Overview
The National Climate Resilience and Adaptation Strategy (NCRAS) was set out by the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, with scope across four domains: natural, built, social and economic (2021). The Australia Climate Service (ACS) was established in 2021 as a partnership between the Bureau of Meteorology, CSIRO, Australian Bureau of Statistics, and Geoscience Australia.
Insurance claims average AUS$4.5 billion each year (three times 1990 figures). Three events in 2025 alone generated nearly $2 billion in claims. The Insurance Catastrophe Resilience Report 2024–25 reported the financial cost of insured extreme weather over five years at around $22.5 billion, a 67% jump from the previous five-year period.
Insured losses are just over half of all losses, meaning businesses, communities and the government are bearing around AUS$4.5 billion in additional losses each year due to weather events.
Timeline & Location
2019: Australian Government invested $3.9 billion into the Future Drought Fund. 2021: NCRAS established; ACS created; Preparing Australia Communities Program invested A$600 million. 2022: DCCEEW created. 2024: National Climate Risk Assessment First Pass Assessment Report.
Location: Australia (all territories).
Stakeholders
ACS is a partnership between Bureau of Meteorology (accountable authority), CSIRO, Australian Bureau of Statistics, and Geoscience Australia. The DCCEEW also contributes to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
Digitalisation & Data
NCRAS evidence-based, risk management approach. To Do
Hazards
Exogenous Hazards
The meta-hazard of climate change arises in the natural environment, arguably exacerbated by anthropogenic and industrial behaviours, leading to increased air temperatures, heatwaves, natural hazard events, sea level and flooding changes.
Endogenous Hazards
Urban densification which exacerbates flooding.
Cost & Benefit
Costs: Insurance claims AUS$4.5 billion each year. $3.9 billion Future Drought Fund (expected to grow to $5 billion by 2028–2029). Fund invests $100 million each year. Preparing Australia Communities Program: A$600 million.
Insurance Catastrophe Resilience Report identifies flood as Australia’s most costly and predictable peril — around 1.36 million properties at risk of flooding, with 298,000 facing severe to extreme risk.
Resilience Principles Assessment
Assessment of meeting Principles of Resilient Infrastructure
Clearly Defined Accountabilities and Shared Responsibilities (P1) To Do
NCRAS identifies a principle of “Shared responsibility” but is not explicit on accountability, coordination or investment for better climate resilience.
Proactively Protected (P2)
NCRAS aims to protect natural assets, build community resilience and generate economic opportunities. Addressing climate risk in decisions is also stated.
Environmentally Integrated (P3)
Examples from NCRAS: Integrating planting of trees, water retention measures and resilient urban design to reduce the impact of increasing heat in cities. Constructing artificial wetlands for nutrient, pollutant and sediment capture. Restoring seagrasses, mangroves and tidal wetlands (blue carbon) to protect coastal infrastructure.
Socially Engaged (P4) To Do
NCRAS advocates collaborative, values-based choices and aims to assist the vulnerable. The plan to do this is not explicit.
Adaptively Transforming (P5) To Do
Details pending.
Continually Learning and Improving (P6)
NCRAS identifies the need to revisit decisions and outcomes over time.
Futures
Future development of climate resilience strategies across all Australian territories. To Do