Case Study 1: National and inter-governmental frameworks Aim:
x to explore the role and potential of national framework policies, not or not directly specific to climate adaptation, both Commonwealth-driven and intergovernmental (typically via COAG), in initiating, enabling and coordinating adaptation options.
This case study should focus on an analysis of the National Water Initiative (NWI), the National Competition Policy (NCP), the Resource Assessment Commission (RAC) and the National Strategy for Disaster Resilience (NSDR) and the National Strategy for Ecologically Sustainable Development (NSESD). These included many of the partners that would be involved in a national adaptation framework. Moreover, it has been recently evaluated, including through a public submission process, and so there is a wealth of contemporary material available to support the analysis of a case study.
Finally, all the CIs and the SRA have extensive knowledge and expertise in the implementation (and strengths and weaknesses) of these policies.
Case Study 2: Planning processes and strategic decision-making Aim:
x to assess the potential of existing urban planning regimes to enable or require human decision-making to respond to the challenges of a changing climate, specifically the use of strategic environmental assessment and other procedural mechanisms.
This case study should focus on the efficacy of planning processes at the State/local government level, including evaluation of the processes for strategic decision-making, and the adequacy of funding regimes to effectively implement climate change adaptation policies and programs. . Part 1 of the paper dissects the statutory requirements in NSW relating to processes and procedures, such as the use of strategic planning. This involves analysis of not only the statutory object but also analysis of the triggers/thresholds, capacities and targets of strategic planning and whether these are adequate.
Part 2 analyses the ‘enabling’ factors in strategic planning, such as the institutional settings and organisational structures for planning regimes, which are the ‘soft’ side of planning, but ultimately determine how vigorously and rigorously a government can/will act in scrutinising its own policies and proposals, because the institutional settings dictate who has the independence, authority and necessary skills to undertake an independent assessment for decision-making.
Case Study 3: Information and analysis in the relationships between energy and water
Aim:
x To explore the feasibility of combining regulatory measures (for example, regulatory arrangements which require energy suppliers and developers to account for water withdrawal and consumption in development proposals), and knowledge and awareness measures to highlight the oft-misunderstood links between the energy and water sectors and enhance the adaptive capacity of the energy sector to likely changes in water availability.
The energy sector is an important ‘user’ of water, accounting for 7% of national use, (1794 GL) (SEWPAC 2006), in the extraction, generation, supply and distribution of energy for many and varied uses (including electricity generation). This case study explores the relationship between climate, energy and water policy, specifically the need for the energy sector to adapt to increased variability in water availability and the possibility for maladaptation. The project assesses both conflicting and synergistic water use impacts of measures in the carbon abatement curve and then recommends appropriate cross-sectoral statutory and other institutional governance measures that aid both climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Case Study 4: Market mechanisms and industry policy: The financial market Aim:
x To explore the role of private finance in supporting climate adaptation efforts.
The private sector is already an important source of climate finance. The major focus of the private sector to date has been on supporting mitigation activities but there is evidence that there is an emerging market for raising new finance from the private sector for adaptation. Recent signals from large institutional investors suggest that further capital could be raised specifically for adaptation activities, provided the right investment products are available. There are various ways in which private finance can support adaptation. Debt, in particular, can be used as an enabling instrument for both publicly and privately initiated adaptation, including direct project lending and credit lines to local finance institutions; the use of superannuation funds for investment projects is another. The focus of this paper will be on identifying (i) institutional or regulatory barriers to the use of private finance for climate adaptation projects and (ii) incentives the Australian government could introduce to encourage greater flow of private sector finance to climate adaptation strategies or projects.
Case Study 5: Interactions between policy mechanisms in a particular jurisdictional setting (Region)
Aim:
x To shed light on how different policy mechanisms interact with each other within a single jurisdictional setting.
Unlike the first three case studies which explore particular, individual mechanisms and institutional arrangements, this case study will focus on the cumulative impact of the range of adaptation policy and institutional measures in an urban location and will focus specifically on an ‘attribute’ (i.e. spatial/jurisdiction). The particular jurisdiction was identified upon completion of the first three case studies, We have used the Climate Change Adaptation Strategy of the City of Melbourne was chosen, given the strategy’s relatively high profile and comprehensive approach to adaptation. The case study also deals with the issue of how climate change adaptation policies and/or actions are largely framed within a risk management lens, potentially limiting the way they can deal with longer-term issues of capacity building and resilience.
Case Study 6: Interactions between policy mechanisms in a particular sectoral setting (Sector)
Aim:
x To explore the efficacy and transferability of the adaptation approaches taken within the primary industries sector either as a stand-alone sectoral policy approach or as part of a broader national policy framework.
This case study complements the first case study in that it will identify key policy design features, institutional factors, resourcing issues, etc that are relevant at an institutional level that from (i) design perspective is potentially at least one level of control and management beyond a centralised a national policy approach, but still linked to one, and (ii) an implementation perspective potentially links national goals and targets to on-ground adaptation responses through alignment to industry intermediaries and collective and individual decision-makers.
Case Study 7: Shared responsibility and the role of the Commonwealth (Threat) Aim:
x To explore flooding from the perspective of government function to determine the current policies and institutional arrangements in place to address flooding and the types of reforms that would be required to reduce Australia’s vulnerability to flooding in the future.
This case study analyses the findings of four major flood reviews conducted in 2010-2011 to identify the key roles and responsibilities of the state and federal governments in achieving the recommendations put forward in those reviews. The emphasis of this paper is on identifying the drivers and barriers to more proactive prevention approaches to flood management.