A Conceptual Framework for Climate Change Adaptation and Its Application to the Australian Bulk Grain Shipping System

Climate hazards impact several sectors and regions hence the climate change responses should be system specific. With the expected increase in the global average temperature during the 21st century, systems will brace for more catastrophic consequences. This paper presents a conceptual framework for climate change adaptation, for systems. The key concepts explored and integrated into the framework are the structured analysis and design technique, climate change vulnerability assessment (CCVA), and adaptation strategies. The framework was then applied to the Australian bulk grain shipping system which significantly contributes to the country’s economy but is exposed to highly volatile climate hazards. The framework is expected to generate system models, comprehensible to the decision makers who conduct the CCVAs. The approach used will generate no-regret climate change adaptation strategies, as the focus is on improving the internal condition of the vulnerable system. This paper recommends that future studies empirically validate the proposed conceptual framework and assess the effectiveness of the formulated adaptation strategies.