The Australian Government established the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF) in 2008 to lead Australia’s research community to generate the information decision-makers in government, business and the community need to adapt to climate change – that is, to moderate harm and exploit beneficial opportunities arising from climate change.

A key responsibility of NCCARF is to develop National Climate Change Adaptation Research Plans (NARPs) for eight themes:
»» Emergency management;
»» Human health;
»» Marine biodiversity and resources;
»» Settlements and infrastructure;
»» Terrestrial biodiversity;
»» Primary industries;
»» Social, economic and institutional dimensions of climate change; and
»» Freshwater biodiversity.

Each Plan summarises the information required for sound decision making about adaptation and gaps in current knowledge, leading to identifying priority adaptation research questions and cross-theme adaptation research priorities for that area.

The Plans collectively provide a blueprint for investment in climate change adaptation in Australia over a five to seven year period. In addition to the original eight Plans, a ninth Plan is being completed focusing on adaptation research needs for Indigenous communities.

This document provides a succinct summary of the priority research questions and topics from each of the NCCARF Climate Change Adaptation Research Plans. Download the full Research Plans for each theme here