Enabling best practice adaptation

To improve success in adapting to climate change, we need to understand what works and what doesn’t.

This project analyses adaptation approaches and case studies to develop a set of principles that enable best-practice adaptation planning and implementation. It supports the NESP Climate Adaptation Initiative to answer important questions about how Australia is adapting to climate change.

In a changing climate, adaptation is crucial for the well-being and prosperity of all Australians. Supported by solid decision-making frameworks, successful adaptation is built from the best available science and evidence.

Governments and organisations are increasingly considering future climate risks as part of the adaptation planning and implementation processes. To guide best practice and form a national picture of what works well, there is much to learn from plans and action already in progress.

The project has looked at ‘enablers’ of best practise adaptation (Fact sheet link) and is now building an analysis of what best practice adaptation looks like. In 2023 we launched Australia’s first national climate adaptation stocktake and contributed to the National Climate Risk Assessment using early work.

In 2024 we are focusing on case studies of adaptation to understand enablers of best practice, and continuing to build the Climate Adaptation Stocktake. In the final year of the project we plan to partner with on-ground practitioners to produce a guide of improved and new approaches to best practice adaptation.

The outcomes of the project will be applicable across a broad range of sectors.

Want to know more?
Please contact: Sarah Boulter, Climate Adaptation Initiative Lead