Integrated Assessment of Climate Change Impacts on Urban Settlements: Lessons from Five Australian Cases

Abstract

As evidence of climate change has increased, attention has shifted from “is it happening?” toward “what should be the response?” There is increasing focus on assessing climate change impacts at the local scale, and on developing practical responses. This chapter summarizes lessons for assessment methodologies and practical adaptive responses for small- to medium-sized urban settlements, drawing on integrated assessment (IA) of five Australia settlements. The chapter describes the IA methodology developed, the nature of detailed investigations into specific impacts, and insights regarding local assessment and adaptation.