AS 5334:2013 pdf free download – Climate change adaptation for settlements and infrastructure – A risk based approach
Within this Standard there are a number of clearly defined steps to be taken. Many of these steps require the user to consult, integrate, or otherwise be aware of external policies, information, plans, data and guides. It is the responsibility of those undertaking the assessment to make sure they have consulted the appropriate documents. One of the key concerns of users of this Standard is the availability of information about likely future climate. While climate models continue to improve, some uncertainty about future climate is inevitable and decisions must be made on the basis of the best available information. Uncertainty is part of the intrinsic nature of complex systems. As the quality, quantity and communication of climate change information improves over time, the knowledge gap is expected to reduce. However, filling the knowledge gap will not remove all uncertainties when dealing with climate change information and data. It is likely that significant levels of uncertainty with regards to climate change projections will remain and adaptation planning processes will have to be flexible enough to cope with these. The lack of incontrovertible data should not be considered as a reason not to implement climate change adaptation measures. Adaptation plans should be reviewed on a regular basis to take new data into account. Adaptation plans should be seen as ‘living documents’ that are updated and modified to take changing circumstances into account.
There are as yet no recognized central sources of climate change data, and this Standard cannot specify data sources. It will be up to individuals and organizations to locate and use the best available data. Research results published in refereed scientific journals can be a source of reliable data; however, these can often be application-specific and not necessarily suitable for general use. Care should be taken when using results from refereed journals for other applications and studies since the specificity of location, time and resolution as well as models that are calibrated differently in such reports may be very different from the application under consideration. Information, and specific data, used in climate change adaptation studies should be current, authoritative and credible. Sources should be cited. Summaries, critical reviews of available data, and compilations of data such as maps and charts are extremely important, particularly if they come from a credible and reliable source. These sources can be government agencies, research institutions, universities, and private institutions.