Adaptation Planning Process and Government Adaptation Architecture Support Regional Action on Climate Change in New South Wales, Australia

Abstract

This paper reports progress of the Government of New South Wales (NSW), Australia, in implementing climate adaptation responses through the establishment of an effective adaptation architecture and incorporation of the elements of best practice adaptation policy development. Ideally, adaptation policy development should be grounded in practice; support adaptation processes that reduce social and environmental vulnerability; account for short-term variations and longer-term changes in climate; recognise the importance of scale from the local to the global; be assessed in the context of human development; and, employ participatory processes throughout its formulation and implementation.

At the centre of the NSW Government’s approach, Enabling Regional Adaptation (ERA) is an on-going, multi-region, stakeholder-led process designed to inform local and regional adaptation planning and action. ERA consists of several phases that include: integrated assessment of vulnerability at regional scale (climate and socio-economic profiling, impact pathways development, adaptive capacity assessment and identification of collective actions); development of strategic adaptation pathways, change models and process benchmarking; and, place-based dialogue on transformational adaptation with local stakeholders. ERA is supported by an adaptation architecture that includes: regional capacity building, enhancement of social capital, knowledge dissemination, research partnerships and dedicated funding. Since 2010, the project has engaged 720 regional decision-makers through 33 participatory workshops and assessed adaptation in five NSW planning regions covering 75 % of the State’s population and 64 % of Local Government Areas.