The Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research Collaborative Regional Research Programme has awarded funding (USD 70,000) to a team led by Dr Aaron Opdyke to build decision-making capacity for flood risk under climate change. The project “Advancing Local Flood Decision-Making for Disaster Risk Reduction” aims to transform disaster risk assessments by understanding how climate change will impact localised flood risk and unpack how these assessments can be better incorporated into local planning processes. The project team will accomplish this through an in-depth study of two catchment basins located in the Municipality of Carigara (Leyte, Philippines) and the Regency of Singkil (Aceh, Indonesia). The project will link the University of Sydney (Dr Aaron Opdyke and Emily Nabong), Universitas Syiah Kuala Tsunami and Disaster Mitigation Research Center (Dr Ella Meilianda, Dedy Alfian, and Yopi Ilhamsyah), and the University of the Philippines Resilience Institute (Joy Santiago, Jerico Mendoza, and Prof Mahar Lagmay).
In each catchment, hydrological modelling will incorporate downscaled climate change projections alongside household vulnerability assessments to examine shifting flood risk patterns. The team will then use focus groups, key informant interviews, and serious games to develop a flood decision tool that helps local governments understand and apply climate-informed flood models. In doing so, the project will contribute to the Sendai Framework’s target to substantially increase the availability of, and access to, disaster risk information and assessments by 2030.