Water, energy and environment

Why does South Australia need to adapt to climate change?

There will be inevitable impacts from climate change despite global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Projections for South Australia indicate warmer and drier conditions across much of the state with an increased risk of severe weather events including storms, flooding, heatwaves, drought and bushfires.

See How climate change is affecting South Australia.

These changes will affect our individual health and wellbeing along with key industries and resources that underpin the state's economy. These include primary production and the natural environment.

South Australia's Climate Change Adaptation Framework

Adapting to climate change involves the planning and activity by individuals, communities and businesses to cope with the changing weather conditions. It is the work we do to address the impacts and prosper into the future.

The Climate Change Adaptation Framework for South Australia (PDF 4.8MB) will guide action by business, the community, non-government organisations, the research sector, local governments and state government agencies to develop well-informed and timely adaptation responses. Appropriate investment in research, innovation, skills and workforce development can improve our adaptive capacity, enabling us to not only minimise the negative impacts of climate change but also to create new opportunities for our community and the economy.

The Framework was developed by the Sustainability and Climate Change Branch, Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources(DEWNR), in partnership with the Premier's Climate Change Council, the Natural Resources Management Council and key government agencies.

Government Action Plan

The Government Action Plan for the Climate Change Adaptation Framework for South Australia (PDF 213KB) outlines the roles that the government will play in implementing the framework.

The plan has been developed by the Sustainability and Climate Change Branch, in consultation with key state government agencies. The plan addresses those issues that prevent effective adaptation both for government and the community. Actions identified in the plan incorporate existing agency arrangements and reflect climate change adaptation priorities for each agency.

Critically, the actions in the plan ensure that existing adaptation plans and strategies already being delivered by agencies are aligned well with the framework and take account of new knowledge and information being developed through the regional process.