Living with floods: key lessons from Australia and abroad
Date
2013
Authors
Wenger, Caroline
Hussey, Karen
Pittock, James
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National Climate Change Adaption Research Facility
Abstract
Following the serious flood events in Queensland and Victoria in 2010–11, and the reviews
that were undertaken subsequently, this project was developed to analyse those reviews to
determine whether they offered any lessons for climate change adaptation. Focusing on four
major and recent reviews, but drawing on others as well, the project’s objectives were to:
• explain the relationships between floods and climate variability, and climate change
adaptation
• synthesise the findings from the flood inquiries in Victoria and Queensland by
ordering key lessons into frameworks that aid climate change adaptation by endusers
• check the lessons from these Australian inquiries against lessons for more effective
flood-risk management that have been identified overseas to explore positive
synergies and differences
• refine the draft research finding with advice from end-users through interviews and a
committee, and
• communicate the lessons for climate change adaptation and limits to adaptation with
key end-users involved in flood risk management.
In addition to analysing the Australian flood reviews, the project also compared review
processes and findings with similar processes overseas, including those in the Netherlands,
China and the United States, to determine points of similarity that reinforced Australian
findings and to explore differences. In addition to analysing the reviews themselves, the
project team also conducted a series of semi-structured, in-depth interviews with relevant
sectors, including insurance, emergency services, floodplain managers, ecosystem
researchers, local government and urban utilities.
The reviews varied greatly in their scope, but one of the most notable findings was that
Australian reviews virtually ignored the issue of climate change and its impact on flooding;
some reports didn’t refer to it at all. The vast majority of recommendations in all reviews
pointed to a need for better governance, coordination, integration, policies, strategies,
management, management tools, standards, legislation, accountabilities, oversight,
communication, resourcing, risk-assessment, planning, education and training. These are all
socio-institutional issues, which are vital for the effective implementation of any adaptation
measures. In contrast to the Australian reviews, climate change was a driving force behind
the international reviewers, and all three international reviews overwhelmingly pointed to a
need for ecosystem approaches to flood control. Each of the reports from the Netherlands,
the United States and China had important lessons for Australia’s flood policies, particularly
in relation to structural versus non-structural measures, the role of disaster relief funds, flood
insurance and the use of mitigation measures such as voluntary land purchase and
relocation.
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