Monitoring and evaluation of climate change adaptation by Local Government: the state of play in Australia

Governments at varying levels have invested funds in climate modelling, impact, risk and vulnerability assessments, and proactive planning for future climate conditions. Local governments have been very active in this space, as climate change adaptation is recognised to be particularly context specific. In Australia, many local governments have developed either stand-alone climate change adaptation plans, or incorporated significant adaptation goals and actions in other organisational strategies. However, are these strategies and actions contributing to 'successful' adaptation - a somewhat slippery concept? Monitoring and evaluation can contribute to our knowledge of whether actions are effective, and for whom, in which context. There are many barriers and challenges to monitoring and evaluating climate change adaptation, but decades of evaluation theory and practice can help address these challenges. A recent survey of Australian local governments, however, suggests that not all plans are being actively and systematically monitored, and evaluations are often internal reviews, rather than rigorous evaluations. This presentation will provide the preliminary findings of a national survey of local governments' adaptation monitoring and evaluation efforts, and how they may contribute to our understanding of whether we are 'adapting successfully'.