National Climate Change Adaptation Research Plan: Settlements and Infrastructure
The National Adaptation Research Plan for Settlements and Infrastructure (Settlements NARP) identifies priority research questions for climate change adaptation issues relevant to Australia’s cities, towns and regions - but offers useful adaptive planning strategies and considerations applicable to practitioners elsewhere. The Settlements NARP was developed in 2010 to identify research required to provide decision makers within government, industry and communities with the information they need to effectively respond and adapt to the impacts of climate change on settlements and infrastructure. The NARP was updated in 2012 to reflect the contribution of new research to practitioner knowledge needs, as well as the evolving requirements of practitioners.
This Research Plan is structured around four themes which relate to the issues around and management of settlements and infrastructure that are under threat from the impacts of climate change including: urban and regional planning and management, built environment, vulnerable coastal communities, and infrastructure. A number of critical information needs and research gaps are identified and detailed under each theme.
Cross-cutting issues relating overall to the four sectors are discussed also. Some of the useful cross-disciplinary research questions addressed include, for example: What sectors of society are most vulnerable and least able to adapt to climate change in urban, regional and remote settlements? What is the nature of those vulnerabilities and the barriers to adaptation? How can physical, social, economic and institutional factors reduce their vulnerability and increase their adaptive capacity?
The 2012 update describes the research that has been done on each question since the original report, and offers an outcome of how that research affects the topic's prioritization. Prioritization was assigned by looking at potential impact severity, immediacy of required intervention or response, practicality of alternative intervention, potential for co-benefit, cross-sectoral relevance, and equity considerations.
Publication Date: April 2012
Authors or Affiliated Users:
- Bruce Thom
- Jennifer Cane
- Ron Cox
- Catherine Farrell
- Peter Hayes
- Robert Kay
- Allen Kearns
- Darryl Low Choy
- John McAneney
- Jan McDonald
- Michael Nolan
- Barbara Norman
- Jonathan Nott
- Tim Smith
Related Organizations:
- National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility
Sectors:
Resource Category:
Resource Types:
- Plans (other)
