Topics > Climate Change > South Australia’s first statewide climate change risk assessment

South Australia’s first statewide climate change risk assessment: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Why doesn’t the Risk Assessment talk about the 2025 South Australian algal bloom event?

The analysis for the Risk Assessment was completed at the end of 2024 and does not include events experienced in 2025, such as the 2025 South Australian algal bloom event. The Risk Assessment did identify that algal blooms are likely to increase in the future as sea temperatures rise due to climate change.

2. Why doesn’t the Risk Assessment talk about the 2025 South Australian floods and drought?

The analysis for the Risk Assessment was completed at the end of 2024 and does not include events experienced in 2025, such as the floods in the far north and drought in South Australia’s agricultural regions. The Risk Assessment did identify more frequent floods and droughts as potential hazards.

3. What are the most urgent climate change risks for South Australia?

Climate change is already impacting South Australia in many areas including risks to biodiversity and ecosystems, water, transport, emergency services, communications and electricity infrastructure, and natural heritage. As the climate continues to change, the impacts and costs will increase over time.

Eleven of the physical climate change risks assessed in the risk assessment were prioritised for additional action over the next five years. Twenty-one risks require further analysis. The 11 most urgent risks for new or stronger action are:

  • Significant loss of biodiversity.
  • More intense erosion and inundation of coastal structures and ecosystems.
  • Adverse impacts on flood and coastal protection defences such as levee banks, seawalls and beach replenishment.
  • Disruption to transport including aviation, ports, roads, rail and public transport.
  • Adverse impacts on water availability, quality, supply, and demand.
  • Impacts on agriculture and forestry production and profitability.
  • Insurance becoming unaffordable and/or unavailable.
  • Disruption to supply chains and logistics including transport, supplier production and availability of raw materials.
  • Adverse impacts from extreme weather on employment and financial wellbeing.
  • Increasing impacts on physical and mental health and wellbeing.
  • Reduced ability of emergency services to prepare, manage and respond.

4. Were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ experiences and perspectives incorporated into the Risk Assessment?

The Risk Assessment found that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are likely to experience unique impacts from climate change.

The changing climate threatens the character of Country, connection to Country, the liveability of regional and remote communities, and will have flow-on impacts to social, mental and physical health and wellbeing.

The Risk Assessment also recognises opportunities to strengthen South Australia’s climate response by integrating Aboriginal knowledge systems, cultural practices and leadership in the design and delivery of nature-based climate solutions.

Future work is needed to prioritise deeper engagement and more detailed assessment to respectfully incorporate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ perspectives.

5. What is the South Australian Government doing to address the risks identified in the Risk Assessment?

The South Australian Government will use the Risk Assessment to:

  • Share the findings with businesses, communities and other government groups.
  • Help government agencies identify and manage climate risks to the assets, services and communities they support, as required under the Climate Ready Government Initiative.
  • Guide long-term planning and policy, such as updating South Australia’s Disaster Resilience Strategy and the State Landscape Strategy.
  • Prepare an new adaptation plan in response to the findings.
  • Consider climate risks and opportunities in major decisions

Work on the government’s response is underway and more details will be shared soon. Read more information on next steps and how the government is responding to climate change risk and opportunity. 

Find out how to stay informed and get involved.

Information on the South Australian Government’s current adaptation actions is available in the South Australian Government Climate Change Resilience and Adaptation Actions report.

More information on South Australia’s response to climate change can also be found at South Australia’s climate change and greenhouse emissions reduction reports.

6. How can I use the Risk Assessment?

The Risk Assessment can help you understand what climate risks and hazards you might be exposed to – at home and at your place of work. It can be a first step in finding out more information about your specific exposure. 

Other useful sources of information that may help you understand your specific situation and how you might respond are provided below.

7. What is the National Climate Risk Assessment and how will it be used?

In September 2025, the Australian Government released the National Climate Risk Assessment, Australia’s first nationally comprehensive look at how climate change could affect the systems we rely on, including health, infrastructure, the economy and the environment. It identifies 11 priority risks across 7 key systems.

It shows that:

  • climate hazards will get worse under all plausible futures
  • the difference between 2°C and 3°C of global warming is significant
  • early action can reduce long-term costs and protect what we value.

The National Climate Risk Assessment provides data and information to help governments, business and communities to plan and adapt.  It has informed the development of a National Adaptation Plan.

8. How does the Risk Assessment relate to the National Climate Risk Assessment? Which one should I use?

Both the South Australian Statewide Climate Change Risk Assessment and the National Climate Risk Assessment provide information that can be useful to inform decisions and adaptation planning.

The South Australian Statewide Climate Change Risk Assessment provides information that is more specific for South Australia’s regions and context.  The National Climate Risk Assessment provides a national perspective as well as useful information on risks relevant to South Australia and can provide additional quantitative analysis and data.   

While each risk assessment used a different approach and resulted in different risk ratings, both assessments identified priority risks that are broadly consistent – including risks to the economy, trade and finance, health and social support, natural environment, primary industries, water security, coastal communities, supply chains, infrastructure and the built environment, and the capacity of disaster response services to respond to increasing severe weather events.   

The National Climate Risk Assessment identified seven nationally significant climate change risks for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. These risks can be useful to understand impacts to First Nations peoples in South Australia.

Main image: NPWS brigade firefighter during the 2020 bushfire on Kangaroo Island

Acknowledgement of Country

Acknowledgement of Country

The state government acknowledges Aboriginal people as the First Peoples and Nations of the lands and waters we live and work upon and we pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. We acknowledge and respect the deep spiritual connection and the relationship that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have to Country.

We work in partnership with the First Peoples of South Australia and support their Nations to take a leading role in caring for their Country.