Climate Change Risk Assessment and Adaptation Planning: Tiwi Islands Shire Council
Climate Change Risk Assessment and Adaptation Planning: Tiwi Islands Shire Council Report
Prepared for Local Government Association of the Northern Territory
- Author(s): AECOM Australia
- Published: 2010
Abstract: This climate change risk assessment and adaptation planning report on the Tiwi Islands Shire Council area was commissioned by the Local Government Association of the Northern Territory with funding support from the Commonwealth Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency. This study provides an overview of climate change trends in the Tiwi Islands area, an analysis of expected climate change impacts and a number of proposed adaptation options. This project should not be considered as a one-off exercise but rather an ongoing process that needs to be revisited by the Tiwi Islands communities and its Council from time to time. The Vulnerability of the Tiwi Islands Shire: The Tiwi Islands Shire is located about 80 km to the north of Darwin in the Arafura Sea. The Tiwi Islands include Melville Island and Bathurst Island which have a combined area of approximately 8,320 km2 and have an estimated population of 2,525 inhabitants (ABS 2009). The 2006 Census revealed that 92.3% of the resident population of Tiwi Islands Shire is Indigenous (ABS 2006). The largest population centres are Nguiu, Pirlangimpi and Milikapiti. The Tiwi Islands communities are exposed to extreme climatic events among which cyclones and storm surge can be considered as the most threatening. The majority of communities on the Tiwi Islands reside along the coastline and have very narrow economic basis. Considered remote, many communities can only be accessed by boat or plane. All these elements make the community highly sensitive to climate change impacts. However, most communities on the Tiwi Islands have shown strong resilience in the face of previous adverse events. Furthermore, the simplicity and robustness of the infrastructure (e.g. concrete ramp for barge landing) make them less exposed to extreme events and less expensive to maintain and repair if they are damaged. This resilience combined with the traditional knowledge held by the community can be built upon to prepare for the inevitable impacts of climate change. The Tiwi Islands have experienced changes in the climate (such as air temperature and rainfall) over the past 30 years. These trends are likely to continue and even accelerate during the 21st Century.