10,593 research outputs found
Framing adaptation in the Victorian context: synthesis report
Full text linkThis synthesis report provides a summary of the research activity and conveys the key findings arising from the 18 month ‘Framing Adaptation in the Victorian Context’ project undertaken between 2010 and 2012. Due to the complex nature of climate change adaptation, the original research program was designed to better understand the conceptual underpinnings of adaptation and then to translate this academic knowledge into ‘accessible’ content that could be more effectively used by those responsible for local adaptation planning - in essence, to ‘develop and test an operational framing of adaptation which will act as a decision-making roadmap to better inform adaptation policy and practice by Victorian authorities at the local and regional levels’.The analysis on framing was sub-divided into three discrete, though complementary and overlapping, research activities, to better understand different aspects of climate change adaptation in the Victorian context:1) The development of an overarching framework that illuminates and makes sense of the many different components that influence local adaptation processes;2) The framing of current and future climate-related impacts, and adaptation, as viewed through an economic lens; and3) A bottom-up analysis of adaptation, with a particular focus on the adaptive capacity of individuals and communities, as captured by a social narrative approach.Due to the context specific nature of adaptation (influenced by both the climate-related hazard and local vulnerability) the research activity on framing was intentionally grounded in real world situations through direct engagement with a portfolio of case studies including Greater Bendigo, City of Melbourne, Greater Geelong, and Port Fairy. Therefore whilst the research findings will be of generic interest to a wide range of end-users, the focus for this particular project was on the co-generation of new knowledge with local authorities. The economic analysis was based on climate-related events that have impacted the State in the recent past.Additional papers from the \u27Framing Adaptation in the Victorian Context\u27 project can be found here
Climate change adaptation in the boardroom
Full text linkAbstract
Climate adaptation is recognised by many of the world’s largest businesses as a global risk and one that requires critical attention. The World Economic Forum’s 2013 Global Risks Perception Survey, identified the ‘failure of climate change adaptation and rising greenhouse gas emissions as among those global risks considered to be the most likely to materialize within a decade’ (p.16). Yet despite action by many transnationals and international firms, it seems evident that most Australian companies appear to be struggling to move forward in responding to climate change impacts, apparently paralysed by short-term profit-first thinking, uncertain political risks and a corporate culture unused to volatility and disruption.
Research approach
This project set out to communicate adaptation to climate change to the “big end of town” and to gather soft data, acquire information and present issues back to the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF), the funder of this research. Our approach to the research challenge differed from a traditional technical, analytical or academic method. We used action-learning principles to engage a community in which we, as advisors to corporate Australia and as co-researchers, have social capital and standing. Through trusted information sharing networks, private closed-door meetings and one on one conversation with executives and senior management from over 100 companies we shared ideas, gathered, researched and refined information and tested our findings.
Findings
Our findings from the boardroom engagement include the following:
The Australian Government expects the private sector to adapt, yet little or no incentives exist to promote this behaviour.
Autonomous adaptation as practiced may only benefit the lead actor while creating disbenefit for others (including other corporations, society and the environment).
Market practices on current paradigms cannot be expected to meet greater societal adaptation needs.
Further adaptation research is required in some areas to help guide shape and monitor adaptation for the private sector.
A multiplicity of policy reform may be necessary, but crafting and implementing it is likely to remain beyond the capability of the Australian Public Service (APS) or individual Governments.
Highly sophisticated mining, gas and some Asian owned technology companies are leading the way with many opportunities missed by Australian companies.
Adaptation for the corporate sector is a key strategic issue, unlike mitigation and corporate social responsibility (CSR), as it benefits the corporate primarily.
Insurance dependency may only be a short-term risk transfer mechanism as, in its current paradigm, it can mask risk, create a false sense of security and may impede adaptation.
Conclusion
We hope that this report is of benefit to Australian organisations, policy makers, regulators and to researchers in adaptation science. This project shows that, on a whole, the Australian private sector is giving little consideration about the impacts climate change. This project has identified that considerable research gaps exist, but has also provided direction for organisations and researchers. Individual corporations and private sector peak bodies urgently need to explore the risks and opportunities that climate change and associated responses bring. This is especially so for the ICT, aviation, energy, insurance and finance sectors.
Please cite this report as: Johnston, GS, Burton, DL, Baker-Jones, M, 2013 Climate Change Adaptation in the Boardroom National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility, Gold Coast. pp. 81
Climate change adaptation for Australian minerals industry professionals
Full text linkAbstractExtreme weather events in Australia over recent years have highlighted the costs for Australian mining and mineral processing operations of being under-prepared for adapting to climate risk. For example, the 2010/2011 Queensland floods closed or restricted production of about forty out of Queensland’s fifty coal mines costing more than 2 billion in lost production.This project synthesises case studies, options and skills needed for minerals industry professionals to adapt to climate change in the areas of flood, drought, bushfire and high temperatures and health in the guide; Adapting to climate risks and extreme weather: a guide for mining and minerals industry professionals. The guide should be read in conjunction with this final report. The Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney (UTS) led the development of the guide and worked with a Steering Committee from the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy’s Sustainability Committee and with input from the Health & Safety Committee and individual members, who volunteered their time and experience. This final report describes the research process for developing the guide and reflects on challenges and lessons for adaptation research from the project.Consultation with mining and mineral processing professionals identified variability in the state awareness, knowledge and preparedness of climate change adaptation in the Australian mining and minerals processing industry. The research found limited information on climate change adaptation for mining and minerals professionals in the public domain, and identified several barriers to having a more precise understanding of the industry’s awareness and knowledge at the present time.While extreme events may have been anticipated in the planning at case-study mines, the extent and costs of damage was not accurately predicted. In areas where flooding and storms are infrequent events, the costs and losses from events that have exceeded the design assumptions of operations have been large, and return to production has taken many months. In areas where such events are routine, it is still possible to under-estimate the effects and the risk posed by an accumulation of small impacts. In both cases, post-flooding impacts have included additional costs for the operations, such as measures to limit or eliminate damage from de-watering processes, and monitoring of local water resources. The prospect of increased frequency or severity of storm activity in parts of Australia, combined with extended periods of drought and more extended periods of high temperatures, increases the risks of damage from subsequent heavy rainfall and flooding. Success in reducing or managing such risks will require planning and risk mitigation procedures that incorporate heavy rainfall and flood into operational models and increased awareness at sites. Consultation during this project identified a range of adaptive approaches to planning which build on an established culture of safety and risk assessment in the sector and that can assist Australian mining and mineral processing professionals in responding to the prospect of increased risk from a changing climate. Further development of capacity for adaptation amongst mining professionals may be dependent upon greater knowledge sharing in the public domain and a more active dialogue with government and communities regarding the importance of climate change adaptation as part of the industry’s ‘social licence to operate’. Adopting a collaborative approach to recognising the potential implications of extreme weather events would allow industry professionals to focus on planning and delivering adaptation measures to benefit stakeholders and industry. Please cite this report as:Mason, L, Giurco, D 2013 Climate change adaptation for Australian minerals industry professionals National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility, Gold Coast, pp. 60Extreme weather events in Australia over recent years have highlighted the costs for Australian mining and mineral processing operations of being under-prepared for adapting to climate risk. For example, the 2010/2011 Queensland floods closed or restricted production of about forty out of Queensland’s fifty coal mines costing more than 2 billion in lost production.This project synthesises case studies, options and skills needed for minerals industry professionals to adapt to climate change in the areas of flood, drought, bushfire and high temperatures and health in the guide; Adapting to climate risks and extreme weather: a guide for mining and minerals industry professionals. The guide should be read in conjunction with this final report. The Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney (UTS) led the development of the guide and worked with a Steering Committee from the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy’s Sustainability Committee and with input from the Health & Safety Committee and individual members, who volunteered their time and experience. This final report describes the research process for developing the guide and reflects on challenges and lessons for adaptation research from the project.Consultation with mining and mineral processing professionals identified variability in the state awareness, knowledge and preparedness of climate change adaptation in the Australian mining and minerals processing industry. The research found limited information on climate change adaptation for mining and minerals professionals in the public domain, and identified several barriers to having a more precise understanding of the industry’s awareness and knowledge at the present time.While extreme events may have been anticipated in the planning at case-study mines, the extent and costs of damage was not accurately predicted. In areas where flooding and storms are infrequent events, the costs and losses from events that have exceeded the design assumptions of operations have been large, and return to production has taken many months. In areas where such events are routine, it is still possible to under-estimate the effects and the risk posed by an accumulation of small impacts. In both cases, post-flooding impacts have included additional costs for the operations, such as measures to limit or eliminate damage from de-watering processes, and monitoring of local water resources. The prospect of increased frequency or severity of storm activity in parts of Australia, combined with extended periods of drought and more extended periods of high temperatures, increases the risks of damage from subsequent heavy rainfall and flooding. Success in reducing or managing such risks will require planning and risk mitigation procedures that incorporate heavy rainfall and flood into operational models and increased awareness at sites. Consultation during this project identified a range of adaptive approaches to planning which build on an established culture of safety and risk assessment in the sector and that can assist Australian mining and mineral processing professionals in responding to the prospect of increased risk from a changing climate. Further development of capacity for adaptation amongst mining professionals may be dependent upon greater knowledge sharing in the public domain and a more active dialogue with government and communities regarding the importance of climate change adaptation as part of the industry’s ‘social licence to operate’. Adopting a collaborative approach to recognising the potential implications of extreme weather events would allow industry professionals to focus on planning and delivering adaptation measures to benefit stakeholders and industry. 
Climate Adaptation decision support Tool for Local Governments: CATLoG
Full text linkAbstractThe Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the globally-recognised reference body for climate-related research, describes warming of the climate system as ‘unequivocal’. The changing climate is likely to result in the occurrence of more frequent and intense extreme weather events. This demands preventative and preparatory actions (mitigation and adaptation) from all levels of government including local governments. No matter how robust the mitigation responses will be, adaptation actions will still be required to prepare for the already committed changes on the climate.The study of climate extremes is particularly important because of their high impact nature. Analysis of the extreme events are challenging because of their rare occurrences resulting in very few past observations that can help in any statistical analysis or conclusions. Currently available climate projections especially for extreme events at local scales are associated with a wide range of uncertainties. Apart from that, analysis and damage assessment of the extremes over a period of time also present a lot of uncertainties related to economic analysis (e.g. discount rate, growth rate) and the unknown future.Unfortunately, often end users do not understand the range of uncertainties surrounding the research outputs they use for extreme events. This research project was designed to develop a pilot tool to enable end users to analyse and prepare for extreme events in a less predictable, complex world. Due to the lack of historical data, the tool relies on expert judgements on the frequency and severity of such events. It is important to point out that the results of the analysis are highly dependent on the quality of these judgements such that the reliability of the results depends on finding appropriate experts in the field who can provide appropriate estimates for frequency and impact of the considered events. The Tool uses a combination of quantitative (Cost-Benefit Analysis) and qualitative (Multi-Criteria Analysis) methods to frame the decision support Tool. The current version of the Tool allows users to conduct sensitivity tests, examine the impact of uncertain parameters ranging from climate impacts to discount rates. The final product is a user-friendly decision tool in the form of an Excel add-in together with a user manual booklet that demonstrates sample worked out projects. The Tool is made flexible so that stakeholders can adopt or refine or upgrade it for their context specific applications.The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the globally-recognised reference body for climate-related research, describes warming of the climate system as ‘unequivocal’. The changing climate is likely to result in the occurrence of more frequent and intense extreme weather events. This demands preventative and preparatory actions (mitigation and adaptation) from all levels of government including local governments. No matter how robust the mitigation responses will be, adaptation actions will still be required to prepare for the already committed changes on the climate.The study of climate extremes is particularly important because of their high impact nature. Analysis of the extreme events are challenging because of their rare occurrences resulting in very few past observations that can help in any statistical analysis or conclusions. Currently available climate projections especially for extreme events at local scales are associated with a wide range of uncertainties. Apart from that, analysis and damage assessment of the extremes over a period of time also present a lot of uncertainties related to economic analysis (e.g. discount rate, growth rate) and the unknown future.Unfortunately, often end users do not understand the range of uncertainties surrounding the research outputs they use for extreme events. This research project was designed to develop a pilot tool to enable end users to analyse and prepare for extreme events in a less predictable, complex world. Due to the lack of historical data, the tool relies on expert judgements on the frequency and severity of such events. It is important to point out that the results of the analysis are highly dependent on the quality of these judgements such that the reliability of the results depends on finding appropriate experts in the field who can provide appropriate estimates for frequency and impact of the considered events. The Tool uses a combination of quantitative (Cost-Benefit Analysis) and qualitative (Multi-Criteria Analysis) methods to frame the decision support Tool. The current version of the Tool allows users to conduct sensitivity tests, examine the impact of uncertain parameters ranging from climate impacts to discount rates. The final product is a user-friendly decision tool in the form of an Excel add-in together with a user manual booklet that demonstrates sample worked out projects. The Tool is made flexible so that stakeholders can adopt or refine or upgrade it for their context specific applications.Please cite this report as:Trueck, S, Mathew, S, Henderson-Sellers, A, Taplin, R, Keighley, T, Chin, W 2013 Climate Adaptation Decision Support Tool for Local Governments: CATLog: Developing an Excel Spreadsheet Tool for Local Governments to compare and prioritise investment in climate change adaptation, National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility, Gold Coast, pp. 39
Valuing adaptation under rapid change
Full text linkAbstractThe methods used to plan adaptation to climate change have been heavily influenced by scientific narratives of gradual change and economic narratives of marginal adjustments to that change. An investigation of the theoretical aspects of how the climate changes suggests that scientific narratives of climate change are socially constructed, biasing scientific narratives to descriptions of gradual as opposed rapid, non-linear change. Evidence of widespread step changes in recent climate records and in model projections of future climate is being overlooked because of this. Step-wise climate change has the potential to produce rapid increases in extreme events that can cross institutional, geographical and sectoral domains.Likewise, orthodox economics is not well suited to the deep uncertainty faced under climate change, requiring a multi-faceted approach to adaptation. The presence of tangible and intangible values range across five adaptation clusters: goods; services; capital assets and infrastructure; social assets and infrastructure; and natural assets and infrastructure. Standard economic methods have difficulty in giving adequate weight to the different types of values across these clusters. They also do not account well for the inter-connectedness of impacts and subsequent responses between agents in the economy. As a result, many highly-valued aspects of human and environmental capital are being overlooked.Recent extreme events are already pressuring areas of public policy, and national strategies for emergency response and disaster risk reduction are being developed as a consequence. However, the potential for an escalation of total damage costs due to rapid change requires a coordinated approach at the institutional level, involving all levels of government, the private sector and civil society.One of the largest risks of maladaptation is the potential for un-owned risks, as risks propagate across domains and responsibility for their management is poorly allocated between public and private interests, and between the roles of the individual and civil society. Economic strategies developed by the disaster community for disaster response and risk reduction provide a base to work from, but many gaps remain.We have developed a framework for valuing adaptation that has the following aspects: the valuation of impacts thus estimating values at risk, the evaluation of different adaptation options and strategies based on cost, and the valuation of benefits expressed as a combination of the benefits of avoided damages and a range of institutional values such as equity, justice, sustainability and profit.The choice of economic methods and tools used to assess adaptation depends largely on the ability to constrain uncertainty around problems (predictive uncertainty) and solutions (outcome uncertainty). Orthodox methods can be used where both are constrained, portfolio methodologies where problems are constrained and robust methodologies where solutions are constrained. Where both are unconstrained, process-based methods utilising innovation methods and adaptive management are most suitable. All methods should involve stakeholders where possible.Innovative processes methods that enable transformation will be required in some circumstances, to allow institutions, sectors and communities to prepare for anticipated major change.Please cite this report as: Jones, RN, Young, CK, Handmer, J, Keating, A, Mekala, GD, Sheehan, P 2013 Valuing adaptation under rapid change, National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility, Gold Coast, pp. 192.The methods used to plan adaptation to climate change have been heavily influenced by scientific narratives of gradual change and economic narratives of marginal adjustments to that change. An investigation of the theoretical aspects of how the climate changes suggests that scientific narratives of climate change are socially constructed, biasing scientific narratives to descriptions of gradual as opposed rapid, non-linear change. Evidence of widespread step changes in recent climate records and in model projections of future climate is being overlooked because of this. Step-wise climate change has the potential to produce rapid increases in extreme events that can cross institutional, geographical and sectoral domains.Likewise, orthodox economics is not well suited to the deep uncertainty faced under climate change, requiring a multi-faceted approach to adaptation. The presence of tangible and intangible values range across five adaptation clusters: goods; services; capital assets and infrastructure; social assets and infrastructure; and natural assets and infrastructure. Standard economic methods have difficulty in giving adequate weight to the different types of values across these clusters. They also do not account well for the inter-connectedness of impacts and subsequent responses between agents in the economy. As a result, many highly-valued aspects of human and environmental capital are being overlooked.Recent extreme events are already pressuring areas of public policy, and national strategies for emergency response and disaster risk reduction are being developed as a consequence. However, the potential for an escalation of total damage costs due to rapid change requires a coordinated approach at the institutional level, involving all levels of government, the private sector and civil society.One of the largest risks of maladaptation is the potential for un-owned risks, as risks propagate across domains and responsibility for their management is poorly allocated between public and private interests, and between the roles of the individual and civil society. Economic strategies developed by the disaster community for disaster response and risk reduction provide a base to work from, but many gaps remain.We have developed a framework for valuing adaptation that has the following aspects: the valuation of impacts thus estimating values at risk, the evaluation of different adaptation options and strategies based on cost, and the valuation of benefits expressed as a combination of the benefits of avoided damages and a range of institutional values such as equity, justice, sustainability and profit.The choice of economic methods and tools used to assess adaptation depends largely on the ability to constrain uncertainty around problems (predictive uncertainty) and solutions (outcome uncertainty). Orthodox methods can be used where both are constrained, portfolio methodologies where problems are constrained and robust methodologies where solutions are constrained. Where both are unconstrained, process-based methods utilising innovation methods and adaptive management are most suitable. All methods should involve stakeholders where possible.Innovative processes methods that enable transformation will be required in some circumstances, to allow institutions, sectors and communities to prepare for anticipated major change
Adaptation to climate in widespread eucalypt species
Full text linkAbstractThe long term success of revegetation efforts will depend upon the planted species’ resilience to climate change. Many widespread species grow across a range of climatic conditions and, thus, may possess adaptations that could be utilised to improve climate resilience of restored ecosystems. Species can achieve a widespread distribution via two main mechanisms; (1) by diverging into a series of specialised populations, or (2) through high phenotypic plasticity. The extent to which populations are specialised or plastic in response to climate will determine the seed-sourcing strategy required for optimal restoration outcomes under a changing climate. We examined genetic divergence and phenotypic plasticity in two widespread Eucalyptus species (E. tricarpa in southeastern Australia, E. salubris in southwestern Australia), to determine the nature of adaptation to climate in these species, and whether genomic screening might be a useful tool to assess climate adaptation.We examined nine populations of each species across climate gradients and, for E. tricarpa, trees originating from the same populations were also studied in two common garden field trials. We characterised responses in functional traits relevant to climate adaptation, including leaf size, thickness, tissue density, and carbon isotope ratio (δ13C). Genetic variation was assessed with genome scans using DArTseq markers, and ‘outlier markers’ were identified as being linked to regions of the genome that are potentially under selection.Evidence of both plastic response and genetic specialisation for climate was found in both species, indicating that widespread eucalypts utilise a combination of both mechanisms for adaptation to spatial variation in climate. The E. tricarpa common garden data suggested high plasticity in most of the measured functional traits, and the extent of plasticity in some traits (e.g. leaf size and thickness) varied among provenances, suggesting genetic variation for plasticity itself. In E. salubris, most functional traits showed little variation across the gradient. However, water use efficiency appeared highly plastic, as determined from the strong correlation between δ13C and recent precipitation (R2 = 0.83). Both species showed spatial partitioning of genetic variation across the gradient, and data for E. salubris revealed two distinct lineages. The genome scans yielded 16,122 DArTseq markers for “Lineage 1” of E. salubris, of which 0.1% were potentially adaptive ‘outlier loci’, and 6,544 markers for E. tricarpa, of which 2.6% were outliers. Canonical Analysis of Principal Coordinates (CAP) analysis showed that the outlier markers were correlated with climatic variables, and some were also strongly correlated with functional traits. An ‘Aridity Index’ was also developed from the CAP analysis that has potential as a tool for environmental planners to use for matching seed sources to target climates.Widespread eucalypts are likely to possess a capacity to respond plastically to a changing climate to some extent, but selection of seed sources to match projected climate changes may confer even greater climate resilience. Further study of the mechanisms of plasticity in response to climate may improve our ability to assess climate adaptation in other species, and to determine optimal strategies for ecosystem restoration and management under climate change
Rethinking disaster risk management and climate change adaptation
Full text linkAbstractAustralian governments face the twin challenges of dealing with extreme weather-related disasters (such as floods and bushfires) and adapting to the impacts of climate change. These challenges are connected, so any response would benefit from a more integrated approach across and between the different levels of government.This report summarises the findings of an NCCARF-funded project that addresses this problem.The project undertook a three-way comparative case study of the 2009 Victorian bushfires, the 2011 Perth Hills bushfires, and the 2011 Brisbane floods. It collected data from the official inquiry reports into each of these events, and conducted new interviews and workshops with key stakeholders. The findings of this project included recommendations that range from the conceptual to the practical. First, it was argued that a reconceptualization of terms such as ‘community’ and ‘resilience’ was necessary to allow for more tailored responses to varying circumstances. Second, it was suggested that the high level of uncertainty inherent in disaster risk management and climate change adaptation requires a more iterative approach to policymaking and planning. Third, some specific institutional reforms were proposed that included: 1) a new funding mechanism that would encourage collaboration between and across different levels of government, as well as promoting partnerships with business and the community; 2) improving community engagement through new resilience grants run by local councils; 3) embedding climate change researchers within disaster risk management agencies to promote institutional learning; and, 4) creating an inter-agency network that encourages collaboration between organisations.Please cite this report as: Howes, M, Grant-Smith, D, Reis, K, Bosomworth, K, Tangney, P, Heazle, M, McEvoy, D, Burton, P 2013 Rethinking disaster risk management and climate change adaptation, National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility, Gold Coast, pp. 63.Australian governments face the twin challenges of dealing with extreme weather-related disasters (such as floods and bushfires) and adapting to the impacts of climate change. These challenges are connected, so any response would benefit from a more integrated approach across and between the different levels of government.This report summarises the findings of an NCCARF-funded project that addresses this problem.The project undertook a three-way comparative case study of the 2009 Victorian bushfires, the 2011 Perth Hills bushfires, and the 2011 Brisbane floods. It collected data from the official inquiry reports into each of these events, and conducted new interviews and workshops with key stakeholders. The findings of this project included recommendations that range from the conceptual to the practical. First, it was argued that a reconceptualization of terms such as ‘community’ and ‘resilience’ was necessary to allow for more tailored responses to varying circumstances. Second, it was suggested that the high level of uncertainty inherent in disaster risk management and climate change adaptation requires a more iterative approach to policymaking and planning. Third, some specific institutional reforms were proposed that included: 1) a new funding mechanism that would encourage collaboration between and across different levels of government, as well as promoting partnerships with business and the community; 2) improving community engagement through new resilience grants run by local councils; 3) embedding climate change researchers within disaster risk management agencies to promote institutional learning; and, 4) creating an inter-agency network that encourages collaboration between organisations. 
Indigenous women's preference for climate change adaptation and aquaculture development to build capacity in the Northern Territory
Full text linkAbstract
Research was carried out on South Goulburn Island, Northern Territory, to improve understandings of local, Indigenous people’s dependency on marine resources, and of their perspectives on climate change, and aquaculture as a means towards adapting to climate change. Workshops and interviews were carried out mostly with women, but also some men with an emphasis on the use of participatory and visual techniques to encourage discussion of the future.
Customary knowledge, particularly of the marine environment, appeared to be an integral part of people’s construction of identity. The collection of ‘bushfoods’ had importance in improving and maintaining people’s wellbeing, well beyond nutritional benefits. Participant discussions indicated very limited understanding of western concepts of climate change. Many reported noticing patterns of environmental change in their ‘country’. These observations, combined with movement away from certain customary practices and loss of local knowledge, caused worry to many participants, particularly older generations.
Participants demonstrated a worldview strongly dominated by social and cultural links to the past and present but with weaker linkages to western concepts of ‘the future’. Thus, discussions around planning for adaptation did not fit easily into conceptualisation by many participants, especially when focused on climate change. People’s preferences to adaptation usually concerned building general community capacity, drawing from customary knowledge, being more involved in government decision-making and learning more about scientific knowledge. Enabling greater collection of bushfoods and associated interaction with the landscape was also considered key to improving community independence, resilience and wellbeing.
Participants showed strong interest in aquaculture as an option to help diversify food sources and minimise reliance on store purchased foods and provide income for the community – especially under future climate uncertainty. Many older participants saw aquaculture as a way to encourage greater involvement of younger generations in sea management and consequently building autonomy and skills. People preferred low maintenance aquaculture, carried out in a way respectful to culture, directed by community, with support from scientists. Many participants indicated they would feel strong pride if a community enterprise based on customary knowledge could be developed. There was considerable faith in the local corporation in managing decisions relating to aquaculture and adaptation. However, people had limited understanding of aquaculture practices, technology and logistics and capacity involved in establishing and maintaining enterprises. And although people desired greater employment and skills, conventional employment was not a high aspiration except where work was closely related to the natural environment.
Implementing programs of ‘aquaculture for adaptation’ will require improved communication and learning among all stakeholders. This involves developing long-term relationships built on trust, awareness of different worldviews on adaptation, planning, resource management and development. Supporting aquaculture development on Goulburn Island may help adaptation by expanding livelihood options and enhancing collection and local consumption of bushfoods. However, logistics of implementation will be complicated, and will need to be part of a wider set of options. An adaptive management approach that involves community, decision-makers and researchers planning and testing ideas and developing workable solutions could provide the inclusiveness that local community desire.
Please cite this report as: Petheram, L, Fleming, A, Stacey, N, Perry, A 2013 Indigenous women’s preferences for climate change adaptation and aquaculture development to build capacity in the Northern Territory, National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility, Gold Coast, pp. 76.
Research was carried out on South Goulburn Island, Northern Territory, to improve understandings of local, Indigenous people’s dependency on marine resources, and of their perspectives on climate change, and aquaculture as a means towards adapting to climate change. Workshops and interviews were carried out mostly with women, but also some men with an emphasis on the use of participatory and visual techniques to encourage discussion of the future.
Customary knowledge, particularly of the marine environment, appeared to be an integral part of people’s construction of identity. The collection of ‘bushfoods’ had importance in improving and maintaining people’s wellbeing, well beyond nutritional benefits. Participant discussions indicated very limited understanding of western concepts of climate change. Many reported noticing patterns of environmental change in their ‘country’. These observations, combined with movement away from certain customary practices and loss of local knowledge, caused worry to many participants, particularly older generations.
Participants demonstrated a worldview strongly dominated by social and cultural links to the past and present but with weaker linkages to western concepts of ‘the future’. Thus, discussions around planning for adaptation did not fit easily into conceptualisation by many participants, especially when focused on climate change. People’s preferences to adaptation usually concerned building general community capacity, drawing from customary knowledge, being more involved in government decision-making and learning more about scientific knowledge. Enabling greater collection of bushfoods and associated interaction with the landscape was also considered key to improving community independence, resilience and wellbeing.
Participants showed strong interest in aquaculture as an option to help diversify food sources and minimise reliance on store purchased foods and provide income for the community – especially under future climate uncertainty. Many older participants saw aquaculture as a way to encourage greater involvement of younger generations in sea management and consequently building autonomy and skills. People preferred low maintenance aquaculture, carried out in a way respectful to culture, directed by community, with support from scientists. Many participants indicated they would feel strong pride if a community enterprise based on customary knowledge could be developed. There was considerable faith in the local corporation in managing decisions relating to aquaculture and adaptation. However, people had limited understanding of aquaculture practices, technology and logistics and capacity involved in establishing and maintaining enterprises. And although people desired greater employment and skills, conventional employment was not a high aspiration except where work was closely related to the natural environment.
Implementing programs of ‘aquaculture for adaptation’ will require improved communication and learning among all stakeholders. This involves developing long-term relationships built on trust, awareness of different worldviews on adaptation, planning, resource management and development. Supporting aquaculture development on Goulburn Island may help adaptation by expanding livelihood options and enhancing collection and local consumption of bushfoods. However, logistics of implementation will be complicated, and will need to be part of a wider set of options. An adaptive management approach that involves community, decision-makers and researchers planning and testing ideas and developing workable solutions could provide the inclusiveness that local community desire
Climate change adaptation and the rental sector
Full text linkAbstractThe research employed an asset-based approach to understanding the capacities, assets and skills which tenants, landlords and housing managers bring to climate change adaptation. The project also took a pro-poor approach focusing on the adaptive capacity of low-income renters in the public and private sectors, addressing the equity dimensions of vulnerability and adaptation. In addition to analysing a range of secondary sources such as media articles, ‘green’ guides and policy documents, the research analysed primary data from interviews and focus groups, focusing on:The assets of the rental sector in adaptationBarriers which limit the capacity of individuals and organisations to exercise these assetsThe relationships between the stakeholders – tenants, landlords and property managers – which underlie both assets and barriers to adaptation.We found that the tenants we interviewed were motivated by concern about the impact of human activity on the environment, and exercised this concern through everyday sustainable household practices, as well as through engagement with community or political organisations. They believed however that their capacity to act in the home was inhibited by a lack of care from some landlords and property managers about the sustainability of rental housing.Public housing managers who were interviewed positioned the public housing sector as policy leaders in sustainability and adaptation, but as constrained by a lack of resources (human and financial) and the busy reactive nature of their work. Busyness and lack of resources was also seen as a constraint on private property managers’ capacity to advocate or arrange for sustainability modifications to the properties they managed. Property managers emerged as crucial ‘knowledge brokers’ mediating between landlords and tenants, but expressed a need for more information and training. Both tenants and property managers acknowledged that the current shortage of rental housing in many areas was one of the most important constraints on tenants’ ability to influence the market through preference for more adaptive and sustainable housing. The interviews and focus groups with tenants and property managers mapped out a strong asset base in the rental sector including: tenants’ strong visions for the future; property managers’ understandings of the tenant/landlord/property manager relationships, legislation, costing and procurement processes; organisational and community networks; and existing adaptive capacity already evident in the everyday practices.The research report makes recommendations in the following areas:increased support for an enhanced role for property managers as advocates and knowledge brokers for sustainability and adaptationincentives and education for landlords to see investment properties as ‘ethical investments’ to enable tenants to adapt to climate changeincreased overall supply of rental housing, particularly affordable rental housingincreased assets for tenants to enable investments of time and money in a secure ‘home’changes to tenancy conditions and better communication with landlordsgovernment action on regulatory change to support the above changes, including action on housing supply and a review of rental building sustainability standards.Please cite this report as:Instone, L, Mee, K, Palmer, J, Williams, M, Vaughan, N 2013 Climate change adaptation and the rental sector, National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility, Gold Coast, pp. 200.AbstractThe research employed an asset-based approach to understanding the capacities, assets and skills which tenants, landlords and housing managers bring to climate change adaptation. The project also took a pro-poor approach focusing on the adaptive capacity of low-income renters in the public and private sectors, addressing the equity dimensions of vulnerability and adaptation. In addition to analysing a range of secondary sources such as media articles, ‘green’ guides and policy documents, the research analysed primary data from interviews and focus groups, focusing on:The assets of the rental sector in adaptationBarriers which limit the capacity of individuals and organisations to exercise these assetsThe relationships between the stakeholders – tenants, landlords and property managers – which underlie both assets and barriers to adaptation.We found that the tenants we interviewed were motivated by concern about the impact of human activity on the environment, and exercised this concern through everyday sustainable household practices, as well as through engagement with community or political organisations. They believed however that their capacity to act in the home was inhibited by a lack of care from some landlords and property managers about the sustainability of rental housing.Public housing managers who were interviewed positioned the public housing sector as policy leaders in sustainability and adaptation, but as constrained by a lack of resources (human and financial) and the busy reactive nature of their work. Busyness and lack of resources was also seen as a constraint on private property managers’ capacity to advocate or arrange for sustainability modifications to the properties they managed. Property managers emerged as crucial ‘knowledge brokers’ mediating between landlords and tenants, but expressed a need for more information and training. Both tenants and property managers acknowledged that the current shortage of rental housing in many areas was one of the most important constraints on tenants’ ability to influence the market through preference for more adaptive and sustainable housing. The interviews and focus groups with tenants and property managers mapped out a strong asset base in the rental sector including: tenants’ strong visions for the future; property managers’ understandings of the tenant/landlord/property manager relationships, legislation, costing and procurement processes; organisational and community networks; and existing adaptive capacity already evident in the everyday practices.The research report makes recommendations in the following areas:increased support for an enhanced role for property managers as advocates and knowledge brokers for sustainability and adaptationincentives and education for landlords to see investment properties as ‘ethical investments’ to enable tenants to adapt to climate changeincreased overall supply of rental housing, particularly affordable rental housingincreased assets for tenants to enable investments of time and money in a secure ‘home’changes to tenancy conditions and better communication with landlordsgovernment action on regulatory change to support the above changes, including action on housing supply and a review of rental building sustainability standards.By: Lesley Instone, Kathleen Mee, Jane Palmer, Miriam Williams and Nicola Vaughan
Adapting the community sector for climate extremes
Full text linkAbstract People experiencing poverty and inequality will be affected first and worst by the impacts of climate change to infrastructure and human settlements, including those caused by increasingly frequent and intense extreme weather events and natural disasters. They have the least capacity to cope, to adapt, to move and to recover. Community service organisations (CSOs) play a critical role in supporting individuals, families and communities experiencing poverty and inequality to build resilience and respond to adverse changes in circumstances. As such, the services they provide comprise a critical component of social infrastructure in human settlements. However, very little is understood about CSOs own vulnerability to – or their role in managing and mitigating risks to their clients and the community from – climate change impacts to physical infrastructure. The Extreme Weather, Climate Change and the Community Sector – Risks and Adaptations project examined the relationship between physical and social infrastructure (in the form of CSO service provision). Specifically, the ways in which the climate-driven failure of CSO service delivery worsens risks to the individuals and communities they serve and, on the other hand, how preparedness may reduce vulnerability to climate change and extreme weather impacts to human settlements and infrastructure.The research comprised a comprehensive and critical scoping, examination and review of existing research findings and an audit, examination and judgment-based evaluation of the current vulnerabilities and capacities of CSOs under projected climate change scenarios. It employed three key methods of consultation and data collection. A literature review examined research conducted to date in Australia and comparative countries internationally on the vulnerability and climate change adaptation needs of CSOs. A program of 10 Community Sector Professional Climate Workshops consulted over 150 CSO representatives to develop a qualitative record of extreme event and climate change risks and corresponding adaptation strategies specific to CSOs. A national survey of CSOs, which resulted in the participation of approximately 500 organisations, produced a quantitative data set about the nature of CSO vulnerability to climate change and extreme weather impacts to infrastructure, whether and how CSOs are approaching the adaptation task and key barriers to adaptation.While the methods employed and the absence of empirical data sets quantifying CSO vulnerability to climate change impacts create limitations to the evidence-base produced, findings from the research suggest that CSOs are highly vulnerable and not well prepared to respond to climate change and extreme weather impacts to physical infrastructure and that this underlying organisational vulnerability worsens the vulnerability of people experiencing poverty and inequality to climate change. However, the project results indicate that if well adapted, CSOs have the willingness, specialist skills, assets and capacity to make a major contribution to the resilience and adaptive capacity of their clients and the community more broadly (sections of which will be plunged into adversity by extreme events). Despite this willingness, the evidence presented shows that few CSOs have undertaken significant action to prepare for climate change and worsening extreme weather events. Key barriers to adaptation identified through the research are inadequate financial resources, lack of institutionalised knowledge and skills for adaptation and the belief that climate change adaptation is beyond the scope of CSOs core business. On the other hand, key indicators of organisational resilience to climate change and extreme weather impacts include: level of knowledge about extreme weather risks, past experience of an extreme weather event and organisational size.Given its size, scope and the critical role the Australian community sector plays in building client and community resilience and in assisting communities to respond to and recover from the devastating impacts of extreme weather events and natural disasters, the research identifies serious gaps in both the policy frameworks and the research base required to ensure the sector’s resilience and adaptive capacity – gaps which appear to have already had serious consequences. To address these gaps, a series of recommendations has been prepared to enable the development and implementation of a comprehensive, sector-specific adaptation and preparedness program, which includes mechanisms to institutionalise knowledge and skills, streamlined tools appropriate to the needs and capacity of a diverse range of organisations and a benchmarking system to allow progress towards resilience and preparedness to be monitored. Future research priorities for adaptation in this sector have also been identified
- …
