While the world's leaders gather in Cancun, Mexico, for the United Nations Climate Change Conference where expectations of a binding agreement on the reduction of carbon emissions are low, local governments around the world, including Cairns, are taking matters into their own hands.

Yesterday, Cairns Regional Council hosted UN Special Representative Margareta Wahlstrom, talked about the UN's International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) Making Cities Resilient Campaign. 

The campaign is aimed at aiding local governments world wide to become resilient to natural disasters. 

Ms Wahlstrom presented Mayor Val Schier with a certificate in recognition of the region’s efforts in tropical cyclone preparedness.  Cr Schier said Council nominated for the campaign in July this year, becoming the first of 157 cities in the world to join the program. 

“This is an area where Cairns can really take the lead. Given the Bureau of Meteorology is reporting conditions for the coming wet season are conducive to cyclone formation, Council is getting the message out there to be prepared.  We are also talking steps to prepare our region," she said.

Ms Wahlstrom's stop in Cairns is part of a global journey encouraging people to make their cities disaster resilient.

"Cairns was the first city to sign up to the global campaign. Flooding and landslides are the most costly and 80 to 90 per cent of all disasters are weather related," she said.

Ms Wahlstrom said that with the number of weather catastrophes increasing the financial impact of recovery can be crippling.

"The cost to countries is starting to bite, especially poor and smaller countries but also large ones too. 2.7% of China's annual GDP is spent on disaster response."

She also highlighted the power local government's have in taking control of their own destiny in the face of federal inaction on climate change.

"Copenhagen didn't end well, but in Mexico hundreds of Mayors (from around the world) signed a voluntary emissions control reduction pact. Local governments are taking the lead.

"This campaign has taken off more forcefully than what we would have expected. We have the knowledge, instruments, and choices," she said.

The UN representative spoke to the Local Disaster Management Group who's members include emergency service units, government agencies, and the defence force joint operations' Major Phil Duncan.

"I represent the defence force from Longreach north including the Cairns region. The main focus today is networking and understanding each person's role and where you fit in," he said.

Major Duncan's unit offers special assistance during disaster recovery and has played a significant role during Cyclone Larry and the Shen Neng 1 which ran aground on the Great Barrier Reef earlier this year.