Reduce Infrastructure Vulnerability From Climate Change

AECOM Australia Pty Ltd
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Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia
www.aecom.com

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Media Release
Trevor Robertson
Head of Communications
0409 519 639
[email protected]

Plan early to reduce infrastructure vulnerability from climate change
14 November 2009

With sea levels predicted to rise, leading global consultancy firm AECOM is advising industry to incorporate climate change considerations into infrastructure planning to avoid costly and unplanned expenditure.

The advice coincides with the Federal Government's release of the National Coastal Vulnerability Assessment (NCVA), a major study which sets out the scale of the climate change risk for coastal areas.

"Forty percent of climate change impacts on the economy will come from increased infrastructure failure, repair, early replacement and maintenance costs, as well as reduced service reliability. In addition, there will be the cost of new adaptation measures," said Michael Nolan, AECOM's Associate Director of Sustainability and Climate Change, who features in the NCVA coastal adaptation film.

"Climate change impacts would significantly affect Australia's tourism industry, production levels and trade across the nation, as well as having a financial and reputational impact on corporations and government.

"In most cases, considering climate change impacts when designing new infrastructure will be cheaper than reacting to impacts when they occur later. This is particularly relevant for impacts caused by rising sea levels, storm surge, flooding and heatwaves. This can be done through materials choice, design standards, maintenance regimes, technology, and planning."

AECOM provided the Department of Climate Change with input into the costs of adaptation measures to respond to rising sea levels and coastal flooding, as well as advice on potential impacts to critical infrastructure assets in the coastal zone.

AECOM has previously identified potential climate change impacts on infrastructure in Australia to inform economic modelling in the widely publicised Garnaut Climate Change Review.

To help address the threat, AECOM is continuing to provide a range of market leading solutions and specialist strategic advice for a number of major seaport, road and climate change projects.

This includes an ongoing relationship with the CSIRO through a series of collaborative and research projects, and an upcoming internal AusAID guidance paper to assist the agency screen infrastructure investment in developing countries for climate resilience.

About AECOM
AECOM (NYSE: ACM) is a global provider of professional technical and management support services to a broad range of markets, including transportation, facilities, environmental, energy, water and government. With approximately 45,000 employees around the world, AECOM is a leader in all of the key markets that it serves. AECOM provides a blend of global reach, local knowledge, innovation, and technical excellence in delivering solutions that enhance and sustain the world's built, natural, and social environments. A Fortune 500 company, AECOM serves clients in more than 100 countries and had revenue of US$6.1 billion during its fiscal year 2009. More information on AECOM and its services can be found at www.aecom.com.

SOURCE: AECOM