Extreme weather events
NARROWER TERMS
Report
The great deluge: Australia's new era of unnatural disasters
2022 will be remembered as the year of the 'great deluge' - when record-breaking rain and floods lashed large parts of Eastern Australia, causing untold devastation for Australians and the national economy. The authors of this report call for all levels of government to speed...
Report
The impact of housing vulnerability on climate disaster recovery: the 2022 Northern Rivers floods
The 2022 flooding events in the Northern Rivers worsened an already strained housing system. This project report examines the extent to which existing constraints in the housing system have hindered the flood recovery process.
Report
Assessing the groundwork: surveying the impacts of climate change in China
This report is an initial attempt to survey the literature on the impact that climate change will have on China. It concludes that relatively little attention has been paid to this important topic, which is surprising - given China’s key role in international climate-change debates...
Report
The cost of extreme weather
Climate change is driving worsening destructive extreme weather events in a range of different ways around Australia - from more severe bushfire seasons and intense heatwaves to more powerful cyclones, flash flooding and droughts. This report argues that whether insurance is paying for it, or...
Report
Report of the 2022 NSW Flood Inquiry
In March 2022, the NSW Government commissioned an independent expert inquiry into the preparation for, causes of, response to and recovery from the 2022 catastrophic flood event across the state of New South Wales. This report outlines the findings.
Journal article
Exposure to risk and experiences of river flooding for people with disability and carers in rural Australia: a cross-sectional survey
In this journal article, the authors explore the exposure to risk and experiences of people with disability and carers during a flooding event and the subsequent mental health impacts.
Report
Are extreme rainfall events increasing in frequency?
Torrential rains along the east coast of Australia during February and March 2022 have been blamed on climate change. Specifically, a narrative has developed suggesting that rainfall is becoming more extreme. However, the research outlined in this report does not support this claim.
Policy report
Digital government and disaster responses: empowering community-led recovery
Increasingly, the use of technologies such as the internet, smartphones and social media is amplifying the power of local community action and knowledge. This brief addresses the need for policy change to overcome key barriers in this space.
Report
State of the global climate 2021
This WMO flagship report reveals that greenhouse gas concentrations, sea level rise, ocean heat and ocean acidification all set new records in 2021. This is yet another clear sign that human activities are causing planetary scale changes on land, in the ocean and in in...
Report
Uninsurable nation: Australia's most climate-vulnerable places
This report outlines the top 20 most at-risk federal electorates to climate change-related extreme weather events, providing a brief profile of the top 10. The report also outlines the most at risk electorates for each state and territory.
Report
A supercharged climate: rain bombs, flash flooding and destruction
The record-breaking and relentless deluge that has flooded towns and cities in Queensland and New South Wales is one of the most extreme disasters in Australian history. This report explains how climate change is intensifying extreme rainfall and how the frequency of these events is...
Report
Federal government’s response to the drought, and the adequacy and appropriateness of policies and measures to support farmers, regional communities and the Australian economy
While droughts are a natural part of the historical climate variability in Australia, drought conditions are likely to become more frequent, severe and longer due to climate change. The committee urges the Australian government to accept the findings and recommendations of this report to improve...
Report
Born into the climate crisis
Launched ahead of global climate talks in Glasgow, this report reveals the devastating impact the climate crisis will have on children and their rights if nations do not work together to limit warming to 1.5C as a matter of the greatest urgency.
Report
Neighbourhood issue: climate costs and risks to councils
No community within Australia remains untouched by climate change. As the level of government closest to the community, councils are at the heart of responding to climate impacts. When disaster strikes, local governments work closely with communities to cope and respond. The findings and case...
Report
The rapidly emerging crisis on our doorstep
In this report, Robert Glasser, head of ASPI's new Climate and Security Policy Centre, documents the Southeast Asian region’s globally unique exposure to climate hazards and the increasingly significant cascading societal impacts they will trigger.
Report
The risks to Australia of a 3°C warmer world
The report synthesises the observed impacts of climate change on Australia and the risk to our future of the current global trajectory of greenhouse gas emissions. It focuses on the consequences of 3°C of global warming in the absence of greater mitigation strategies for four...
Report
Temperature check: greening Australia's warming cities
Australia has always been a country with extreme weather events. This report presents evidence that strong action to increase urban vegetation will become imperative in our three largest cities to reduce serious heatwave impacts by 2060–2080, even with strong climate action.
Report
Game, set, match: calling time on climate inaction
Sport is a major part of Australian culture. Every weekend, millions of Australians participate in or watch sport. The report describes the influence of climate change on extreme weather events, with a specific focus on how each type of event can affect specific sports.
Position paper
Position paper: rural health policy in a changing climate – three key issues
This position paper discusses specific impacts and risk factors facing the 7 million people living in rural, regional and remote areas of Australia, in relation to extreme weather events; impacts on agricultural output and food security; and debilitating insect-borne diseases.
Report
Hitting home: the compounding costs of climate inaction
This report outlines the latest science on how climate change is driving more destructive heatwaves, downpours, cyclones, droughts, fires and other extreme weather events. It highlights significant events in Australia and around the world from the past two years.
Journal article
Reflections on a highly unusual summer: bushfires, COVID-19 and mosquito-borne disease in NSW, Australia
This article argues that supporting the maintenance of mosquito monitoring and management programs while local authorities face competing priorities due to extreme natural disasters and/or public health events is critical.
Report
Heat stress and work in the era of climate change: what we know, and what we need to learn
Research has confirmed that climate change is contributing to the growing problem of heat stress in a wide range of Australian workplaces. This report provides first-hand accounts of dangerous levels of heat stress experienced in a range of occupations – including construction, outdoor maintenance work...
Position paper
A national approach to national disasters
The Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements concluded that the Commonwealth Government has the power to, and should, play a greater role in relation to natural disasters on a national scale. This document outlines how the government intends to respond.
Report
Safeguarding Australia's wildlife
This report presents the results of a qualitative study undertaken by BG Economics into the rescue and care of wildlife by organisations and individuals in the Black Summer bushfires.
Report
Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements: report
This report focuses on broader questions of national arrangements and responsibilities, in relation to all phases of natural disasters – before, during and after. This inquiry required the Commission to consider whether these existing arrangements are as effective as they can be in a future...