About coastal hazard adaptation planning

Coastal hazard adaptation planning is the strategic and systematic approach of anticipating and responding to the risks posed by coastal hazard. These are likely intensified by climate change and sea level rise.

Coastal hazard planning involves several steps, including establishing the scope of planning in spatial and temporal terms, evaluating the coastal context and potential hazards, assessing current and future coastal risks, exploring options that respond to these risks, engaging stakeholders and local communities, and action planning.

Governments and communities across South Australia need to accelerate their efforts in coastal hazard adaption planning.

Climate change is causing rising sea levels and more frequent and intense storms. This exacerbates coastal hazards such as sea flooding and erosion, placing coastal assets, infrastructure, lives and livelihoods at risk. Planning for this changing risk is important to ensure we can manage and mitigate future impacts in a proactive manner.

Current approaches to coastal hazard adaptation in South Australia are based on different datasets and methodologies. This makes it hard to understand the level of current and future risk across the state, prioritise resources and take a more integrated approach.

The draft guidelines have built on and evolved the existing guidelines in important ways, including

• reflecting the latest evidence and practices with coastal hazard adaptation planning

• providing specific and nuanced guidance on key processes, such as community engagement, risk and vulnerability assessment and options analysis

• detailing and emphasising the critical role of project scoping relative to the local coastal governance arrangements early in the development of a coastal hazard adaptation plan

• identifying minimum standards as well as desirable practices.

These guidelines aim to equip local government officers with the information they need to engage stakeholders, keep decision-makers informed, engage experts (as required) and navigate the overall process.

It is expected the guidelines will be supported by a series of technical compendiums targeted at practitioners and other experts delivering specific components of work.

The guidelines detail the preferred approach to coastal hazard adaptation planning in South Australia, they are not mandatory. It is anticipated that using the guidelines consistently across the state will facilitate shared learning and make it easier for all to navigate this field of work.

Any grants provided through the Climate Ready Coasts program will need to use the guidelines as a condition of funding.

There is no requirement or expectation for councils who have already prepared coastal hazard adaptation plans to use or align with the approaches and minimum requirements detailed in the draft guidelines.

As existing work is reviewed, councils may consider the guidelines in their approach.

The coastal hazard adaptation planning process is ongoing and part of continuous improvement. Our knowledge is always changing, as new information becomes available this may help existing adaptation plans.

Councils rely on external funding to undertake works along their coasts.

Without a robust and defensible understanding of coastal risk, it is difficult to effectively advocate for funding.

The Climate Ready Coasts will help councils better advocate for funding by having a clear understand their coastal risks and vulnerabilities, the adaptation options and specific works required.

Having a more consistent approach to coastal hazard adaptation planning will help to build a statewide picture of coastal risks, including funding gaps, which will support LGA’s advocacy efforts.

The proposed grant roundwill provide once-off funding to help councils progress the development and implementation of coastal hazard adaptation plans.

There is an indicative funding pool of $1.3 million available through the Climate Ready Coasts program. The grant funding opportunity will be launched in early 2025 pending the outcomes of the current consultation process.

This funding is separate to the annual Coast Protection Grants delivered by the Coast Protection Board.

The grant round will be limited in focus to adaptation planning, whereas the Coast Protection Board funding has a broader focus.

The LGA and DEW are working closely to ensure applications are directed to either funding pool appropriately. Applicants are encouraged to discuss their projects with either DEW or the Climate Ready Coasts Program Manager.

The state government are active partners in the Climate Ready Coasts Program.

The Interim Implementation Model identifies implementation drivers which the Climate Ready Coasts Program has direct responsibility for and includes implementation enablers. Some of these will need to be led by parts of the state government.

While no firm resourcing commitments have been made to new implementation actions, stakeholder feedback is being sought on the proposed actions through the current consultation process.