The Climate Systems Hub hosted Australia’s national adaptation conference Climate Adaptation 2023 (CA2023) in Adelaide from 25 – 27 July 2023.
Introducing the conference, hub leader Dr Simon Marsland said: “We should feel hope as we discuss Australia’s adaptation future.”
This was the first national adaptation conference in five years and attracted more than 440 delegates with 11 keynote speakers across six plenary sessions. The three-day program saw 215 interdisciplinary speakers present across 42 sessions on a wide range of topics.
Delegates represented all levels of government, the consulting sector, industry and not-for-profit, and reflected the diversity of practitioners working in climate adaptation.
“After the 2018 conference, we identified a trend in abstract submission, with those from decision-makers and practitioners in government and the consultancy business increasing over time. Less and less have come from researchers,” said Adaptation Initiative lead Associate Professor Sarah Boulter.
“Around a quarter of delegates at CA2023 represented research organisations. …. The adaptation pendulum has swung firmly from an academic exercise to one of practice.”
The conference was a partnership with the South Australian Department for Environment and Water and was opened by South Australian Deputy Premier and Minister for Climate, Environment and Water Dr Susan Close.
“This conference is a great opportunity for experts to share their knowledge and experience to help strengthen the growing community of adaptation research and practice in Australia,” Dr Close said.
Federal Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy Jenny McAllister also addressed the conference on day two at the plenary session.
Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy Senator Jenny McAllister
The conference program and list of speakers is available on the conference website here.
The hub is pleased to be able to provide presentations from the plenary sessions.
Plenary 1 – Welcome to Climate Adaptation 2023
Dr Pep Canadell – Unmasking our Carbon and Climate Futures
Professor Ben Newell – Climate endgame. (How) do people understand projections about future climate change
Plenary 2 – Reflections on the first Aotearoa – New Zealand climate change risk assessment: challenges, lessons and opportunities
Dr Judy Lawrence, Adjunct Professor at the Climate Change Research Institute, Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand
Plenary 3 –The business of resilience
Insurance Council of Australia CEO Andrew Hall – The Business of Resilience
Dr Russ Wise – The business of adaptation and resilience… is everybody’s business
Plenary 4 – Living with extreme events
Professor Jason Evans – Rain Check – Are Our Climate Models up to the Task of Predicting Extreme Weather
Jimmy Scott – Building back better, the Queensland experience
Vicki Woodburn – Building the evidence base for your decisions
Plenary 5 – Adapting people and place
Dr Katherine Tuft – climate adaptation for biodiversity conservation in arid Australia
Plenary 6 – What gives you hope?
Professor Lesley Hughes – Hope is hard
Professor Jon Barnett – What Gives me Hope
This event was run in partnership with the South Australian Department for Environment and Water.
