Adapting Australian coastal regions to climate change

Abstract

An increasing proportion of Australians are living in the coastal zone, which is also becoming increasingly prone to sea-level rise, storm surge, and flooding. The likely severity of the potential impacts of climate change on Australia’s coastal communities has also been recognized by the Australian government through the recent national coastal inquiry. Similarly, some coastal local governments have become key advocates for progressive adaptation policies, although many continue to face significant capacity constraints in terms of resources, skills, and support from other tiers of government. South East Queensland has been identified as being particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change; local governments experience adaptive capacity issues primarily relating to infrastructure provision, emergency response capacity, and the changing socioeconomic characteristics of the region. Biophysical, socioeconomic, and political drivers of change are also likely to influence the effectiveness of adaptation options in the region into the future.