Governing the integration of climate change adaptation into disaster risk reduction: Insights from two Australian local governments

This chapter investigates the role, and the related challenges, of Australian Local Governments (LGs) within governance of climate change adaptation (CCA)– disaster risk reduction (DRR) integration. It aims to understand governance of CCA–DRR integration in the Hunter Valley, New South Wales. The chapter discusses initiatives of CCA–DRR integration as provided by LGs in the Hunter Valley. It provides an overview of the governance of CCA–DRR integration for Australian LGs. The chapter also provides significant insights for governance of CCA–DRR integration in the selected areas. It focuses on the main addressed climate-change-related hazards, the main initiatives for tackling such hazards, and the related challenges in governance. Governance also requires the involvement of decentralised government levels such as LG. Australia is one of the developed countries most vulnerable to climate change. The chapter explores the role of LGs within governance of CCA–DRR integration in Australia, and related challenges.