March 27, 2026
Update from the Australian Adaptation Database
Australia is already experiencing the impacts of climate change, including more frequent and intense heatwaves, bushfires, droughts, floods and coastal erosion. In response, governments, businesses, community organisations and research institutions are taking action to adapt to a changing climate. Understanding the scale, type and distribution of these actions is critical to tracking national progress and identifying gaps, opportunities and emerging trends.
The State of Climate Change Adaptation in Australia report provides a national snapshot of adaptation activity across the country, drawing on data from the Australian Adaptation Database. This report presents the findings from the initial release of the database, covering the period from April 2025 to January 2026. The following reports will be released quarterly.
About the Australian Adaptation Database
The Australian Adaptation Database was developed to increase understanding of Australia’s progress toward climate change adaptation. It is a systematic, publicly accessible collection of documented climate adaptation activities occurring across Australia.
The database captures adaptation actions across:
- Multiple scales, from local and community‑based initiatives to state, territory and national programs
- A wide range of sectors, including infrastructure, health, environment, emergency management, agriculture, water, energy and urban planning
- Diverse geographic locations, spanning metropolitan, regional, rural and remote areas across all Australian states and territories
Each entry in the database is carefully reviewed and coded using a consistent methodology. This enables comparison across regions and sectors, and supports long‑term analysis of how adaptation activity is evolving over time.
The database is updated on an ongoing basis, reflecting the dynamic nature of climate change adaptation in Australia.
