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This research paper discusses how the events of recent years (global pandemic, bushfires, droughts, floods, other extreme weather events and cyber threats) have again highlighted Australia’s vulnerability to natural and non-natural threats and their social, environmental and economic impacts. By 2050, the annual economic cost of natural disasters in Australia is expected to more than double – from an average of $18 billion per year to more than $39 billion per year. In New South Wales, the expected total economic costs of natural disasters are projected to increase from $5.1 billion in 2020-21 to between $15.8 billion and $17.2 billion (real 2019-20 dollars) per year by 2061.

Increasing frequency and severity of shocks and stresses – in part due to the effects of climate change – will test our collective capacity to cope as their cumulative impact becomes more likely to exceed our limits.  

The aim of this collaborative research project is to build expertise, momentum for change and set a strategic direction for how to plan infrastructure to respond to natural and non-natural threats.

It identifies 10 directions for transformational and systemic change in infrastructure planning to achieve infrastructure for resilience.

A major finding of this research is that achieving resilience requires a shift in focus from the resilience of assets themselves, to the contribution of assets to the resilience of the system – what we call infrastructure for resilience. This approach requires consideration not only of how to strengthen the asset, network and sector, but also how to strengthen the place, precinct, city, and region that the infrastructure operates within. It requires considering the role of each asset within the broader network and/or system and a shift from individual to shared responsibility.