A 'one-stop shop' that will provide coastal decision-makers with the tools to adapt to rising sea levels caused by climate change is being developed in Australia.
CoastAdapt is an online portal that will provide information, data, tools and guidance on coastal risks and the framework to help develop management approaches.
Developed by the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF) and funded by an Australian Government grant, CoastAdapt will be presented at IPWEA’s Sustainability in Public Works 2016 conference, running 24-26 August in Melbourne.
NCCARF Deputy Director Dr David Rissik says CoastAdapt will fill an urgent need in Australia’s many coastal communities.
“There is currently no single, national set of guidance, data and resources based on global good practice that can support coastal decision makers, and is also authoritative,” he says.
“There are a range of tools available globally and locally; however, these have not been developed to support the needs of Australian users.
“CoastAdapt has been developed following significant end-user engagement, and is pitched at the level and capacity of most of its intended audience.”
Rissik says the tool will contain at least 50 case studies, largely featuring examples of Australian adaptation, which will help to illustrate the concepts and approaches provided.
Tools include Coastal Climate Adaptation Decision Support (C-CADS), which will take users through a planning process.
A variety of simple resources for undertaking first-pass and second-pass risk assessments will also be provided, using sediment compartment approaches, cost-benefit analyses and undertaking evaluations.
“We also recognise the need for users to overcome barriers to adaptation and provide resources to assist them to do this,” Rissik says.
“These include inspiring leadership, improving external and internal engagement approaches, building business cases for adaptation, learning about financing adaptation, and providing a platform through which users can engage with their peers.”
A panel of expert authors have compiled and written the information contained within CoastAdapt.
“We worked with a variety of experts to identify suitable authors with experience in their respective fields,” Rissik says.
“This increases the authority of the products and makes it more likely that they will reflect good practice and be up to date.
“Similarly, we have worked with experts in all areas of CoastAdapt and the data it provides (sea-level rise data and sediment compartment information to name a few).
Rissik says the tool is consistent with all state and territory policies and guidance, which he believes will support its uptake within local government.
“We have continually engaged with users throughout the development process, and all content has been reviewed by experts and by end-users,” he says.
A Beta version of CoastAdapt will go to the Department of the Environment in early July, shortly after which it will be available for review.
The tool will be improved and fine-tuned based on feedback gleaned during the six months following its release.
“We encourage people to signup to our community of practice CoastExchange and engage with each other and with NCCARF,” Rissik says.