Climate Risk Assessment
Identify and assess the climate risks specific to your site — drought, flood, heat, frost, fire, wind — and design mitigation strategies. Climate adaptation is not optional; it is a core design requirement.
Version History
Version 1.0 Current
Effective: 2026-03-30Initial version
Procedure Details
No physical hazards in assessment. When implementing mitigation strategies, follow relevant safety guidelines for earthworks, fire management, etc.
You will need:
- Local climate data (Bureau of Meteorology, historical records)
- Your sector analysis map
- Records of extreme events (personal memory, local history, council flood maps)
- Your site map with water flows, vegetation, and structures marked
Procedure Steps (Version 1.0)
Research historical extreme events for your area: worst drought, worst flood, hottest day, coldest night, strongest wind, worst fire.
Identify your top 3 climate risks based on frequency and severity. Common risks: drought, flood, heat stress, frost, bushfire, storm damage.
For each risk, assess current vulnerability: what on your site would be most affected? Which systems would fail first?
For each risk, identify existing resilience: what already protects your site? Deep-rooted trees, water storage, firebreaks, thermal mass?
Design mitigation for Risk 1: what can you build, plant, or change to reduce vulnerability? Be specific and actionable.
Design mitigation for Risk 2: same process.
Design mitigation for Risk 3: same process.
Consider cascading risks: a drought followed by fire followed by flood. Does your design handle the sequence?
Research your "climate analogue" — a region that already has your projected future climate. What do they grow? How do they manage water?
Record your assessment and mitigation plans as activities. Link to the sector analysis and water audit.