Running Head: SYNTHESIS TASK 1

Synthesis Task

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SYNTHESIS TASK 2

The rapidness of change in the world’s climate systems and forecasts concerning the

severity of climate change impacts has resulted in an increased focus on climate change

adaptation (Steffen, 2009). Notably, as the understanding of the significance of climate change

impacts on human well-being is increasing; more attention is being focused on the capacity of

the society to act to moderate those risks (McLeman, 2010). Indeed, all over Australia, the

ensuing effects of climate change differ from one locality to the other, and the vulnerability to

climatic impacts also varies among communities. Therefore, it is the responsibility of those

individuals, communities and businesses that are directly affected by climate change to make

decisions respond to these climate impacts. However, experts in this area have argued that since

the effects of climate change are being felt nationally, then the efforts to adapt to climate change

and reduce its impacts should be national too; championed by the federal government. For that

reason, this argumentative essay seeks to examine the extent to which the responsibility for

action to assist Australians to adapt to climate change rests with the federal government.

Specifically this paper will argue that the federal government has a huge role in facilitating

climate change adaptation behavior among Australians, using three themes that include

(1)providing information for individuals, businesses and communities; (2) creating the right

conditions for businesses and communities; and (3) leadership in its management of public assets

and resources.

Individuals, businesses, and communities in Australia can only participate in effective

adaptive action to climate change if they have the right information regarding its potential

impacts as well as risks. Consequently, the federal government has a role in providing and

disseminating information that has broad public benefit so as to build understanding and

facilitate climate change adaptation decision making among individuals, communities and

SYNTHESIS TASK 3

corporate entities. However, discourse on climate change adaptation has in recent years been torn

between special private interest and national interest inn climate change adaptive capacity. Those

supporting private interest have insisted on the notion that private entities, individuals, business

and communities are better placed to seek information and manage their own risks regarding

climate change (Garnaut, 2011). However, this notion is challenged by those pushing for a

national interest on the argument that private individuals business and communities have

insufficient investment capacity to generate adequate information regarding climate change and

its risks. According to Smith & Ash (2011), the federal government has invested heavily, over

the past years, in research to better understand the effects and impacts of climate change (Smith

& Ash, 2011). Moreover, the federal government has collected extensive scientific evidence

including region specific, high quality, accurate climatic projections on the risks arising from

climate change. As such, the federal government is in a better place to provide sufficient and

accurate data that will effectively inform climate change adaptation discourse both at the

community and individual level. This translates to a larger responsibility on the part of the

government, in ensuring that communities and individuals are able to appreciate and comprehend

fully the severity of the issue as well as the critical need for adaptation (Flannery, 2012).

Secondly, providing climate change specific information is hardly sufficient is facilitating

climate change adaptive behavior among Australians. The federal government has the sole

responsibility of creating the right atmosphere or conditions for individuals, private parties,

businesses and communities to adapt. Climate change management experts argue that currently

adaptation behavior among individuals, businesses and communities has been compromised by a

variety of barriers existing in the market. These barriers range from information barriers,

regulatory barriers, investment barriers, cognitive barriers, transaction costs and externalities, to

SYNTHESIS TASK 4

disincentives for self-preparedness. Accordingly, Garnaut (2011) argues that the federal

government must enact policies such as domestic climate change policies that allow businesses

and communities to make effective investment decisions that are inclusive of climate change

impacts (Garnaut, 2011). Moreover, to eliminate these barriers, the federal government, which is

tasked with formulating regulations, must ensure that regulations (including codes and standards

or public health and environmental legislations) do not distort market signals and function to

facilitate and advance adaptive behavior towards climate change (Cleugh, Smith, Battaglia, &

Graham, 2011). Through such policy and regulatory instruments, the federal government is able

to clarify and strengthen climate change adaptive initiatives by private entities individuals and

communities.

Third, through leadership by example, the role of the federal government increases

significantly in facilitating adaptive behavior among Australians. According to McKibben

(2012), governments play a major role in climate change through ineffective management of

public resources and assets such as water, land and energy production (McKibben, 2012).

McKibben (2012) argues that while governments publicly encourage individuals and

communities to adapt to climate change, they do not abide by these declarations. McKibben

argues even though they are cognizant of global warming, governments across the world are

investing heavily in oil drilling leases, harvesting hydrocarbons among other activities. Notably,

by default, governments are tasked with the responsibility to provide public goods and services.

These may include emergency management, providing flood and coastal protection, public

health and safety measures, and natural resources protection, as well as management of public

assets such as reserve systems public lands, national parks and government-owned infrastructure.

Therefore, to facilitate effective adaptive behavior to climate change, the federal government

SYNTHESIS TASK 5

must take a leadership role by factoring in climate change risks in its management and funding of

public assets. For instance the government has shown exemplary adaptive behavior through its

water reform process, signifying the great role it has in facilitating climate change adaptation

(Doran, 2011).

In conclusion, when it comes to facilitating climate change adaptive action among Australians,

there is need for easy access to reliable information, the appropriate environments/settings for

sound decision making and leadership by example from the federal government. These areas

speak to the extensive and overarching role of the government in efforts to mitigate climate

change.

SYNTHESIS TASK 6

References

Cleugh, H., Smith, M., Battaglia, M., & Graham, P. (2011). Climate Change: Science and

Solutions for Australia. Canberra: CSIRO PUBLISHING.

Doran, C. (2011). Climate change adaptation – A review of Australian local governments’

barriers and priorities. Melbourne: RMIT University School of Global Studies Social

Science and Planning.

Flannery, T. (2012, July 24). Climate change and Victoria: high time to innovate, adapt, and

cope. Retrieved from Climate Commission:

http://climatecommission.gov.au/others/climate-change-victoria-high-time-innovate-

adapt-cope/

Garnaut, R. (2011). The Garnaut Climate Change Review: Australia in the Global Response to

Climate Change. Canberra: Australian Government.

McKibben, B. (2012, July 19). Global Warming's Terrifying New Math: Three simple numbers

that add up to global catastrophe - and that make clear who the real enemy is. Retrieved

from RollingStone Politics: http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/global-warmings-

terrifying-new-math-20120719

McLeman, R. (2010). Impacts of population change on vulnerability and the capacity to adapt to

climate change and variability : A typology based on lessons from a "hard country".

Population Environment, 31, 286-316.

Smith , M., & Ash, A. (2011). Chapter 5: Adaptation: reducing risk, gaining opportunity. In H.

Cleugh, M. Smith, M. Battaglia, & P. Graham, Climate Change: Science and Solutions

for Australia. Canberra: CSIRO PUBLISHING.

SYNTHESIS TASK 7

Steffen, M. (2009). Climate Change 2009, Faster Change & More Serious Risks. In D.O.C.C.,

Australian Government. Canberra: D.O.C.C.