Climate Change Impact on Coastal Areas

Climate Change Impact on Coastal Areas

The Clarence City Council project is one of five integrated assessment national projects through the Department of Climate Change — National Climate Change Adaptation Program. However, the Clarence project dealt with only one local government area whereas the others involved groups of Councils, and the Clarence project has identified specific coastal hazard lines on aerial photos at higher resolution as well as proposing detailed policy responses.

This project was jointly funded by Australian, State and Local Government to assess the impacts of and actions to respond to climate change over the next 25 to 100 years on coastal areas of Clarence City Council in Tasmania. The work was undertaken by SGS Economics & Planning in conjunction with Water Research Laboratories (WRL) of the University of New South Wales, Myriad Research, Dr Melissa Nursey-Bray and Pitt & Sherry consulting engineers. SGS led the literature reviews, formulation of the policy response and community consultation part of the project. WRL undertook the modelling of coastal processes.

The report confirmed that regardless of the impact of sea level rise over the next 25 to 100 years, a significant number of properties in low lying coastal areas face threats from storm surge, erosion, inundation and rising water tables. For many residents of these areas, these events are well known. However, the report further shows that by 2100, the projected number of properties impacted in these areas and other coastal areas will substantially increase.

The report identified actions that will allow the municipality to respond to the identified risks in the short and long term. These actions include:

• Adding more sand to, and revegetation of, beaches and dune areas

• The raising and reinforcement of some roads

• The installation of effective sewerage systems 

• The development of new standards and planning controls
  

Two public forums were held at which over 300 people attended, with a spontaneous round of applause at the conclusion of both to thank the Council for having the work done and the standard of analysis, presentation and discussion.

Please click here to download a copy of this presentation.

Further details about this project can be found at the Clarence City Council website.