Enabling Australia to adapt more effectively to the impacts of climate change and variability and informing national planning, regulation and investment decisions.
The challenge facing Australia
Australia is a land of droughts and fires, storms and flooding rains – the driest inhabited continent with a dramatically variable climate of extremes.
Australia’s climate shapes:
In recent times, the climate challenge facing Australia has become more severe and more urgent.
Australia has experienced the worst drought in recorded history, and as one consequence many cities and regions have faced severe water supply constraints.
These issues have highlighted the reality of global climate change, the massive impacts that it is likely to have on our continent and the challenges and opportunities stemming from those impacts.
Australian ecosystems, water resources, agriculture, built infrastructure, regional and remote communities, and health all have vulnerabilities to climate change.
So our responses need to embrace nearly all aspects of our economy, society and the environment.
The Australian export sector is particularly exposed to climate change due to the vulnerability of our key export commodities including:
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agriculture
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forestry
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fisheries
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fossil fuels
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tourism.
Therefore, an integrated, systems-based approach offers the best opportunities for minimising economic, social and environmental harm, while maximising new opportunities.
Responding to climate change
The National Research Flagships Program is delivering scientific solutions to advance Australia’s most vital national objectives.
Flagships are partnerships of:
"In recent times, the climate challenge facing Australia has become more severe and more urgent, so we must start adapting to climate change today in a practical and effective way."
The problem of climate change is serious and demands a major response, which requires two platforms:
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mitigation of impact, through reduction of net greenhouse gas emissions
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adaptation to the inevitable climate change that will occur while mitigation gradually takes hold.
The CSIRO Energy Transformed Flagship contributes to mitigation through developments in energy technologies.
The Climate Adaptation Flagship tackles the second platform, delivering the best available scientific information and expertise to support Australia's efforts to adapt to climate change today in a practical and effective way.
The Flagship's research is led by some of Australia's pre-eminent climate scientists, and will add significant value to how we adapt.
The linked issue of climate and water supply is being addressed through the Water for Healthy Country Flagship.
Research themes
The four research themes within the Climate Adaptation Flagship are as follows.
 | Flagship research is ensuring that Australia is positioned to deal effectively with the impacts of climate change by providing the scientific knowledge needed to improve our ability to adapt. |
 | Flagship researchers are developing planning, design, infrastructure and management solutions to help Australia's cities and coasts adapt to a changing climate. |
 | Climate Adaptation Flagship research is developing and delivering adaptation options to protect Australia’s marine and terrestrial species, ecosystems and the services they provide from the impacts of climate change. |
 | The Climate Adaptation Flagship is developing adaptation options for Australia’s primary industry and resource sectors to reduce the vulnerabilities and enhance opportunities created by climate change and variability.
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Climate variability
The Climate Adaptation Flagship will encompass both climate variability and climate change.
CSIRO will continue its research on adapting to existing climate variability through advanced technologies such as seasonal climate prediction.
However, it is clear that this alone will not be sufficient in the face of climate change, given that natural or managed system thresholds will be crossed, and climate change will increase climate variability.
Adaptation to climate change is therefore the main focus of this Flagship.
Read more about the National Research Flagships.
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