Victorian Climate Change Adaptation Plan

Victorian
Climate Change
Adaptation Plan

Victorian Climate Change
Adaptation Plancontents
PAGE
Introduction 2
Purpose 3
Scope of the plan 3
Next steps 3
1 Victoria’s climate future 6
1.1 What we can expect 6
1.2 Dealing with uncertainty in adaptation planning 6
1.3 Implications for the Victorian economy: risks and opportunities 6
2 Framework for adaptation planning 8
Decision-making principles and clarification of roles and
responsibilities to guide future adaptation planning
2.1 Principles for adaptation planning 8
2.2 Roles and responsibilities 9
2.3 Integration of adaptation considerations in government decision-making 11
3 Key strategies to build Victoria’s climate resilience 12
Providing strategic direction for future action across the Victorian Government and
through engaging with local government, business and the community
3.1 Managing risks to public assets and services 14
3.2 Managing risks to natural assets and natural resource-based industries 20
3.3 Building disaster resilience and integrated emergency management 26
3.4 Improving access to research and information for decision-making 29
3.5 Supporting private sector adaptation 34
3.6 Strengthening partnerships with local government and communities 38
4 Managing climate hazards 42
What the Victorian Government is doing to manage critical hazards
4.1 Bushfires 44
4.2 Heatwaves 46
4.3 Floods and storms 47
4.4 Sea level rise and coastal inundation 50
4.5 Drought 52
5 Building climate resilience in key sectors 54
What the Victorian Government is doing to manage risks in key sectors
5.1 Essential Infrastructure and built environment 54
5.2 Economy 57
5.3 Natural environment 59
5.4 People and the community 62
6 Regional snapshots 64
Adaptation action in Victoria's regions
Appendix 1 82
Glossary 90
Photo Credits 91
Endnotes 92
Acronyms 96

VICTORIAN CLIMATE CHANGE
ADAPTATION PLAN
MINISTER’S FOREWORD
Victoria’s liveability is defined by
the health and beauty of our natural
environment, the quality of our
infrastructure and the strength
of our economy. Changes in our
climate may put each of these assets
under pressure if we don’t act to
protect them.
The Victorian Government is leading the way,
helping Victorians prepare for future climate
challenges, ensuring that we manage risks
and can adapt to change. A changing climate
presents us with risks such as hotter days
and sea level rise. Our natural world, our built
environment, economy and public services
may feel the effects of these changes in
varied ways.
To better manage these risks, I am pleased
to introduce the Victorian Government’s first
Climate Change Adaptation Plan. This plan
will help Victoria to minimise the costs of any
potential risks, and to take advantage of any
opportunities that could arise out of changes
in our climate.
Managing risks and adapting to climate change
is a responsibility shared by everyone – all levels
of government and business, communities
and individuals.
This first adaptation plan focuses on
government preparedness. By providing clear
direction on state government roles, priorities
and actions, we create the right conditions
for local government and business to follow
with their own climate risk planning.
Key to this plan is integrating climate risk
planning into policy settings and existing risk
management strategies, across all portfolios
and regions of the state.
The plan outlines actions being taken to
manage risks and build climate resilience
across essential public infrastructure and
services. The plan also recognises that
managing risks to Victoria’s natural assets
and natural resource-based industries is vital
for the wellbeing of our communities and
the health of our economy.
Victoria is no stranger to natural disasters
and the impacts of both flood and bushfire.
Complementary to the White Paper on
Victorian Emergency Management Reform,
this plan recognises the need to keep our
emergency systems integrated, responsive
and resilient to the potential effects of
a changing climate.
An important step in ensuring coordinated
adaptation planning will be to build on
partnerships with local governments and
communities. This plan demonstrates that
understanding where risks exist is central
to prioritising the actions we must take
and where joint effort is most needed.
As subsequent adaptation plans are delivered,
our responses will evolve and build on the
achievements of this first plan, to ensure
Victoria’s continued liveability and prosperity.
The Hon Ryan Smith MP
Minister for Environment and Climate Change
1
2

Adaptation Plan
INTRODUCTION
Adaptation is about increasing public and private resilience to
climate risks through better decisions about managing our built
and natural environment and taking advantage of opportunities.
3

VICTORIAN CLIMATE CHANGE
ADAPTATION PLAN
Purpose of the plan
This first Climate Change Adaptation Plan for
Victoria focuses on government preparedness
by ensuring that:
appropriate risk management strategies
are in place for public assets and services;
enhanced disaster resilience strategies
are being implemented; and
government policies and programs
encourage and facilitate climate resilience
and adaptive capacity across the
Victorian community.
The Victorian Government committed
to preparing for a changing climate in its
Response to the independent Review of
the Climate Change Act 20101
. In late 2012,
it strengthened legislative provisions guiding
the preparation of the Climate Change
Adaptation Plan.
The plan provides the basis for building
Victoria’s climate resilience and a clear
framework for ongoing discussions and
partnerships with local government
and other stakeholders.
Scope of the plan
The plan represents a whole of Victorian
Government commitment to adaptation.
All 11 Victorian departments have been
involved in its development.
Specifically, the plan addresses six key areas:
Existing adaptation responses:
demonstrates the broad scope of Victorian
Government adaptation responses
already underway.
Roles and responsibilities: provides
guidance on roles and responsibilities of
government – in particular, state and local
government – and the private sector, on the
basis that climate risks are best managed
by those closest to the risk.
Key strategies and priorities: establishes key
whole of Victorian Government strategies
and strategic priorities to manage the major
short and long term climate risks to public
assets and services and to build community
preparedness.
Integrating climate risk management:
reinforces the need to embed climate risk
management across all portfolios of the
Victorian Government and across all
regions of the state.
Partnerships: supports capacity-building in
local government through a strengthened
adaptation partnership.
Regional focus: recognises the importance
of place-based responses to managing
climate risks and the need to develop
regional partnerships and deliver effective
action on the ground.
The plan does not deal with greenhouse
gas emission reduction efforts as these are
addressed primarily through the national
carbon pricing mechanism. The Victorian
Government accepts that under a national
carbon price, state and territory governments
need to focus on managing and adapting to
climate risks and supporting their economies.
Next steps
This first adaptation plan sets out the
framework for managing climate risks to
critical Victorian Government assets and
services. With each subsequent plan, and
as more information becomes available,
our adaptive capacity will be strengthened.
Discussions will continue with stakeholders,
the Commonwealth, local government
and the Victorian community.
This plan will be evaluated with updates
and progress reports made available on
the climate change website:
www.climatechange.vic.gov.au
Evaluation findings will inform the next
Victorian Climate Change Adaptation Plan
due to be prepared in 2016.

Adaptation Plan
Commitment to ongoing
coordination across government
The plan establishes processes to coordinate
adaptation policy across the Victorian
Government through:
Establishing a whole of government
coordinating committee to:
– coordinate ongoing delivery and
development of research and
strategic priorities;
– facilitate information exchange within
Government on agency responses
to climate risks;
– report to Government on progress in
‘mainstreaming’ adaptation planning;
– identify emerging climate-related
inter-agency and statewide risks
and opportunities; and
– review progress and evaluate the
effectiveness of existing adaptation
responses and the requirement for
modified or additional measures.
Providing a forum of public sector asset
managers to share best practice around
climate related risk identification and
management, and to facilitate information
sharing and early identification of inter-
agency and state-wide climate related risks.
Developing a research and information
network across Government to: strengthen
engagement between research and policy
making on whole of government priorities,
and to develop coordinated approaches
for providing information to Victorian
councils and the Victorian community,
to support their adaptation planning and
risk management.
Key stakeholder partnerships
The Government will work with
key stakeholders through:
The Council of Australian Governments
(COAG) and other formal intergovernmental
processes on adaptation responses to
pursue opportunities for collaboration, for
leveraging of Commonwealth Government
programs and to avoid duplication of effort.
Partnerships with the Victorian local
government sector, with an enhanced
focus on adaptation, through the Victorian
Adaptation and Sustainability Partnership.
Continued discussions between
the Victorian Government and the
local government sector with a view
to developing a memorandum of
understanding with the sector outlining
respective and shared adaptation roles
and responsibilities.
Engagement with the private sector
to inform and support business in
understanding and managing their
climate risks.

Adaptation Plan
4
CASE STUDY /
Victorian Adaptation and Sustainability
Partnership – Supporting local
climate resilience
The Victorian Adaptation and Sustainability Partnership aims to strengthen
cooperation between the Victorian Government and local government by:
clarifying their respective roles and responsibilities;
providing a forum for ongoing discussion between state and local government
on climate change adaptation and environmental sustainability issues;
identifying opportunities for partnerships, in particular for tackling issues that
cannot be effectively addressed by either State or local government alone; and
helping to ensure that local issues are considered in state policy making.
All 79 Victorian councils have joined the Partnership (formerly the Victorian
Local Sustainability Accord), together with the Municipal Association of Victoria,
Victorian Local Governance Association and Local Government Professionals.
The Partnership funding program provides resources to councils (or groups of councils)
for projects that reflect local needs and priorities. Round 5 of the program, announced in
August 2011, allocated $5.67 million to 57 projects across three funding streams: regional
grants, partnership grants and individual grants for resource-constrained councils.
The Partnership provides a strengthened platform for local government adaptation, using
the model of the Accord. Accord projects now underway in Barwon South-West and
in Southern Loddon Mallee provide models for regional adaptation planning involving
partnerships between local governments, communities and other regional bodies.
A ministerial advisory committee comprising of representatives from councils, peak bodies
and the Department of Sustainability and Environment and the Department of Planning
and Community Development oversees the Partnership. It provides advice to the Minister
for Environment and Climate Change and acts as a conduit between state and local
government on climate change adaptation and environmental sustainability issues.

Adaptation Plan
PART 1 /
Victoria’s climate future
1.1 What we can expect
The Victorian Government’s Report on
Climate Change Science and Greenhouse
Gas Emissions in Victoria (March 2012)2
published existing information on
projections for Victoria’s future climate.
The projected changes include:
more days over 35°C and higher
annual mean temperature
reduced average rainfall and stream flows
fewer and heavier rainfall days
reduced snow cover
possible sea-level rise and storm surges.
These projections suggest an increased risk of:
bushfires
heatwaves
floods
drought
sea level rise and coastal impacts.3
The first Climate Change Adaptation Plan
focuses on the implications of these risks,
particularly for critical public assets and
services provided and managed by the
Victorian Government. Further details of
the risks are provided in Appendix 1.
Climate-related risks will be experienced
to different degrees across Victoria – but
climate risk assessment and management are
important for all parts of the state. Climate
risk assessment and responses must consider
immediate and obvious risks, such as bushfires,
floods or heatwaves, and likely gradual and
subtle changes, such as seasonal shifts
and changes in average temperatures or
coastal erosion.
Recent events (such as heatwaves, drought,
bushfires and flooding) are consistent with
scientific understanding of conditions that may
be more likely in a warmer world, compared
to natural variability. However, it is very difficult
to identify the specific causes of individual
extreme weather events.
1.2 Dealing with uncertainty
in adaptation planning
Making decisions in a context of uncertainty
about the magnitude, timing and distribution
of climate impacts is recognised as a key
challenge for governments and the private
sector in undertaking adaptation planning.4
The Victorian Government’s approach to
managing climate risks is to be flexible to
account for changes in Victoria’s communities,
economy and environment and to carefully
consider options, timely responses and
appropriate evaluation and review mechanisms.
Population, demographics and changes
in the structure of the economy may have
implications for adaptation planning.
Specific risk management tools being
developed and implemented within
Government to guide decision-making
in relation to public assets and services,
such as scenario planning and real options
analysis, are detailed in Part 3.1.
1.3 Implications for
the Victorian economy:
risks and opportunities
Understanding where risks exist can help
inform future decisions about where and how
to invest both from a public and private point
of view to ensure the State’s continued
prosperity. In particular, gradual changes
in temperature potentially enable industries
to transition and develop.
The plan is guided by economic reviews5
undertaken in Australia and overseas that
indicate the benefits of early adaptation
actions can outweigh the costs, particularly
where there are existing climate-related risks.
Projected climate changes affecting
essential services, industries, communities
and ecosystems across Victoria are likely to
have complex economic implications through
direct impacts and the flow-on effect of
disruption and change through the economy.

Adaptation Plan
For example, reduced primary productivity
due to possible increases in the frequency and
severity of drought could lower productivity
in manufacturing and services sectors;
community wellbeing may be impacted
and demands for government services may
increase. Extreme natural events, such as
storms or bushfires, have immediate economic
impacts on both the private and public
sectors through loss or damage to property,
infrastructure and natural systems. Loss of life,
injuries and health impacts (including mental
health) may increase demand on services.
In addition, disruption to transport and other
infrastructure may reduce productivity and,
over the longer term, may change financial
arrangements due to large insurance losses.
The Department of Treasury and
Finance has estimated that the
Victorian Government has spent over
$4 billion over the past 10 years
on response and recovery to climate-
related events such as bushfire, flood
and drought.
Victorian research6
has estimated that
by 2050 increases in bushfires under
projected future climate change will
cost the agriculture sector an additional
$1.4 billion ($46.6 million per year by
2050) and the timber industry $2.8 billion
($93.4 million per year by 2050).7
New opportunities
Some climate changes could stimulate
new opportunities for businesses and local
communities. Sharing information is important
to identify and exploit opportunities that
may arise for various regions and sectors,
in particular as a result of incremental
changes to climate.
These opportunities may include:
Growth of new crops due to a warmer
climate with longer growing seasons. It has
been estimated that average grain yields in
the south west of Victoria could increase by
10-20 per cent until 2070,8
enabling farmers
to diversify and expand grain production.
Farmers experiencing reductions in long-term
average rainfall may be able to switch to
different enterprises or production systems.
Increased habitat range and populations
for some fish species. This may create
opportunities to develop or reposition
fisheries industries. Some current fisheries
sectors and/or regions could flourish, such
as Gippsland, as a result of expected future
fisheries for pelagic species (e.g. yellow fin
tuna and marlin).
A developing carbon market, in particular
the Commonwealth Government’s Carbon
Farming Initiative, can provide incentives
for landowners to integrate landscape
management, including revegetation
and native plantings, which can provide
biodiversity corridors.
The delivery of adaptation risk management
services and products. This may create new
market opportunities for businesses: for
example, new products in the finance sector
to manage climate risks where conventional
insurance products fail to do so.9
Innovation and flexibility in business and
industry, such as development of climate
resilient building products. Examples include
the increased demand for synthetic turf
sporting facilities to replace vulnerable grass
surfaces and development of innovative
building solutions, such as fire-resistant
materials and products for green and
‘white’ roofs.
Major adaptation works such as the
modernisation of irrigation or transport
infrastructure. These could boost regional
economies and create high skill local jobs
through increased demands for engineering,
building and construction services.
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Adaptation Plan
PART 2 /
Framework for
adaptation planning
Decision making principles and roles and
responsibilities to guide future adaptation planning
2.1 Principles
The plan has been prepared to be consistent
with the Climate Change Act 2010 and the
principles outlined below, which will guide its
ongoing development and implementation.
Informed decision-making
Informed decision-making requires research
tailored to Victorian settings and needs;
accessible information for government and
private sector adaptation planning; and tools
for dealing with uncertainty and optimising
adaptation investment. The plan addresses
Victoria’s research and information needs
(3.4) and the issue of how to manage with
uncertainty in making decisions for the
future (1.2, 3.1 and 3.5).
Integrated decision making
across government
Integrated planning and decision
making should aim to:
mainstream adaptation responses into
existing polices or programs (including
existing risk management strategies);
integrate across government, for example,
coordination of research priorities across
government, and coordinated planning at
a regional level to deal with place-based
risks and ensuring whole of government
integration;
develop adaptation actions with
co-benefits, where future climate risk is
mitigated and other social, economic or
environmental benefits are also delivered.
It is also important to ensure that adaptation
responses do not undermine emissions
abatement efforts; and
avoid maladaptation, so that actions taken
to avoid or reduce vulnerability to climate
risks do not impact adversely on, or increase
the vulnerability of other systems, sectors
or social groups.10
Risk management
Action should be timely and appropriate to
the level of uncertainty and impact. Priority
should be given to addressing high impact
risks and identifying robust options that deliver
benefits at least cost to the community under
a range of future climate change scenarios.
This involves careful evaluation of information
and taking into account long and short term
environmental, economic, health and other
implications, with an emphasis on avoiding
serious or irreversible damage. The Victorian
Government’s Risk Management Framework
– detailed in Part 3.1 – provides a consistent
approach to decision-making.
Complementarity with other
levels of government
Duplication with Commonwealth responsibility
and action is to be avoided, and the respective
roles of the Victorian Government and local
government must be clearly defined, based
on the approach that responses should
be delivered at the most effective level.
Part 2.2 outlines the respective roles of the
Commonwealth Government, the Victorian
Government and local government.
Equity
Climate impacts will be different for different
groups, communities and regions. Planning
and decision-making should take into account
that some Victorians may be more vulnerable
to climate-related impacts and may require
greater support. It is also important to balance
the needs of future generations and ensure that
decisions made today do not adversely impact
future capacity to adapt to climate risks or take
advantage of opportunities. The emphasis is
on increasing the capacity of all to adapt, and
preventing the inappropriate transfer of risk.
This is discussed further in Parts 3.5 and 3.6.

Adaptation Plan
Community engagement
Community engagement is important to inform
government adaptation planning and design
responses that meet the needs of Victorian
communities. Effective engagement also helps
the community understand potential climate
risks and their responsibilities, and supports
community capacity-building. Government
has a critically important role in providing
relevant information and guidance to facilitate
risk management by individuals, communities
and businesses. Government responses should
also allow flexibility for individuals, businesses
and communities, where practicable, and
not undermine incentives for individuals and
businesses to undertake private adaptation
actions. These issues are discussed further
in Parts 3.4, 3.5, and 3.6.
2.2 Roles and responsibilities
In adapting to climate change, all levels of
government, businesses and communities
must manage climate risks in some way.
As a consequence, it is critically important
to allocate risk and clarify roles and
responsibilities.
Governments should manage risks to public
assets and services and make efficient
investment decisions. Governments also
provide information and help to build the
‘adaptive capacity’ of individuals, businesses
and groups to manage climate risks.
The Victorian Government is committed to
creating the right conditions and incentives
for private parties to manage their climate risks,
recognising that risk management is generally
best undertaken by those who are directly
affected, and who are in a position to
manage the risks.
The Victorian Government has adopted a
Statement of Common Understanding on
the Roles and Responsibilities for Climate
Change Adaptation in Australia,11
developed by
all Australian governments and the Australian
Local Government Association. This provides
guidance on allocating management of
climate change risks among the three levels
of government – Commonwealth, state and
local – as well as private parties. The statement
was prepared through the Council of Australian
Governments’ Select Council on Climate
Change (SCCC) and adopted in November
2012. These roles and responsibilities are
expected to evolve over time and need to be
applied flexibly to take account of local needs
and circumstances.
This plan builds on the framework of agreed
roles and responsibilities and details its
application in the Victorian context.
National adaptation priorities
All three levels of government are working on
national adaptation priorities identified through
the SCCC. These national priorities were
identified on the basis of the potential scale of
economic, social and environmental impacts;
the likely timing of potential impacts; and the
importance of early action to manage risks.
The priorities are:
water resources
coasts
infrastructure
natural ecosystems
agriculture
emergency management
vulnerable communities.
Work plans are being developed for these
priority areas, addressing needs relevant to
all states and territories and, where possible,
providing a mechanism for mainstreaming
climate risk management into existing inter-
jurisdictional work. The first work plan for
managing the impacts of climate change
in the coastal zone was adopted by SCCC
in November 2012.
This national adaptation work complements
work already underway in Victoria. The national
work plans allow for jurisdictional flexibility
and recognise best-practice adaptation efforts
being implemented by individual jurisdictions.
They do not replace the adaptation efforts
being implemented by individual jurisdictions.

Adaptation Plan
Responsibilities of different
levels of government
The three levels of government –
Commonwealth, state and local – have
different responsibilities and differentiated,
yet complementary, roles to play in preparing
Australia for the impacts of climate change.
Partnerships between the Victorian
Government and the Commonwealth,
other states and local governments are
important in areas such as:
developing reliable information and
analytical tools, particularly where this
can be most efficiently produced at a
national scale. For example, approaches
to understanding costs and benefits of
adaptation actions, methods for assessing
vulnerability and risks;
coordinating with other states where
impacts cross state borders or affect
national infrastructure and assets; and
managing regional climate risks and
engaging with regional communities.
Commonwealth Government
The Commonwealth Government has
stewardship of the national economy and is
responsible for promoting Australia’s national
interests more broadly. The Commonwealth
contributes to improving adaptive capacity
and build climate resilience by:
Providing national science and information
– including through the Australian Climate
Change Science program and the National
Framework for Climate Change Science.12
Managing risks to Commonwealth assets
and programs – such as significant natural
assets like Kakadu that are vulnerable to the
impacts of climate change.
Providing guidance on national adaptation
reform – including dealing with climate
risks that have the long-term potential
to undermine the national economy,
national security or affect natural systems
of national significance.
Maintaining a strong, flexible economy and
a well-targeted social safety net – ensuring
resources are available to respond to climate
change and can be deployed efficiently;
and that price signals – such as through
insurance markets – can drive efficient
decision-making.
Victorian Government
The Victorian Government’s critical roles and
responsibilities build on SCCC principles and
are defined in terms of these key strategies:
Managing risks to public assets and services
managed by the Victorian Government
– including embedding climate change
considerations into risk management and
business planning for assets and critical
service delivery.
Managing risks to Victoria’s natural assets
and natural resource-based industries –
including developing overarching policy
settings and direction for addressing climate
risks to biodiversity, soils, waterways and
land, coastal and marine ecosystems.
Building disaster resilience and integrated
emergency management – including
reviewing and reforming emergency
management arrangements.
Improving access to research and
information for decision-making –
by supporting coordinated research and
information provision to assist all parties
to adapt.
Supporting private sector adaptation –
by developing policy settings that support
appropriate risk allocation, remove barriers
to effective adaptation and promote
business innovation.
Partnering with local government and
communities – including providing a basis
for ongoing engagement with Victorian
councils and their communities.
Further detail on these key strategies including
how they are being addressed via the strategic
priorities is provided in Part 3.
Local government
Local government is responsible for delivering a
broad range of services, administering a range
of Commonwealth and Victorian legislation
and managing a substantial number of assets,
infrastructure and services.
The sector is responsible for:
Managing risks and impacts to public assets
owned and managed by local government
and to local government service delivery
– including managing risks to assets and
infrastructure such as local roads and
providing ongoing service.
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Adaptation Plan
Supporting measures to build adaptive
capacity and climate resilience in local
communities – including delivering
information about relevant climate risks.
Collaborating across councils and, with
the Victorian Government, managing
regional climate change risks.
Working in partnership with the community,
locally based organisations and stakeholders
to manage relevant climate risks.
Implementing relevant legislation to
promote adaptation (e.g. the Emergency
Management Act 1986) – including,
ensuring that through administering local
planning schemes they appropriately
incorporate climate change considerations
and that decision-making is consistent with
State Government adaptation approaches.
Contributing appropriate resources to
prepare, prevent, respond and recover
from detrimental climate impacts.
Part 3.6 outlines the key adaptation issues
for local government and the requirements
for further work between the Victorian
Government and local government to
define the detail of respective roles and
responsibilities.
Role of individuals and businesses
All Australian governments have agreed that
businesses and individuals are generally best
placed to manage risks to their private assets
and activities.
Government policies can influence and
support private sector adaptation, in particular
by removing barriers to effective adaptation
and providing access to information to support
appropriate risk allocation and promote
business innovation. The Victorian Government
recognises that individuals, small business,
industry and private investors have private
incentives to respond to climate risks in the
same way they respond to other risks that
may affect their livelihoods.
Details of Government measures to support
individuals and businesses in their efforts to
manage risks from climate change impacts
are outlined in Parts 3.4 and 3.5.
2.3 Integration of adaptation
considerations in government
decision-making
Climate risk management and adaptation
planning are being integrated into the
mainstream planning and management
decisions of all government agencies.
In particular, the Climate Change Act 2010
establishes a climate change decision-making
framework with specific requirements for
government decision-makers to have regard to
climate change impacts. These provisions apply
to specific decisions made under the following
legislation: Catchment and Land Protection
Act 1994, Coastal Management Act 1995,
Environment Protection Act 1970, Flora and
Fauna Guarantee Act 1988, Public Health and
Wellbeing Act 2008 and Water Act 1989.
This provides an important basis for ensuring
robust decision-making, providing clear
direction for decision makers about how
to consider climate change impacts.
As identified by the independent Climate
Change Act Review (2011), the decision-
making considerations also enhance the
consistency and quality of decision-making
and reduce uncertainty.13
These statutory requirements promote the
integration of adaptation considerations into
mainstream government decision-making
and encourage business and community
stakeholders to consider climate change.
The Government has committed to
considering the effectiveness and scope of
these decision-making requirements at the
scheduled review of the Climate Change
Act in 2015.

Adaptation Plan
PART 3 /
Key strategies to build
Victoria’s climate resilience
Providing strategic direction for future action across the
Victorian Government and through engaging with local
government, business and the community
The Government’s overarching approach to adaptation is to strengthen
coordination across government and to integrate and mainstream
consideration of climate risks into existing government policies,
asset management approaches and service planning.
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Adaptation Plan
KEY STRATEGIES AND PRIORITIES /
These key strategies and priorities provide consistent and clear
direction to adaptation planning across the Victorian Government:
3.1 Managing risks to public assets and services managed by the
Victorian Government
The Government’s strategic priority for risk management is the ongoing application
of the Risk Management Framework across government to address climate risk.
The Government is developing a Strategy for Critical Infrastructure Resilience. The first
stage was to publish A Roadmap for Critical Infrastructure Resilience which proposes
key changes to strengthen the Victorian arrangements for navigating disruption to the
State’s key infrastructure.
The Government is continuing to plan for climate risks in health, including: embedding
climate change considerations into risk management and business planning, engaging
with funded agencies and facilitating the inclusion of climate risks into all Municipal
Health and Wellbeing Plans.
3.2 Managing risks to natural assets and natural resource-based industries
The Government’s Environmental Partnerships document establishes priorities
and provides strategic directions for action in relation to the natural environment.
A key priority is continued work on coastal risk management.
3.3 Building disaster resilience and integrated emergency management
The Government’s White Paper on Victorian Emergency Management Reform sets out
a broad roadmap for change, and affirms the importance of supporting community
resilience and building the capacity of the sector. It establishes governance structures
to improve accountability and efficiency, and drive reforms.
3.4 Improving access to research and information for decision making
The Government’s strategic priority for research and information is to continue
to build a model that:
– supports coordinated, action-oriented research and facilitates the exchange
of knowledge between researchers and policy makers across government; and
– increases the availability and accessibility of research and information to build
Victoria’s climate resilience by facilitating local government, business and
community risk management.
The Victorian Centre for Climate Change Adaptation Research provides a strong
foundation for delivery of this priority.
3.5 Supporting private sector adaptation
The Government’s strategic priority is the further development of policy settings that
support appropriate risk allocation and promote business innovation, including
providing access to information to assist the private sector to manage its risks.
As committed in the Environmental Partnerships document, the Government
is continuing to remove barriers to effective adaptation and clarify insurance
arrangements for climate-related risks.
3.6 Strengthening partnerships with local government and communities
The Government’s strategic priority is the Victorian Adaptation and Sustainability
Partnership – supporting local climate resilience.
To provide a clear basis for ongoing engagement with Victorian local governments,
the Government will develop a Memorandum of Understanding with the Victorian
local government sector, outlining the respective and shared climate change
adaptation roles and responsibilities, by the end of 2014.

Adaptation Plan
3.1 Managing risks to public
assets and services
3.1.1 Integrating climate risk
with whole-of-government
risk management
The Victorian Government provides many
essential services and manages a $170 billion
portfolio of assets,14
including government-
owned buildings and infrastructure.
All government agencies apply a common
risk management standard as part of normal
business processes. The Victorian Government
Risk Management Framework brings
together information on governance policies,
accountabilities and roles and responsibilities
for all those involved in risk management.15
This framework is also used to identify and
manage climate-related risks to public
assets and services.
Figure 1: Victorian Risk Management Framework –
Victoria’s governance and risk management model
Responsible body / Accountable Officer
responsible for an entity’s development and implementation of adequate
risk management, internal control and compliance frameworks;
formally states that the entity’s financial report is in accordance
with requirements of the FMA; and
annually attest that the entity has in place appropriate policies and
procedures to manage risk.
Portfolio Minister
Accountable to Parliament for their
area of responsibility
Parliament
Outputs
External attestation
of risk compliance
Annual internal
certification process
Audited financial
statements
Victorian
Government Risk
Management
Framework
(VGRMF)
Standing Directions
and Instructions
of the Minister
for Finance
(the Directions)
Financial
Management
Compliance
Framework
(FMCF)
Constitution Act 1975
Monitoring
and review
VAGO
Periodically
reviews
governance
arrangements
aross VPS
entities with
respect to risk
management
processes
Guidance and
support
DTF, DPC,
VMIA, and
SSA
Produce
guidance
and advice to
assist entities
develop and
implement
good
governance
and risk
management
policies and
procedures
Financial Management Act
1994 (FMA) and Borrowing and
Investments Powers Act 1987
Framework foundation
Public Administration Act
2004 (PAA)

Adaptation Plan
This framework can manage inter-agency
and statewide risks that go beyond the
management control of a single agency and
where flow-on effects require intervention
strategies across multiple agencies or across
government. Statewide risks may be immediate
or longer-term and they can include event
risks (e.g. bushfire) and incremental risks
(e.g. sea level rise).
3.1.2 Managing risks for critical
infrastructure and essential services
Loss or damage to Victoria’s critical transport,
water supply, health, human services and
education infrastructure due to extreme events,
such as flood or bushfire, is a major risk for the
Victorian Government. In addition to rebuilding,
replacement and disruptions to service delivery
there could be significant implications for the
Victorian economy and community.
Since 2003, the Victorian Government has
managed the risks to essential services
and critical infrastructure through Part 6
of the Terrorism (Community Protection)
Act 2003 and the Victorian Framework
for Critical Infrastructure Protection from
Terrorism (April 2007). A Government-
led review in 2011 showed that a broader
focus than terrorism is necessary for critical
infrastructure risk management. Events of the
past decade highlight that natural hazards
pose more immediate risk. As outlined in
the Government’s White Paper on Victorian
Emergency Management Reform, critical
infrastructure arrangements are being revised
to strengthen Victoria’s resilience to all possible
hazards, not just terrorism. A new Strategy
for Critical Infrastructure Resilience16
is being
developed. The first stage of this was to publish
A Roadmap for Critical Infrastructure Resilience
which proposes key changes to strengthen
the Victorian arrangements for navigating
disruption to the State’s key infrastructure. The
strengths of Victoria’s current arrangements
will be retained and built-on in the roadmap
and strategy. This way, the state will be better
positioned to deal with future threats.
Government agencies working in health,
human services, education, transport, energy
and water sectors must consider both the
direct climate risks and any compounding
effects. Issues to be considered in the planning
for a range of government services and
assets include:
what impact climate risks have on demand
(e.g. emergency management services,
health services) and the implications for
service planning; and
what changes may be required to the
design or management of buildings and
infrastructure (e.g. public housing, roads
and bridges).
In addition, the Government ensures that
public assets have an adequate level of
insurance to minimise the State’s fiscal
exposure to climate risks.
Critical infrastructure with a long life often
involves major investment decisions and, in
some cases, it is sited or designed to operate
within particular climate conditions (e.g. water
supply, bridges). In addition to climate, other
factors to consider include population trends,
patterns of urban development and economic
structure. This requires decision-makers
to actively engage with a range of change
possibilities and consider a wide range of
potential futures.
8

Adaptation Plan
The Government is exploring the use of
analytical tools to support effective decision-
making under uncertainty, including:
Understanding climate change risks –
for example, the transport sector is
developing staff skills and understanding of
climate change risks to ensure maintenance
programs and new infrastructure
construction projects are resilient to
the future climate (See case study p. 19).
Scenario planning – allowing decision-
makers to test how robust a particular
policy or solution is in a plausible range of
future climate change scenarios. Scenario
planning is being widely used and is
proving particularly beneficial for engaging
stakeholders in dialogue about the future
and improving understanding of adaptation
needs and options. The Victorian Centre
for Climate Change Adaptation Research’s
project on Scenario Planning for Climate
Adaptation uncovered 33 projects where this
scenario approach had been used effectively
within a range of government departments.
A practical, easy step guide has been
developed for those seeking to improve
organisational capacity to respond to rapidly
changing and complex contingencies, risks
and challenges.
Real options analysis – provides a measure
of decision-making flexibility through time.
It can highlight the benefits of delay or
staging decisions to limit the risk of stranded
investments by keeping options open
until the material source of uncertainty
is resolved. This involves balancing the
potential cost of an investment against the
potential benefits forgone by delaying the
investment. The Victorian Government
is currently testing this methodology for
application within government.
The VCCCAR project “decision-taking
in times of uncertainty” also provides
important input (refer Part 3.4).
Key risk management priorities
Health and human services – Service providers
experience increased demand during extreme
events. These events can have compounding
effects when, for example, essential services
are disrupted and both patients and staff
struggle to access health services. Further
research is a priority to support planning for the
long-term health impacts of climate change.
High quality, locally relevant information is
required across the full range of likely health
impacts (including mental health issues)
and many different vulnerable communities.
CASE STUDY /
Victorian Managed Insurance Authority
Roundtable on Critical Infrastructure
The Victorian Managed Insurance Authority (VMIA) offers support and advice in strategic
and operational risk management and insurance products for the public sector. Periodically,
it runs stakeholder roundtables to offer an opportunity for eminent and senior professionals
from both the private and public sectors to discuss and debate key risk issues.
In March 2012, VMIA hosted a Critical Infrastructure Risk Management Roundtable.
Critical Infrastructure is physical facilities, supply chains, information technologies and
communication networks which, if destroyed, degraded or rendered unavailable for an
extended period, would significantly impact on the social or economic wellbeing of the
nation or affect Australia’s ability to conduct national defence and ensure national security.
The expert forum brought together industry experts and senior decision-makers from both
the public and private sector to facilitate robust discussion and the development of a shared
understanding of critical infrastructure and essential services risk.
The forum also helped identify practical strategies for improving much needed
cross-sectoral cooperation within a more holistic approach to managing risks to critical
infrastructure. A complete report on the outcomes of this and other stakeholder forums
can be found on the VMIA website: www.vmia.vic.gov.au/Risk-Management/Guides-
and-publications/Risk-insights.aspx
9

Adaptation Plan
Adaptation responses need to account
for factors such as population growth, the
ageing population and rising levels of chronic
disease which pose critical challenges for
future management of health services.
Local government also has a responsibility
to consider climate change as the sector
plans health and community services.
Better information can assist them become
healthier, more resilient, communities.
Educational facilities and services –
Extreme bushfires, floods and severe
storms destroying or damaging infrastructure
has significant implications for delivery of
education services. The disruption of access
to educational services has potential impacts
on the health and wellbeing of Victorian
communities. Government asset planning and
management takes account of climate risks
related to extreme events, such as bushfire
risk management, as well as ensuring that
new investment incorporates building design
principles to reduce vulnerability to climate
change impacts. For example, design for
improved thermal performance, external
shading and cross ventilation supports
adaptation and helps to minimise building
and infrastructure upkeep costs.
Public housing – The Government supports
83,000 households in publicly-funded housing
across Victoria. Non-government funded
agencies provide affordable long-term rental
accommodation to around 8500 households,
and the balance of accommodation is
government owned and serviced. Most
housing assets, built before five-star energy
efficiency ratings were introduced, have low
thermal performance, which exposes residents
to temperature extremes, such as heatwaves.
New housing assets provide significantly
improved social and economic outcomes for
residents and is better-suited to a changed
climate in the medium-term. A range of asset
management policies and guidelines, which
includes environmentally sustainable design
(ESD), and reduced exposure to extreme
hazards, contribute to the portfolio’s overall
adaptive capacity.
Water – Through water corporations and
catchment management authorities, Victoria
has a major public investment in water
infrastructure, including dams, weirs, channels,
pipelines, pumps, control structures, drains
and levees. Local governments and private
landholders also own assets including dams,
levees, drains and irrigation infrastructure.
CASE STUDY /
Public Health
and Wellbeing
Plans and
Climate Change
The Climate Change Act 2010 provides
that decision-makers under specific
legislation, including the Public Health
and Wellbeing Act 2008, must have
regard to the potential impacts of climate
change on all relevant decisions and
actions. This means that the Department
of Health and all local councils are
required to have regard to climate
change in Municipal Public Health
and Wellbeing Plans (MPHWP).
The Victorian Public Health and
Wellbeing Plan 2011-15 identifies the
need to consider weather and climate-
related impacts on health. Municipal
Public Health and Wellbeing Plans must
be prepared within 12 months after the
general election of councils (which were
held in October 2012). The Department
of Health is preparing detailed guidelines
to support local government consider
climate change in their MPHWPs.
An example of action already underway
is Benalla Council which has included
a review of its MPHWP as part of
developing its Climate Change
Adaptation Action Plan.
www.benalla.vic.gov.au
/Files/2012/Climate_Chanage_
Adaptation_Action_Plan_Final_
24092012.pdf

Adaptation Plan
The Millennium Drought (1997 – 2009)
demonstrated the need for a diverse portfolio
of water supply options, including non-climate
dependant sources, to ensure that Victoria
is prepared for a range of future climate
scenarios. Government investment decisions
recognise the value of flexibility and adaptability
for improving resilience to a changing climate
and other uncertainties. Measures to ensure
water sustainability can also have co-benefits,
for example the Gippsland Sustainable Water
Strategy helps to address risk to electricity
generation in the Latrobe Valley from a
reduced water supply.
In 2012, the Government established the
Office of Living Victoria to drive reform by
coordinating urban and water planning and
announced a range of short and longer term
actions as part of the Government Response
to the Living Melbourne Living Victoria
Implementation Plan.17
As part of the Living
Victoria program, Government has committed
to the development of investment guidelines
and decision-making tools that better reflect
the value the community places on urban
amenity and the environment. These tools
increase the capacity to identify and quantify
the potential value of innovative urban water
services options that continue to support
communities’ drinking water needs. In addition,
they increase the resilience of the urban water
system and support and maintain the liveability,
sustainability and productivity of urban areas.
Government buildings – In addition to health
facilities, public housing and schools, a range
of other government buildings and associated
infrastructure across Victoria is potentially
exposed to a range of climate risks. Asset
management strategies need to incorporate
risk assessments and identify climate risk
management options.
Transport – During the 2009 heatwave, around
one-quarter of all metropolitan Melbourne
train services were cancelled due to a range
of track and operational problems, including
rail buckling. This caused long delays for
passengers and total financial losses (due
to power outages, transport disruptions and
response costs) of around $800 million.
The Government has responded by investing
significantly in climate-proofing the transport
system (see Case Study – Climate resilience
in our transport system).
Victoria’s transport system provides vital
connections between people and places of
employment, education, recreation, leisure,
health and emergency services. During
inclement weather and extreme weather
events, the road network is vital to enabling
emergency services to reach and respond to
people and places in need. Interruptions to
activities at ports and on rail have significant
flow-on implications across the state with
operations compromised by delays in
moving goods which impacts businesses
and communities.
10

Adaptation Plan
CASE STUDY /
Climate resilience
in our transport
system
Through its Transport Resilience
and Climatic Extremes program
(TRACE), the Department of
Transport is proactively updating
its risk management, staff training
and infrastructure planning
programs to address the risks
posed by climate change.
To ensure transport infrastructure is
designed, built and operated in a way
that can withstand the climate conditions
we are likely to be living in over the next
50 years, the Department of Transport
is adapting in three key areas:
Risk assessment: The Department
of Transport is in the final stages of
completing a climate change risk
assessment of all existing transport
assets. This includes possible
adaptation measures such as replacing
or retrofitting infrastructure, as well
as maintenance and emergency
responses.
Staff training: New skills development
package aims to give Department
of Transport Staff and contractors
an understanding of the key risks a
changing climate poses to transport
infrastructure and services and the
tools that can be used to select
possible adaptation measures such
as cost-benefit analyses.
Adaptation planning: This measure
aims to help engineers and planners
factor in necessary climate information
in future projects, and involves
applying decision-making tools that
help them incorporate necessary
adaptation measures.
Energy – A secure and reliable supply of
energy is critical to Victoria’s economy and
to daily life for all Victorians. The Victorian
Government will continue to review and reform
energy regulatory frameworks to facilitate levels
of energy supply security and reliability that are
consistent with the preferences of consumers.
Interdependency between sectors is a critical
area that needs greater attention. For example,
the health and wellbeing sector and the
transport sector are critically dependent on the
energy sector to provide electricity to maintain
continuity of services and respond to climate
risk. A power outage on an extremely hot day
can precipitate a large-scale emergency for
hospitals and ambulance services and severely
impact the transport system.
Specific details of responses already underway
are provided in Part 5. A guide to climate risks
for various sectors is provided in Appendix 1.
Strategic
Priority 1 /
Managing risks to public
assets and services
The key strategy for risk management
is ongoing application of the Risk
Management Framework across
government. This involves progressive
incorporation of climate risk into
departmental risk management and
business planning practices.
The Government is also developing
a Strategy for Critical Infrastructure
Resilience. The first stage was to publish
A Roadmap for Critical Infrastructure
Resilience which proposes key changes
to strengthen the Victorian arrangements
for navigating disruption to the State’s
key infrastructure.
The Government is continuing
to plan for climate risks in health,
including embedding climate change
considerations into risk management
and business planning, engaging with
funded agencies and facilitating the
inclusion of climate risks into all
Municipal Health and Wellbeing Plans.
11

Adaptation Plan
3.2 Managing risks to
natural assets and natural
resource-based industries
The vitality of Victoria’s economy and social
wellbeing is interconnected with effective
management of climate risks to the natural
environment. Healthy soils, rivers and land,
coastal and marine ecosystems support many
of our successful industries such as agriculture
and tourism. They provide Victorians
with many health and wellbeing benefits
through recreational activities in the natural
environment.
The Victorian Government has committed to
maintaining a resilient, healthy environment
for a strong productive future through its
Environmental Partnerships document.
Environmental Partnerships is a pathway for
action for government, communities and
businesses in Victoria, including overarching
policy settings and direction for addressing
climate risks to the natural environment.
Two-thirds of Victoria (approximately 15 million
hectares) is privately owned and therefore
partnerships with Victoria’s farmers, private
landowners and community organisations
are critically important to managing many
of our land, water and biodiversity assets.
Many rural landholders are already providing
environmental goods and services from
their properties through sustainable land
management practices and grassroots
community action. Specific opportunities
to contribute to effective management
of climate risks to natural assets include:
Voluntary programs, such as Landcare,
increase ecosystem resilience and
contribute to sustainable landscapes.
Opportunities for the private provision
of environmental outcomes to assist in
reducing environmental decline arising from
climate risks. For example, EcoTender,18
a conservation tender, delivers incentives
for landholders to manage and conserve
native vegetation on their properties. This
competitive tender approach could be
leveraged to manage climate change risks.
A changing climate is likely to intensify some
current challenges for public and private land
managers, such as expanding the geographic
range of invasive species and diseases;
a changing climate may also introduce new
challenges associated with managing shifting
asset boundaries and assets located on the
public/private interface and increase the
pressure on some services and land-uses.
In most cases, adaptation responses will be
progressively integrated into ongoing planning
and risk management strategies within both
the public and private sectors. Well-established
experience in dealing with climate variability
provides a good foundation for adaptation,
however, the future rate of change may be
higher than previous changes. There is a
need for ongoing climate-related research
and targeted response strategies to assist
a small number of sectors with potentially
high vulnerability to climate risks.
3.2.1 Natural assets
Key risk management priorities
for the Government are:
Biodiversity – Threatened species and
ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to
climate change, especially those with limited
habitat ranges and capacity to migrate.
Government understanding of how climate
risks impact on biodiversity is informed
by research undertaken by a variety of
institutions including the Arthur Rylah Institute
for Environmental Research. The Victorian
Government will investigate opportunities
to support adaptive capacity and resilience
through the Commonwealth’s Biodiversity
Fund and the recently announced plans
for a national network of wildlife corridors.
The network is intended to help set priorities
for conservation funding and strengthen
resilience of native landscapes against
climate change.
12

Adaptation Plan
CASE STUDY /
Bringing species back from the brink
Small, isolated populations of species face increased risks of extinction
as environmental conditions change under future climates.
Mount Buller’s isolated and endangered mountain pygmy-possums became particularly
vulnerable because habitat fragmentation had weakened their genetic diversity to the point
of extinction. By translocating breeding males from Mt Hotham, the genetic resilience of this
population to face future changes was increased. Climate change (i.e reduced snow cover)
is likely to introduce new challenges as a result of increased competition from other species.
The Department of Sustainability and Environment has partnered with independent scientists
and the Centre for Environmental Stress and Adaptation Research (CESAR) at the University
of Melbourne to trial an innovative translocation and wild-breeding program to boost the
genetic diversity of the mountain pygmy-possum population at Mount Buller.
Eighteen juvenile mountain pygmy-possums captured in January 2012 were hybrid animals,
indicating the breeding program is working. The hybrids were also found to be larger
and heavier than pure-breds, suggesting they are more robust and adaptable to a
changing climate.
13

Adaptation Plan
Coasts and marine – Victoria’s 2000
kilometre coastline comprises a diverse
range of terrestrial and marine habitats
including seagrass meadows, reefs, dunes and
mangroves, supporting an array of native flora
and fauna. These enrich Victorians as places
of recreation and enhance Victoria’s economy
through tourism, commercial fisheries and
other local industries. Sea level rise, storm
surges and coastal inundation, along with
increased sea temperatures, may create risks
for these natural assets and potential social
and economic impacts.
Waterways – Victoria has approximately
85,000 kilometres of streams, rivers and
creeks which play an essential role in providing
crucial services including water supply for
towns, farms and businesses, helping to
absorb floodwaters, protect against fires,
and contribute to local economies through
tourism. Waterways also support many diverse
and complex ecosystems, including wetlands,
which sustain native fish, plants and animals.
Changes in rainfall levels and distribution and
increased temperatures, including increased
risks of drought and floods, create risks for
Victoria’s waterways.
CASE STUDY /
Providing assurance for
future tourism opportunities
Globally, communal nesting species are vulnerable to climate
change (sea level rise, storm surges, warming oceans).
The colony of Little Penguins (Eudyptula minor) at Phillip Island, Victoria, is one of the
biggest in the world and attracts almost 500,000 visitors a year, many of whom are
from overseas. It is a significant asset to Victorian and regional tourism. As part of risk
management efforts, DSE supported ecological and economic studies into the
Phillip Island colony.
The research indicated that the penguin colony appeared robust to future changes to
maintain sufficient numbers to support a healthy colony and continued tourism. The
science allowed management to ameliorate impacts of some heightened threats such as
fire and heat stress in the burrows. This success offers a good example of how effort put
into reducing both climate and non-climate-related environmental threats can increase
the species’ resilience and allow it to continue as a tourist and educational “icon” that gives
a unique experience to current and future generations.
14

Adaptation Plan
Tourism – Tourism industries are often highly
dependent on the natural environment and
weather conditions. The Government is
responding to climate related challenges to
tourism by supporting research into snow
cover projections and coastal hazard mapping
to assist in risk management for coastal
dependent developments. The Alpine Resorts
Strategic Plan 2012 sets the framework for
the development, promotion, management
and use of the resorts to ensure that they
continue to be vibrant, growing and sustainable
places. It also considers climate variability, and
adaptation measures to increase the resilience
of the resorts.19
Work underway to identify and manage
risks for these sectors is detailed in Part 5.
3.2.2 Primary industries
Primary production will be affected by a
changing climate in different ways depending
on seasonal factors, location and the types of
primary production activity. Changing seasonal
conditions may present opportunities for some
primary producers to develop new practices
and increase productivity in some locations
for some activities.
CASE STUDY /
Reaping the
rewards of
climate adaptation
As climate change leads to more
frequent and severe flooding
and drought, Victorian grain
growers may find it difficult to
predict which crop management
decisions might bring them the
best returns.
Birchip Cropping Group, in
conjunction with CSIRO and the
Agricultural Production Systems
Research Unit, has created an online
software package that helps grain
growers forecast the yield of certain
crops, manage the risks of climate
variability and, in turn, maximise profits.
The subscription-based software takes
information on soil quality, historical
climate data and other key factors
to help growers:
forecast yield;
manage climate, soil and water risk;
make informed decisions about
fertiliser and irrigation;
match inputs with the yield potential
of their crop;
assess the effect of changed sowing
dates or varieties; and
assess the possible effects of
climate change.
As climate change leads to unpredictable
weather patterns, Yield Prophet gives
grain growers the tools they need to
make informed crop management
decisions based on likely climate
scenarios. This is not only important
for the agricultural industry, but also the
food security of our growing population.
15

Adaptation Plan
Fisheries may experience declining or changing
distributions of where species occur, which
require changes to activities or generate
opportunities for deep water species for
charter, recreational and commercial fisheries.
The forestry sector – including native forests
and commercial plantations – is vulnerable to
changes in temperature and rainfall which may
result in increased bushfire risk and increased
incidence of pests and disease. However there
could also be opportunities as forests may
become more productive with increased levels
of CO2, noting that changes in rainfall patterns
can also impact productivity. In the context of
integrated landscape management, there may
be opportunities for tree plantings as carbon
stores, to reduce the flow of water through
a catchment and reduce the occurrence of
flash flood events and for on-farm plantings to
increase protection for livestock.
Responding to climate risks involves both
government risk management for public assets
and providing timely and accessible information
to support businesses and individuals manage
their own risks.
CASE STUDY /
Goulburn Broken Catchment: building
resilience in the face of climate change
The Goulburn Broken Catchment spans over 2.4 million hectares and is
home to 215,000 people who depend on natural resource-based industries
for their livelihoods.
Dairy, fruit, livestock, vegetables, grapes and other nature-based industries contribute
$15.9 billion to the regional economy, with nature-based and cultural heritage tourism
and recreation contributing a further $2.29 billion.
Climate change poses risks to environmental health, livelihoods and, therefore, community
wellbeing. It may increase the frequency and intensity of drought and floods, in turn
posing a threat to wetland health and water availability. The Goulburn Broken Catchment
Management Authority (CMA) is taking action now to adapt to climate change and attempt
to mitigate the negative consequences.
The CMA’s Catchment Strategy 2012-2018, takes a social-ecological systems approach to
building resilience within the catchment. Their approach is multi-pronged. Having identified
the risks that climate change poses to various social and ecological systems, the actions
and priorities that they have identified are centred around adapting to climate variability risks,
responding to and recovering from climatic events, and taking advantage of lower carbon-
based energy opportunities.
The Goulburn Broken CMA acknowledges the impact that climate change may have on
social and ecological systems, and are preparing a response now in order to create a more
resilient community and environment into the future.
16

Adaptation Plan
Strategic Priority 2 /
Managing risks to natural assets and natural resource-based industries
The Government’s Environmental Partnerships documents provides the
strategic directions for action on the natural environment and climate.
Through Environmental Partnerships, the government is aiming to improve the
environmental condition of Victoria’s waterways and achieve integrated, multiple
outcomes for land, water and biodiversity. A key delivery mechanism is preparing
Regional Catchment Strategies. Central to thinking about the changing landscape in
response to climate, Environmental Partnerships also emphasises the need to increase
resilience and connectivity across the landscape by:
partnering with Victorians to support community-driven initiatives to restore landscapes,
increase connectivity and strategically link areas of remnant habitat and ecological value
across all land tenures;
better understanding biodiversity and landscape resilience through strategic investments
in science; and
developing a roadmap to more effectively and efficiently manage threatened species,
including streamlining administration of the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988.
A key priority is the continued work on coastal risk management.
17

Adaptation Plan
3.3 Building disaster resilience
and integrated emergency
management
Extreme weather events, including those
associated with climate change, have the
potential to cause significant social and
economic disruption, environmental impacts
and loss of life. Victorians have direct
experience of these impacts through recent
bushfires, droughts and floods. For example,
the 2011 Victorian floods affected around one-
third of Victoria20
, damaging private properties
and public assets, disrupting government
service delivery and business activity and
severely impacting local economies
and local communities.
The implications for the Victorian Government
alone are significant: the Department of
Treasury and Finance has estimated that the
Government has spent more than $4 billion
in the past 10 years on response and recovery
to climate-related events such as bushfire,
flood and drought. Costs to local government,
particularly in rural and peri-urban areas, and
to different industry sectors are also likely
to be significant.
Victoria will continue to face natural and
human-made disasters. Recent Victorian
research21
has estimated that by 2050,
increases in bushfires under projected future
climate change will have cost the agriculture
sector an additional $1.4 billion ($46.6 million
per year) and the timber industry $2.8 billion
($93.4 million per year).
3.3.1 All hazards,
all agencies approach
Victoria’s emergency management
arrangements operate within a national
context that incorporates the National Strategy
for Disaster Resilience (NSDR). The strategy
makes it clear that everyone must work
together and that this will involve governments
and emergency service organisations working
with communities to build resilience.
The Victorian Government has undertaken a
comprehensive review as a basis for reforming
the State’s crisis and emergency management
arrangements to create a more disaster resilient
and safer Victoria. The Government’s Green
Paper, Towards a more disaster resilient and
safer Victoria, identified issues and challenges
facing Victoria and sought community input
on options for reform.
The Government’s reform proposals draw
on the findings of the recent reports on
the bushfires22
and floods,23
to develop an
emergency management model that sees
all agencies working together to respond
effectively to all hazards and also to put in
place appropriate recovery arrangements.
The Government’s White Paper on Victorian
Emergency Management Reform sets out a
broad roadmap for emergency management
reform. Its vision of a sustainable and efficient
emergency management system that
minimises the likelihood and consequences
of disaster emergencies on the Victorian
community is supported by three key
principles:
Community – emergency management
founded on community participation,
resilience and shared responsibility.
Collaboration – efficient governance
arrangements that clarify roles and
responsibilities, embed cooperation
across agencies, and ensure emergency
management reform is coordinated
across the sector.
Capability – an all-hazards all-agencies
approach built on networked arrangements,
greater interoperability and a stronger
emphasis on risk mitigation.
The White Paper identifies five strategic
priorities and a suite of associated actions
to deliver reform. Emergency Management
Victoria (EMV) will be established as the new
overarching body for Victoria’s emergency
management sector. Although not a direct
response to climate risk management, the
reform contributes to building Victoria’s climate
resilience by further improving emergency
management arrangements.
Effective emergency management requires
a whole-of-government approach to ensure
continuity of service, protect government
assets and personnel and protect the
community and environment from risks.
In particular, we need to ensure we have
the right structures in place to support
communities and individuals.

Adaptation Plan
3.3.2 Building community
resilience and community safety
Resilient communities have a sustained ability
to withstand and recover from adversity.24
Individuals, households, businesses and
communities, as well as government, have
responsibilities to plan for and manage risks.
The Government is giving greater focus to
strengthening community resilience and
capacity to manage the changing risk and
hazard environment. It recognises that building
community resilience requires collective
action. Individuals must determine how to help
themselves and each other in ways that best
suit their circumstances. Governments can
help greatly in bringing communities together.
The White Paper on Victorian Emergency
Management Reform outlines important
measures for building community resilience
and safety including community engagement,
community-based planning, raising awareness
and providing information. It also outlines
associated actions in line with these measures.
For example, publishing accessible, easily-
understood information on priority hazards
and risks in accordance with the National
Strategy for Disaster Resilience.
In addition, government policy frameworks
provide clarity on the allocation of risks to
guide private investment and avoid government
being the insurer of last resort for natural
disasters. These measures are discussed
further in Parts 3.4 and 3.5.
In a climate-related extreme event or other
disaster, the Government has important
roles to play in emergency response and
in post-recovery arrangements, particularly
in restoring public services and assets that
support community wellbeing. In addition to
the impacts of loss and damage to private and
public infrastructure, social capital is likely to be
impacted by the damage and disruption caused
by extreme events, and by longer term shifts
in economic activity and environmental quality.
This may increase pressure and demand
for community support services, creating
challenges for community organisations as
well as State and local government.
Managing risks to community assets
Disaster resilience is also aimed at minimising
the impacts on communities arising from
the loss and damage of community assets
such as sporting grounds, meeting places
and recreation facilities. Responsibility for
community assets is complex. For example,
they may represent an investment from
different levels of government and the
community, or may be located on government
land and managed by councils and/or
community organisations. In many instances,
replacement costs for damaged community
assets can be out of the reach of communities
and not covered by insurance. This creates
additional challenges for the Victorian
community as a whole, and in particular
for State and local government.
In addition to the cost impacts, the loss of
these assets affects community identity
and networks (including local, voluntary and
business organisations) and can have flow-on
effects for whole-of-community resilience.
These assets are also important in times of
crisis such as bushfire and flood as they are
often used as a meeting place, temporary
accommodation or shelter, and drop-off point
for donations. In many instances, community
assets are the central organising point for
outreach services and distributing food and
other donations.
Victoria’s unique cultural heritage of Aboriginal
and historic sites, places, buildings and objects
may also be increasingly disturbed and
damaged due to climate-related risks such as
bushfires, floods and coastal erosion. In some
cases this could involve the loss of unique
features of significance which cannot be
replaced, leading to loss of important cultural
and social capital as well as economic losses.
3.3.3 Working with
vulnerable communities
The elderly, people suffering from chronic
health conditions and people on lower
incomes or socially disadvantaged are likely
to be more vulnerable to some climate risks.
They also may be less aware and prepared for
an extreme weather event like a flood
or heatwave.
In some cases, the impacts of climate change
could worsen existing disadvantage.25
For
example, people may be vulnerable because
they live in poor-quality housing in higher-
risk areas and less able to relocate in an
emergency due to poor transport access.
They also may have fewer financial resources
to cope with extreme events, including a
lack of comprehensive insurance cover, and
reduced access to social support networks
following natural disasters.26
18 19

Adaptation Plan
CASE STUDY /
Heatwaves
and vulnerable
communities
Heatwaves can affect some
population groups more than
others. The elderly are particularly
susceptible. The government has
developed a Heatwave Plan for
Victoria and provided funding for
local government across Victoria
to develop heatwave plans.
Two crucial tools are the Heat Health
Alert System and the Heat Health
Information Surveillance System. The
alert system allows organisations to make
all necessary preparations to respond to
heatwave conditions that may impact
on human health, normal operations and
essential services. This system is based
on researched temperature thresholds
above which human health is significantly
impacted resulting in increased illness
and mortality, especially in those aged
65 years or above. An alert is issued
by the Department of Health when
these threshold levels are exceeded.
Thresholds vary across the state reflecting
geographical temperature differences
and acclimatisation of communities to
local conditions.
The Information Surveillance System
monitors the impacts of extreme heat
on the Victorian population. It enables
integration of temperature data, health
service activity and mortality information.
It is used for assessment of public health
risk and informs emergency planning.
The Commonwealth Government has primary
responsibility for the existing social welfare
system. The Victorian Government has a role
in working with the Commonwealth and
local government to identify and implement
priorities to improve adaptive capacity and
strengthen climate resilience in vulnerable
communities. In particular, the Government
is working with delivery agencies to develop
an integrated approach to managing climate
risks in the human services sector, recognising
that local councils play an important role
through their Home and Community Care
services. People and organisations working at
the local level can often best identify the most
vulnerable individuals or groups, particularly
those who may need extra planning support,
and relief and recovery assistance.
In the case of recovery from extreme events,
targeted short-term community support
and recovery measures are an important
element of Victoria’s emergency management
arrangements. The impact of extreme events
on community resilience is also discussed
in Part 3.3.
Strategic
Priority 3 /
Building disaster resilience
and integrated emergency
management
The strategic priority for disaster
resilience is reflected in the
Government’s White Paper on
Victorian Emergency Management
Reform. The White Paper sets out a
broad roadmap for change. It affirms
the importance of supporting the
community to become more resilient
and building the capability and the
capacity of the sector. The paper also
establishes governance structures to
improve accountability and efficiency,
and drive reforms.

Adaptation Plan
3.4 Improving access to
research and information
for decision making
Research and information are essential for
effective climate change adaptation. Individuals,
businesses, government and community
organisations require robust, reliable and
accessible climate science and risk information
to provide a better understanding of potential
risks and to develop appropriate responses. In
particular, the Government is committed to
ensuring that research is responsive and
action-oriented and facilitates knowledge-
sharing between researchers, government,
community and business stakeholders.
Coordination and collaboration on research
efforts, across the three levels of government,
with the research sector and within the
Victorian Government, are important to:
improve the consistency, quality and
dissemination of research;
ensure it meets end-use needs; and
avoid duplication of effort.
National climate science, risks and adaptation
research provides a foundation for developing
a state-specific research agenda tailored to
Victorian priorities and unique needs.
These include:
the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BoM),
CSIRO and their jointly managed Centre for
Australian Weather and Climate Research;
Cooperative Research Centres (CRCs),
including the Melbourne-based Bushfire
CRC and the Future Farm Industries CRC;
The National Climate Change Adaptation
Research Facility (NCCARF); and
Australian Research Council Discovery
and Linkage Projects.
These national institutions and initiatives
provide an important framework and support
for developing a state-specific research
agenda tailored around the detailed, targeted
consideration of priority risks and adaptation
responses for Victoria.
It is important that Victoria continues to build a
body of knowledge to support effective climate
risk management for our regions, sectors and
communities.
20

Adaptation Plan
CASE STUDY /
Victorian Centre for Climate Change
Adaptation Research (VCCCAR)
The Victorian Centre for Climate Change Adaptation Research provides
the Government with a new model for adaptation research.
VCCCAR supports a multi-disciplinary research program addressing climate adaptation
priorities identified by the Victorian Government. This approach provides advice to deal with
strategic gaps in adaptation knowledge and potential interactions or trade-offs between
sectors, while building on and complementing the growing body of adaptation research.
VCCCAR links the Government with five partner Victorian universities and provides an
important ongoing mechanism for collaborative multi-disciplinary research and knowledge
transfer for decision makers in government, the community and the private sector.
Cross-cutting VCCCAR investigations include:
Governance models for adaptation and natural disaster risk management: legal,
regulatory, institutional and financial assessment (reports April 2013);
Implementing tools to increase adaptive capacity in the community and
natural resource management sectors (reports August 2013); and
Decision taking in times of uncertainty. Towards an efficient strategy to manage
risk and uncertainty in climate change adaptation (mid 2013).

Adaptation Plan
3.4.1 Developing a climate
research agenda for Victoria
The Victorian Government has two key
requirements for climate research:
‘public good’ information on climate risk
and responses to allow all Victorians to
decide on the best way to build their climate
resilience (much of this research is too
costly for individual councils, businesses
and communities to generate
themselves); and
informing government planning and
decision-making on responsibilities for
disaster resilience and risk management
for service delivery and asset maintenance
and planning.
The Government is shaping a research agenda
responsive to Victoria’s needs and interests,
including:
Building regionally-specific climate change
adaptation information, taking into account
the interactions between land use and
ecological and biophysical processes, and
drawing on local knowledge to assist both
government and private parties in assessing
and managing climate risks.
Increasing understanding of climate
risks to specific sectors, in relation to
vulnerabilities and risks as well as potential
opportunities, and the interactions between
sectors to avoid maladaptive responses.
Facilitating private risk management by
building the capacity of businesses and
communities to better understand and
manage potential climate risks and creating
tools to support adaptation planning.
Supporting government responsibilities
for disaster resilience and managing risks
to public assets and service delivery. A key
component of this is building capacity within
Victorian Government agencies and local
government to make effective investment
decisions regarding public assets.
In particular, there is scope for more
coordinated investment in research across
government, collaborative work with a regional
and place-based focus and strengthened links
between research and decision making.
Coordinated regional approaches are
increasingly important. These need to
be developed in collaboration with local
government regional groupings, and other
relevant regional bodies such as catchment
management authorities, coastal boards
and other delegated land managers to avoid
duplication or fragmented approaches and
ensure integrated adaptation planning that
best builds the climate resilience of
Victoria’s regions.
Building on existing expertise
and knowledge
The Victorian Government has a strong
record of investing in research focused on key
sectors vulnerable to climate change impacts.
Research activity to date has been focused
primarily on a range of specific sectoral
priorities, for example: managing water supply
and drainage systems, buildings, transport
infrastructure (in particular, rail), health service
delivery (including heatwave effects on the
elderly) and natural environment assets (for
example, biodiversity implications of impacts
on a particular indicator species). Key projects
underway are detailed in Part 5.
While government agencies continue to
examine their sectoral research needs, there
is also a need for cross-sectoral, collaborative
investigations, particularly on developing
regional scale information on potential impacts.
VCCCAR and other research providers can
address cross-sectoral issues and strategic
knowledge gaps relevant to Victoria, in
particular the research priorities that emerge
from the issues identified by this and successive
Adaptation Plans.
In the 2012–13 Budget, the Victorian
Government committed to an initiative aimed
at managing future risks to water availability.
The initiative will continue to develop short
and long term strategies to ensure secure
urban and rural water supplies and build upon
research themes identified in the former South
East Australia Climate Initiative (SEACI), but with
a Victoria-specific focus.

Adaptation Plan
3.4.2 Building capacity to access
and use climate risk information
in decision making
The Victorian Government has already made a
significant initial investment in valuable climate
change adaptation research and information.
Capitalising on this investment by sharing the
outputs of this work across government and
with the private sector is an important part of
developing adaptive capacity in Victoria. As
detailed in Part 3.4, information plays a critical
role in facilitating private sector adaptation.
The Victorian Government has supported the
development of tools for adaptation planning.
These draw on local knowledge and help to
build capacity in the private and public sector,
including local government, to assess impacts
and make informed decisions:
Climate Change Adaptation Navigator tool
(VCCCAR): this web-based guidance tool,
developed through VCCCAR, is designed to
assist administrators and decision-makers in
local government and other institutions to
adapt to the impacts of climate change.
It provides information on many aspects
of the process of managing climate risks
to their own organisation. The proof of
concept tool is now freely accessible online:
www.adaptation-navigator.org.au. This tool
has the capacity for further development to
provide increasing value into the future.
Local Coastal Hazard Assessments provide
information on erosion, flooding, sea level
rise and storm surge (see case study below).
CASE STUDY /
Preparing
Victoria’s
coast for
climate change
Victoria’s coastal areas are at
risk from rising sea levels, storm
surges and flooding, which
exacerbate coastal hazards of
inundation and erosion.
For Victoria’s coastal areas to successfully
adapt to climate change, we need to
better understand how these impacts
affect coastal areas and build capacity
to manage these potential impacts.
The Victorian Government has invested
$13.7 million into the Future Coasts
Program, which aims to help coastal
communities prepare for the challenges
of climate change.
In 2012, the Government issued
better guidance and information,
including detailed mapping of
Victoria’s coastline, to help local and
regional decision-makers manage risks
associated with storm surge and
possible sea level rise. This information is
available on the climate change website:
www.climatechange.vic.gov.au
Another key part of the Future Coasts
program is the Local Coastal Hazards
Assessments project. The four Local
Coastal Hazard Assessments in Port Fairy,
Bellarine Peninsula/Corio Bay, Western
Port and Gippsland Lakes/90 Mile
Beach are producing detailed data and
information that key decision makers
can use to:
inform settlement and land use
plans and other statutory tools
help make decisions about
infrastructure and assets such as
roads and services
identify and plan for hazards and
potential changes to the coast
over time
support emergency management
planning
inform communities and help them
prepare for the potential impacts of
a changing climate by developing
adaptation plans to assess risks and
identify actions.
These measures complement updates
to the planning system.
21

Adaptation Plan
The Government will use existing information
channels, such as government websites
with research linkages, and investigate new
options to facilitate access to up-to-date and
relevant research outcomes. In particular,
the Government’s whole-of-government
information and communications technology
strategy provides an important context for
Strategic Priority 4 /
Improving access to research and information for decision making
The Government’s strategic priority for research and information is to continue
to build a research model that:
supports coordinated, action-oriented research and facilitates the exchange of
knowledge between researchers and policy makers across government; and
increases the availability and accessibility of research and information to build
Victoria’s climate resilience by facilitating local government, business and community
risk management.
The Victorian Centre for Climate Change Adaptation Research (VCCCAR) provides
a strong foundation for delivery of this priority.
VCCCAR will continue to work towards ensuring that knowledge developed from the
research is used most effectively by key decision makers in dealing with the impacts
of climate change through:
VCCCAR Executive Conversations – within government to inform research priorities
and policy development;
An annual forum to showcase current research activity and test its veracity; and
Regional and issues-based think tanks and workshops to improve the
understanding of climate impacts and to refine policy directions.
improving access to information to support
adaptation. This strategy is now being
developed. Its objectives are to manage data as
an asset, share data and make government data
open.27
It is intended to respond to changes in
citizen expectations and behaviour and rapid
advances in technology.28

Adaptation Plan
3.5 Supporting private
sector adaptation
As a regulator, policy maker and provider
of information, government has a role
implementing policies to enable businesses
and individuals to consider climate impacts
in their decision-making and better manage
climate risks. While government policies can
influence private sector activity, businesses,
groups and individuals are generally best
placed to manage risks to their private assets
and activities. For businesses in particular,
responding to their own needs and preferences
means that they can best reflect the most
business specific, locally appropriate and
cost effective adaptation responses.
Well-functioning markets, effective regulations
and delivery of ‘public good’ information (see
3.4.1) by government enables landholders,
businesses and the community to be aware
of their responsibility for managing risks and
to take steps to understand the magnitude
and nature of the specific risks to their assets
and activities. Well-functioning markets can
also provide opportunities for innovation in
adaptation responses.
The Victorian Government is committed to:
ensuring that critical regulatory settings,
such as land use planning, building and
environmental regulation, provide a
foundation for private and public risk
management while allowing business to
manage its own climate risks and exercise
its own choices;
ensuring regulatory, market and institutional
frameworks promote effective adaptation by
private parties and do not undermine private
incentives to adapt; and
using market mechanisms where these
are likely to be most effective to ensure
appropriate risk allocation and management.
There are three main areas of
Government focus:
facilitating place-based risk management,
including through hazard identification
management and land use planning;
setting the right conditions for businesses
to adapt, in particular, removing barriers to
effective adaptation and providing access
to information to support appropriate risk
allocation and promote business innovation;
and
supporting the development of effective
insurance markets for climate risk, including
through work with the Commonwealth in
inter-jurisdictional adaptation forums.
3.5.1 Facilitating place-based
risk management
Vulnerability to climate risk is often place-
specific. Particular regions, locations, sites
and communities are likely to be affected
differently by various climate risks such
as bushfire, flood and sea level rise. This
means that resource management and
land use planning can provide an important
foundation for risk management and
adaptation across society and the economy.
Appropriate land management and planning
and building measures can ensure that there
is consideration of risks to settlements and
infrastructure from climate-related hazards
and of protection for heritage and
environmental values.
Victoria is adopting a more consistent and
streamlined identification of natural hazards,
such as bushfire, flooding and coastal
inundation, to improve our resilience to
extreme events. More comprehensive, accurate
and accessible information is critical for
improving our preparedness and for applying
appropriate planning and building responses
to minimise risk to life, property, the natural
environment and community infrastructure.
Resource management and planning
authorities draw on expertise within catchment,
flood and fire management agencies across
government, to provide up-to-date guidance
and mapping to support early consideration
of climate risks to inform decisions over public
land and private investments.
The aim is to integrate consideration of
climate risk into existing policy and planning
frameworks and into the development of
national building standards. State-wide planning
strategies and planning scheme provisions
and building regulations all help ensure that
land is developed for uses appropriate to the
climate-related hazards likely to affect the
location. Planning and building measures help
ensure development is designed with reference
to standards and specifications that match
identified risks.

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