The NSW Government has released the state’s first adaptation action plan

This whole-of-government plan focuses on addressing known climate change impacts and risks, enabling adaptation to prevent avoidable loss and damage, and building the foundation for future action.

NSW is already living with the impacts of climate change, and further climate change is locked in which brings significant risk to the social, economic and environmental wellbeing of our state. The NSW Government is acting now to help reduce climate change impacts and risks and move the state towards greater resilience.  

The NSW Climate Change Adaptation Action Plan 2025-2029 was developed by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water in collaboration with multiple NSW Government agencies, as a key deliverable under the NSW Climate Change Adaptation Strategy. The plan identifies 46 actions led by 8 agencies to progress state-wide resilience over the next 5 years.

Many of the actions in the plan are foundational and lay the groundwork for future expanded adaptation. They focus on building the policy, skills, processes, knowledge and resources needed to cement climate change into everyday NSW Government decision making and enable further action.  

The actions focus on addressing known risks to prevent avoidable loss and damage across many portfolios. Areas of focus include land-use planning, landscape restoration, managing coastal hazards, water allocation and sharing as well as strengthening guidance for health organisations, transport projects and economic decision-making to better consider, manage and report on climate change risks.  

Delivering state-wide adaptation action plans at least every 5 years is a commitment under the NSW Climate Change Adaptation Strategy.

This plan is intended to be the first of many. Future plans will build on the foundation created by this plan. We must continue to be agile in our response to the changing climate and its impacts on our communities and environment. Adaptation is an ongoing process and there is always more work to be done.