The report analysing the extent to which existing regulatory regimes support action by major infrastructure sectors in adapting to climate change. The report investigates regulation of infrastructure sectors including electricity, transport and telecommunications. It also examines the ability of planning regimes, environmental impact assessment and government procurement processes to take into account risks arising from climate change. The report, The Role of Regulation in Facilitating or Constraining Adaptation to Climate Change for Australian Infrastructure, was developed by Maddocks Solicitors for the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency (DCCEE).

The report will supplement work being undertaken by the Productivity Commission in its current inquiry into regulatory and policy barriers to climate change adaptation.

“It is important that regulations in Australia allow companies to adapt effectively to climate change,” said Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Mark Dreyfus.

View the report online.

In October and November 2010, the Marine Adaptation Network held a series of focused strategy (‘roundtable’) meetings with key marine stakeholders across Australia to assess the concerns and needs of industry, government, and non-government organisations (NGOs) in attempting to reduce and manage the risks associated with climate change impacts on the marine environment and various marine sectors. View the REPORT (3.87 MB) of focused strategy meetings with marine biodiversity and resources stakeholders across six states and the Northern Territory.

In October and November 2010, the Marine Adaptation Network held a series of focused strategy (‘roundtable’) meetings with key marine stakeholders across Australia to assess the concerns and needs of industry, government, and non-government organisations (NGOs) in attempting to reduce and manage the risks associated with climate change impacts on the marine environment and various marine sectors. Selected key representatives from each State and the Northern Territory (NT), as well as Federal, were invited - one leader from Government and one peak body leader representing marine aquaculture, commercial fishing, recreational fishing, marine biodiversity, and marine tourism. A State/NT representative from each of the key natural resource management (NRM) agency and Office of Climate Change was also invited.

This word cloud is generated from all the pre-interview transcripts (size corresponds to frequency).

According to projections made by the United Nations (UN), on 31 October 2011 there will be seven billion people sharing the planet — at a time when the biota is under increasing pressure from climate change and other environmental threats. Read Kerri Smith’s article We Are Seven Billion where she explores how researchers are trying to identify the geographic hotspots where people and climate change are on a collision course.