Australia: Climate change, catastrophic risk and disaster law

"Is this the time for a comprehensive and integrated body of disaster law to emerge in Australia rather than continuing to think that disaster laws are all about emergency responses?" asks Rosemary Lyster, Professor of Climate and Environmental Law at University of Sydney in The conversation, opposing two views regarding the catastrophic 2010-2011 floods across eastern Australia and suggesting the factorisation of climate change-induced flooding into urban and regional planning, the design of flood mitigation works, and reviews of emergency management procedures.

Writing in connection with the 'Special Report Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation' released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), she adds: "We really need to begin planning on a multi-decadal basis specifically with the risk of climate catastrophes in mind." Another important issue that her article touches upon is, "whether insurance law can respond effectively to climate disasters, or whether catastrophic risks are simply uninsurable?"