New Zealand, which gets about 75% of its energy from hydroelectric sources, is facing the prospect of shortages due to two years of drought. The backup is fossil-fuel based. Seeking to avoid rolling power cuts, the electric industry and the government are promoting conservation measures.

Presentations and reports presented at the 2007 Challenge of Global Warming and Peak Oil for Local Government conference, sponsored by the Municipal Association of Victoria (Australia), illuminate many aspects of the issue for local governments.

Maribyrnong City Council, covering the inner suburban area west of the centre of Melbourne, is rapidly proving itself to be Australia's (if not the world's) most peak oil aware council. On Tuesday 15th April, the council unanimously endorsed a Peak Oil Policy and Action Plan.

Planning for likely high oil prices and reduced supply of oil is essential to avoid the worst consequences and ensure public services can be provided in a timely and economic manner. Maribyrnong Council's Peak Oil Policy and Action Plan describes how they will continue to deliver community programs and services in spite of global oil price increases.

This is a guide to help councils across New Zealand assess the likely effects of projected climate change during the 21st century and plan appropriate responses where necessary. It is designed to summarise the main elements of a comprehensive technical report 'Climate Change Effects and Impacts Assessment'. A key message in the guide is that climate change effects can be broken down into manageable parts and dealt with as part of existing council planning and operational processes.