Pat Conroy (Shortland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister for the Environment, in writing, on 02 December 2019:

In respect of 'Project Climate Ready', referred to in the article, 'The country's top bureaucrats say Government unprepared for climate change' by Michael Slezak and Michael McKinnon (ABC News, 11 September 2019):(1) What departments and agencies were involved in the project.(2) What was the role of the Minister's department in the project.(3) What exercises did the project conduct.(4) What scenarios did the project consider.(5) Over what period of time was the project carried out.(6) Which body oversaw the project.(7) Did the body that oversaw the project have terms of reference.(8) What project reports were: (a) released publicly; and (b) not released publicly.(9) Did the project warn the Government of: (a) health risks resulting from climate change; (b) national security risks resulting from climate change; and (c) litigation risks resulting from climate change.

Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The answer to the honourable member's question is as follows:

1) The delivery of "Project Climate Ready" was tasked to the Australian Government Disaster and Climate Resilience Reference Group by the Secretaries Group on Climate Risk. The Disaster and Climate Resilience Reference Group has representatives from all Australian Government departments and key science agencies. Departments participated in individual scenario exercises as appropriate.

2) The Department of the Environment and Energy led the development and delivery of scenarios for the project, in close consultation with the Disaster and Climate Resilience Reference Group. Two of the scenario exercises were managed jointly with the Department of Defence.

3) The project conducted a series of scenario exercises. These were designed to explore plausible future impacts from climate change and extreme weather events over the medium term (roughly 5-10 years).

4) Scenarios explored some of the possible impacts of extreme weather events in a number of sectors including health, cities and infrastructure and energy.

5) The project was carried out over the period March 2017 to February 2019.

6) The Disaster and Climate Resilience Reference Group oversaw the delivery of the project.

7) Yes.

8) Information on the scenario exercise reports was released publicly through a Freedom of Information Act request in July 2019.

9) The project was designed to explore plausible future impacts from climate change and extreme weather events over the medium term. The intention was to understand what challenges could be presented by such events, in order to inform policy and program design and thinking.