The analysis of infrastructure asset susceptibility using high resolution climate projection modelling

Climate change is a feature of the 21st Century. Making sensible choices on how we can adapt to climate hinges on understanding what changes are likely, where they are likely, and when they will start to have a significant impact.

pitt&sherry, a Tasmanian based consultancy, in partnership with the Antarctic Climate & Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre (ACE CRC), with facilitated inputs from a range of Tasmanian infrastructure managers and planners have developed a climate susceptibility, analysis and communication tool. The spatial software based decision support tool assists owners, managers and planners to use customised, cutting edge future climate projections to assess the susceptibility of their infrastructure to projected changes in climate at a local scale.

The Climate Futures for Tasmania project completed by ACE CRC generated sophisticated climate projections incorporating Tasmania’s varied topography and its effect on local climate. The project involved the analysis of the high resolution, multivariate, dynamically downscaled climate projections. Customised outputs have been produced of specific relevance to infrastructure design standards and codes. Engineering expertise combined with the cutting edge, customized model output has expanded the knowledge base concerning climate change projections and potential impacts at local scales for direct application by a range of decision makers.

Integrated within a single tool, the climate projections with reference and documentation of design standards and codes, enables communication of projected changes and potential impacts to planners and policy makers.

Examples are presented of practical application of the decision support tool, ClimateAsyst, to provide climate change impact analysis to assist planning and policy responses.