Climate adaptation sector review: Informing the future direction for the ACT and Region

Climate change poses major challenges for all countries, regions and cities. Canberra is no exception, and the imperative to both reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to unavoidable climate changes is becoming stronger.

Climate change adaptation is a relatively new area of policy, practice and research, which has experienced significant and rapid growth in the last 10 years. Government, business and the community have become increasingly engaged and informed of the issues, impacts and consequences that a changing climate will bring in both the short and longer terms. Working collaboratively to ensure a sustainable future for future generations is a goal of many organisations.

The ACT Government is at the forefront of Australian policy and planning in developing a long term and systematic approach to the issues that cities, regions and communities face as they plan for climate change. The Territory’s work on the development of complementary mitigation and adaptation strategies, and the introduction of Directions for the ACT, has provided this background paper with a solid conceptual grounding to undertake its analysis.