Sustainable Water
National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility, $100,000
Dr Anna Lukasiewicz (post-doc), Prof Max Finlayson, ILWS & Dr Jamie Pittock, ANU
Inherent in every adaptation measure are risks, costs and benefits. A challenge for decision makers is how to choose adaptations that reduce risks from climate change impacts and are overwhelmingly beneficial. This project focuses on several catchments in the Murray-Darling Basin as an example for testing a method for more integrative climate change adaptation that increases resilience and avoids maladaptation.
The project involved a comprehensive literature review, semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders and four workshops with the project partners.
In this project, the research team showed how systemic climate change adaptation planning can better consider risks, costs and benefits to inform choice of measures. A 'Climate Change Adaptation Catchment Assessment Framework' (CCA CAF) was also developed as a planning tool for regional management bodies in southern Australia to assess climate change adaptation.
Pic on right :Ovens, River, VIC. © J Pittock, 2008
The CCA CAF and its associated concepts have been presented in climate change-related workshops, conferences and seminars around Australia (in Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney and Brisbane) and overseas (at a seminar organised by the International Institute for Global Health in Malaysia).
The Climate Change Adaptation Catchment Assessment Framework was developed and tested as a planning tool aimed at catchment-level NRM managers. The tool has proved helpful to CMA project officers during a review of NSW Catchment Action Plans, as it allowed the incorporation of climate change adaptation considerations into management activities within the CMAs' water programs.
A CCA CAF User Guide has been developed to offer step-by-step instructions and necessary information for managers to apply the CCA CAF in their NRM institution.
CONTACT
Dr Anna Lukasiewicz
email
September 2013