Resilience library: Key documents

The QCoast2100 2.0 Program is designed to benefit Queensland coastal local governments by expanding on the work completed through the development of their Coastal Hazard Adaptation Strategies (CHAS) under the original QCoast2100 Program. Completing a CHAS has enabled local governments to improve their understanding of the vulnerabilities and risks to communities, infrastructure, and the environment from current and future coastal hazard risks, and knowledge gained throughout the project is already assisting to inform future statutory planning.
(External link to https://www.qcoast2100.com.au/)

The Queensland Climate Adaptation Strategy provides a framework for ensuring an innovative and resilient Queensland that manages the risks and harnesses the opportunities of a changing climate. The Q-CAS is centred around a partnership approach that recognises that climate change is everyone’s responsibility, and that a collaborative approach is needed to ensure resilience is embedded in Queensland’s diverse economies, landscapes and communities.
(External link to https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/climate/climate-change/adapting/strategy)

The QERMF was endorsed by the Queensland Disaster Management Committee as Queensland's approach to disaster risk management in August 2017 and complements existing and widely recognised risk management standards. Disaster management stakeholders may use this approach in conducting their risk assessments.
The QERMF provides a risk assessment methodology that can be used within disaster management planning at all levels of Queensland's disaster management arrangements. The process applies a standardised and internationally recognised approach to the prioritisation, mitigation and management of risk.
(External link to https://www.disaster.qld.gov.au/dmg/Prevention/Pages/3-5.aspx)

The Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA) engaged CSIRO to expand on the insights garnered from Resilient Queensland’s engagement with local governments and state agencies. In late 2019, CSIRO conducted interviews and workshops with state agency stakeholders to gather views and experiences relating to resilience. QRAPTA recognises that many agencies’ activities, irrespective of their particular portfolio responsibilities, already contribute to resilience. The QRAPTA project provides a process to harmonise these resilience activities across agencies and sectors.

The Queensland State Disaster Management Plan has been prepared in accordance with Section 49 of the Disaster Management Act 2003 , on behalf of the Queensland Disaster Management Committee. The Queensland Disaster Management Committee approves the plan as the disaster management plan for the state of Queensland.
(External link to https://www.disaster.qld.gov.au/cdmp/Documents/Queensland-State-Disaster-Management-Plan.pdf)

The Queensland Government is committed to strengthening disaster resilience so our communities are better equipped to deal with the increasing prevalence of natural disasters. By late 2022, every region across Queensland will be part of a locally-led and regionally-coordinated blueprint to strengthen disaster resilience.
(Link to https://www.qra.qld.gov.au/regional-resilience-strategies)

The Queensland State Earthquake Risk Assessment 2019 (SERA) and companion Tsunami Guide for Queensland were developed to provide a comprehensive overview of earthquake and tsunami risk for the State. Detailed analysis of these hazards understandably requires a high level of technical expertise, so Queensland Fire and Emergency Services partnered with Geoscience Australia to help contextualise the findings of the National Seismic Hazard Assessment 2018 and the Probabilistic Tsunami Hazard Assessment 2018.
(External link to https://www.disaster.qld.gov.au/qermf/Pages/Assessment-and-plans.aspx)

The Queensland State Heatwave Risk Assessment 2019 (SHRA) represents the most comprehensive analysis of future climate risk undertaken for a natural hazard risk assessment in Queensland. It is underpinned by a robust scientific basis, enabling all stakeholders including State agencies, disaster management groups, infrastructure owners and town planners to understand, plan for, and reduce the risk from heatwaves.
(External link to https://www.disaster.qld.gov.au/qermf/Pages/Assessment-and-plans.aspx)

The State Infrastructure Strategy 2022 presents a clear vision of the Queensland Government’s infrastructure requirements over the next two decades. It sets out our objectives for infrastructure and the priority actions that will drive the future we want for Queensland. It’s also clear about the challenges and opportunities we’ll face over this time. The strategy sets out to align infrastructure investment across agencies to help inform industry and other levels of government. It promotes place-based infrastructure planning, working closely with industry and the broader community to leverage their experience and knowledge. We will do more with less, driving performance and tackling complex issues, while providing infrastructure that meets the changing needs of our population and industries.
(External link to https://www.statedevelopment.qld.gov.au/industry/infrastructure/state-infrastructure-strategy)

Under the Queensland State Disaster Management Plan, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) is responsible for the conduct of a state-level disaster risk assessment. This was the first state-level assessment using the Queensland Emergency Risk Management Framework (QERMF). While the framework can accommodate all hazards, this initial, macro-level, assessment was limited to the natural hazards that have the most significant impact to the State of Queensland. As such, the risk assessment was conducted against the 7 most prevalent natural hazards that may impact Queensland: tropical cyclones; riverine flooding; coastal inundation (storm surge); severe thunderstorm events; bushfires; heatwaves; and earthquakes.
(External link to https://www.disaster.qld.gov.au/cdmp/Documents/Emergency-Risk-Mgmt/QLD-State-Natural-Risk-Assessment-2017.pdf)

The Drought and Climate Adaptation Program (DCAP) aims to help producers better manage drought and climate impacts. The best climate scientists, government and non-government agencies, producers and industry leaders are working together on a number of cutting-edge research projects and partnerships. This research helps primary producers and industries manage financial risks with decision-making around droughts and climate variability through improved forecast products, tools and extension activities. DCAP’s major partners include the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF), the Department of Environment and Science (DES), the University of Southern Queensland (USQ), the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) and Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA).
(External link to https://www.longpaddock.qld.gov.au/dcap/)

The Australian Government’s National Climate Resilience and Adaptation Strategy highlights the importance of continuing to work together as a nation to improve our ability to anticipate, manage and adapt to climate change. This Strategy seeks to unlock greater levels of action and investment in adaptation by ensuring that everyone has a clear idea of our national adaptation priorities and progress. The Strategy will catalyse action to protect biodiversity, natural capital and ecosystem services which support our ability to adapt. Our actions will continue to be driven by world-leading science and services and the guidance needed to support informed decisions.
(External link to https://www.dcceew.gov.au/climate-change/policy/adaptation/strategy/ncras-2021-25)

In response to the recent bushfires, CSIRO was tasked in January 2020 by the Prime Minister to deliver an independent study recommending ways in which Australia can increase its climate and disaster resilience, supported by an Expert Advisory Panel chaired by Australia’s Chief Scientist, Dr Alan Finkel.
(External link to https://www.csiro.au/en/research/natural-disasters/bushfires/report-climate-disaster-resilience)

Co-designed with representatives from all levels of government, business and the community sector, the National Disaster Risk Reduction Framework is a multi-sector collaboration led by the National Resilience Taskforce. The framework outlines a coordinated approach to reducing disaster risk and leverages the work undertaken across sectors since the release of the National Strategy for Disaster Resilience in 2011. It recognises that limiting the impact of disasters requires a coordinated effort to better understand and reduce disaster risks, improve resilience and bolster the capability and capacity of communities to withstand natural hazards.
(External link to https://www.aidr.org.au/news/national-resilience-taskforce-on-the-knowledge-hub/)

Following a year-long study into the cause and effects of disasters in Australia, the National Resilience Taskforce released Profiling Australia’s Vulnerability: The interconnected causes and cascading effects of systemic disaster risk The report examines the relationship between our values and our vulnerabilities and aims to understand how Australians can collectively prioritise efforts to reduce loss and harm. Factors that impact on resilience – such as climate change, demographic shifts and a reliance on interconnected systems and infrastructure – are addressed throughout the report, supported by references to relevant research, experiences and disaster events.
(External link to https://www.aidr.org.au/news/national-resilience-taskforce-on-the-knowledge-hub/)

The Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements was established on 20 February 2020 in response to the extreme bushfire season of 2019-2020 which resulted in devastating loss of life, property and wildlife, and environmental destruction across the nation.
(External link to https://naturaldisaster.royalcommission.gov.au/publications/royal-commission-national-natural-disaster-arrangements-report)

Using new data which reports damage costs at a more granular level, this report finds that coastal population centres in South East Queensland and North East NSW will experience some of the highest increases in costs as they become more exposed to tropical cyclones and floods, as warming oceans enable tropical cyclones to move further south. Further investment in disaster resilience is essential to lessen the potential increase in costs. This includes physical measures, such as resilient infrastructure, and community measures, such as preparedness programs.
(External link to https://www2.deloitte.com/au/en/pages/economics/articles/building-australias-natural-disaster-resilience.html)

This report finds that the total economic cost of natural disasters is growing and will reach $39 billion per year by 2050. These costs include significant, and often long-term, social impacts, including death and injury and impacts on employment, education, community networks, health and wellbeing. The report considers challenges for disaster resilience in the states and territories, and the role of these governments in collaboration with other jurisdictions, community and business. Further investment in disaster resilience is essential to lessen the forecast increase in costs. This includes physical measures, such as resilient infrastructure, and community measures, such as preparedness programs.
(External link to https://www2.deloitte.com/au/en/pages/economics/articles/building-australias-natural-disaster-resilience.html)

This report investigates the decision-making process for new ‘hard’ infrastructure assets in light of disaster risks, including the various Commonwealth and state guidelines for comparing project options through cost-benefit analysis. It also builds the case for embedding resilience considerations into this process, and offers practical steps to do so.
(External link to http://australianbusinessroundtable.com.au/our-research/resilient-infrastructure-report)

The National Disaster Risk Information Services Capability (NDRISC) pilot project used narrative scenarios to frame climate and disaster risk discussions for freight supply chains, and then modelled climate and disaster risks for specific case studies. This report provides the publicly releasable outcomes of the NDRISC pilot project. These outcomes
support the proposition of a federated, national-scale climate and disaster risk information capability (the national capability).
(External link to https://naturaldisaster.royalcommission.gov.au/system/files/2020-10/HAF.0012.0002.0003.pdf)

The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 outlines seven clear targets and four priorities for action to prevent new and reduce existing disaster risks: (i) Understanding disaster risk; (ii) Strengthening disaster risk governance to manage disaster risk; (iii) Investing in disaster reduction for resilience and; (iv) Enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response, and to "Build Back Better" in recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction. It aims to achieve the substantial reduction of disaster risk and losses in lives, livelihoods and health and in the economic, physical, social, cultural and environmental assets of persons, businesses, communities and countries over the next 15 years. The Framework was adopted at the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Sendai, Japan, on March 18, 2015.
(External link to https://www.undrr.org/publication/sendai-framework-disaster-risk-reduction-2015-2030)