POSSIBLE IMPACTS
ACTIONS FOR ADAPTATION
Inundation and erosion of coastal areas from sea level rise
Implement dune restoration programs as appropriate.
Drainage problems in urban environments from higher intensity rainfall
Provide education of preventative practices prior to and during extreme events, e.g. clearing gutters and drains.
Protect buffer vegetation in shore zones.
Minimise hard surfaces, such as pavements. Include development controls, such as those that promote soft surfaces external to the building footprint. Urban based drainage system should be linked to catchment based flood management to avoid impacting on other areas in the catchment. Development of a stormwater management plan that addresses potential locally-appropriate alternative uses of stormwater and includes measures to reduce peak flows during wet weather, e.g. increased use of stormwater by capturing (such as developing wetlands and aquifer storage and recovery). Ongoing and periodic review of sewerage system strategies and operations to address hydraulic constraints and overflow risks, and sewer rehabilitation and cleaning regimes. Limit growth expansion and/or connections to parts of the system where there are potential capacity constraints.
Increase in bushfires from longer heat spells and higher maximum temperatures
Risk assessment to ensure new infrastructure is not placed in fire-prone areas. For those where location is not flexible, investigate standards of construction that reduce their sensitivity to bushfire. Identify which areas will be more vulnerable to bushfire. Encourage new developments, or changes to existing developments, to include improved protection and adaptations to increased bushfire risk (bushfire management strategies are largely available).
Increase in power consumption for cooling from longer heat spells and higher maximum temperatures
Increase use of insulation in new buildings. Retrofitting existing buildings with addition of insulation materials and effective and efficient cooling systems. Reduce lighting and equipment loads to reduce overheating. Optimise design of cooling systems to provide the best energy efficiency under higher temperature operating loads, i.e. use of passive cooling systems, improved use of thermal properties of building materials, reduce solar heating using recessed windows, roof overhangs and shades. Promote micro power initiatives.
Increase in contamination from open site waste disposal from higher intensity rainfall
Increase community education to reduce waste generation through both sustainable consumption and reducing overall consumption. Maximise kerbside diversion of material from landfill through provision of high performance collection systems. Encourage sorting of waste at source for household, commercial and
Environment Institute - CCAP Milestone Report 1
Page 44