Planning laws and flood mitigation strategies in Australia don’t take into account the future impacts of climate change, leaving communities at risk from greater and more frequent extreme weather, experts warn.
During an online forum on Wednesday, Australian National University’s Karen Hussey presented the findings from a review of four major flood reports from Queensland and Victoria.
Her team analysed how effective flood mitigation strategies were and compared them to initiatives in China, The Netherlands and the US.
Dr Hussey said she was surprised and unsettled to discover none of the comprehensive flood reviews prepared by Queensland or Victorian governments examined the future impacts of climate change in any great detail, if at all.
“In some respects you’re already starting behind the eight ball,” she told the forum.
China, The Netherlands and the US did acknowledge future climate change impact while developing and implementing flood mitigation plans.
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