City of Hobart
The City of Hobart faces the escalating challenges of climate change, from increasing bushfire risk and extreme rainfall to coastal erosion and rising temperatures.
Understanding these risks is paramount to protecting the community, environment and the economy. SGS partnered with the City of Hobart to deliver a comprehensive, evidence-based climate risk and resilience assessment, providing a clear roadmap for priority adaptation actions and strategies.
Our approach combined industry best practices for climate risk appraisal with a nuanced economic understanding of climate-related issues. We recognise that inaction carries a high cost, while proactive adaptation generates significant social, economic, and environmental benefits. Crucially, our methodology emphasised collaboration with the City of Hobart staff, management, and community stakeholders to ensure that local insights and knowledge informed every step of the process.
The assessment provides a detailed analysis of Hobart's current and future climate impacts for both Hobart City Council as an organisation and as a community of residents, businesses and visitors, identifying the city's top ten risks. From the increasing threat of bushfires, exacerbated by Hobart’s unique topography and climate conditions, to the growing frequency and intensity of extreme rainfall events and the long-term implications of sea-level rise, the report paints a clear picture of the challenges ahead. We also highlighted the emerging risks associated with extreme heat and the urban heat island effect, highlighting the vulnerability of specific populations within the community.
The assessment does not just identify risks; it prioritises them and assigns actions to them. By evaluating the likelihood and consequence of each risk in the near-term (2030) and medium-term (2050), we provided the City of Hobart with a framework for targeted action. It includes a detailed examination of the potential impacts on Hobart’s natural environment, built environment, economy, social fabric, and governance. The report also addresses the complex and transitional risks associated with climate change, including the challenge of meeting emission reduction targets while ensuring equitable access to resources and opportunities.
The Hobart Climate Risk Assessment is a call to action. It empowers the City of Hobart to make informed decisions, prioritise investments and engage the community in building a more resilient future. By understanding the specific risks we face, we can proactively adapt and mitigate the impacts of climate change. This assessment directly informed “Climate Ready Hobart,” the City of Hobart's strategy guiding community action in response to the climate and biodiversity emergency as we approach 2040.
