Our climate adaptation strategy
Climate adaptation is taking action based on a comprehensive understanding of how climate change affects our regions and communities.
It goes beyond preparing for natural events and disasters. It’s the actions we’re taking to understand and reduce our exposure to hazards, mitigate risks and capture new opportunities that result from climate change.
With considered and effective climate adaptation measures, we can better manage the impacts of climate change on our communities, economy and natural systems.
Our framework
The Queensland Climate Adaptation Strategy (Q-CAS) 2017–2030 (PDF, 2MB) provides a framework for climate resilience and climate risk management in Queensland's diverse communities, landscapes and economies.
Q-CAS provides a coordinated approach to climate adaptation within state government, and by working collaboratively with industry, local government and communities.
Sector adaptation plans
We supported the development of 7 industry-led sector adaptation plans (SAPs) to address the specific climate adaptation needs of key sectors. SAPs outline the adaptation measures relevant to each sector, address complex issues and make sure adaptation measures complement each other.
Read SAPs by sector:
- Agriculture sector adaptation plan (PDF, 1.3MB)
- Biodiversity and ecosystems sector adaptation plan (PDF, 2.6MB)
- Building a resilient tourism industry: Queensland tourism climate response plan. (PDF, 3.3MB)
- Built environment and infrastructure sector adaptation plan (PDF, 1MB)
- Emergency management sector adaptation plan for climate change (PDF, 3.3MB)
- Human health and wellbeing sector adaptation plan (PDF, 1.8MB)
- Small and medium enterprise sector adaptation plan (PDF, 3.1MB).
Guideline for state government departments
We've collaborated with Griffith University's Queensland Climate Ready Initiative to develop guidance materials. They help Queensland government departments respond to key challenges generated by climate change.
The Climate Risk Management Guideline for Queensland Government Departments(PDF, 717.32 KB) and its appendices provide practical how-to guidance. Departments can use them to understand, consider and manage the climate risks that are relevant to them. They can use the guideline and the:
- templates in appendices 1–5 and 10–18 (PDF, 2136.85 KB) to develop climate risk profiles, identify opportunities and manage responses
- questions and prompts in appendices 6–9(XLSX, 376.49 KB) to envision, identify and prioritise their climate risks.
Local government programs
Local governments are the front line for climate adaptation. They have close connections with communities, businesses and industry and lead planning and development.
The Queensland Government has partnered with the Local Government Association of Queensland to support local government responses to climate change through:
- Queensland Climate Resilient Councils a program to strengthen internal council decision-making processes and provide essential resources to support regional climate adaptation.
- QCoast2100 a program to develop an adaptation strategy for coastal hazards such as erosion, storm tide inundation and the projected effect of rising sea levels.
Community toolkits
Community members, including households and small businesses, have a role to play in climate change adaptation.
You can assess the climate risk to your assets and activities, consider climate risks in your investment decisions and build your preparedness for climate risks and extreme events.
We’ve developed climate change risk management tools to help your household or small business through this process.
Download tools for:
Learn more
- Last updated
- 16 September 2024