Climate change modelling indicates that as Victoria becomes drier and warmer, weather-related hazards are likely to occur more often and potentially be more severe.

Examples of such hazards include heatwaves, severe winds, storms, maximum temperature thresholds and concurrent and/or compounding events.

Victoria’s Climate Change Act 2017 sets a target of net-zero emissions by 2050 and provides a clear signal to all sectors of the Victorian economy regarding the need for significant and sustained action to reduce emissions.

All links in the table below will open in a new window.
Publish year Assurance activity Summary Organisation
2023 Victorian State of the Environment 2023 Report (External link) Victoria’s five-yearly report card on the health of the state’s natural environment – land, water, air and ecosystems, the report is a considered analysis of the available science and the pressures and challenges ahead. The recommendations seek to support the Victorian Government to keep improving its environmental monitoring and management systems and capabilities during this decade and beyond. Independent
2023 Economic Impacts from Sea Level Rise and Storm Surge in Victoria, Australia over the 21st century (External link) A documentation of the economic challenges that Victoria’s coastal communities will face from sea level rise and related storm surges, its recommendations include establishment of an independent taskforce to develop and promote a vision and operational blueprint to guide Victoria’s response to rising sea levels and related storm surge Academia
2023 Reshaping Australian Food Systems (External link) Acknowledging that Australia’s food systems are embedded within an interconnected global system, this report identifies opportunities and R&D priorities based on research into work undertaken to-date internationally and locally, and into the perspectives of the cross-sectoral stakeholders consulted during the project. Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
2022 The Cost of Extreme Weather 2022 (External link) A research report that estimates direct costs from extreme weather events are to grow by 5.13 per cent each year and reach $35.24 billion by 2050, directly costing Australian households an average of $2,509.16 every year. The report concludes that if we are to mitigate the rising costs of extreme weather, the federal government should focus more on resilience and future-proofing Independent
2022 Australia State of the Environment 2021 (External link) An assessment of the changing condition of our natural environment across 12 themes: air quality, Antarctica, biodiversity, climate, coasts, extreme events, heritage, Indigenous, inland water, land, marine and urban. A committee of independent scientists and environmental experts authored the thematic chapters and contributed to the Overview report and were supported an Australian Government taskforce. Independent
2022 The great deluge: Australia's new era of unnatural disasters (External link) A report that examines the record-breaking rainfall and floods seen in large parts of Eastern Australia in 2022 and how these climate-fuelled extreme weather events can overwhelm emergency services and devastate communities. It calls for all levels of government to speed up their emission reductions and disaster preparation efforts. Independent
2022 Government climate action: leading policies and programs in Australia (External link) An analysis of targets, policies and programs announced by Australian, State and Territory governments, with a focus on policies introduced since the 2021 report on state and territory climate action. Independent
2022 Inquiry into renewable energy in Victoria (External link) An inquiry into the Victorian Government’s emission reduction and renewable energy targets, the Committee made 24 findings and 32
recommendations. The committee reported on governance and policy structures, and also found that the developing renewable energy sector creates a good source of employment and that there will be significant economic benefits in transitioning away from fossil fuels.
Parliament of Victoria
2022 Inquiry into environmental infrastructure for growing populations (External link) A report into the current and future arrangements to secure environmental infrastructure - particularly parks and open space - for a growing population in Melbourne and across regional centres, its recommendations include addressing particular environmental infrastructure challenges such as climate change, bushfires and natural disasters. Parliament of Victoria
2022 Annual report on drinking water quality in Victoria 2020-21 (External link) A summary of Victoria's drinking water quality performance, including vulnerabilities, lessons/mitigation, and addressing future risk, the report recognises the ongoing efforts made by water agencies in delivering high-quality drinking water to Victorians and the department’s regulatory role in achieving this outcome, along with protecting public health. Department of Health