Climate risks and resilience
BCEC research investigates the economic and social risks posed by climate change, and the strategies and capabilities needed to build resilience in communities, industries, and regions. This theme examines how climate-related hazards, from extreme heat and prolonged drought to floods, bushfires, and coastal inundation, affect health, livelihoods, housing, infrastructure, and broader economic stability.
Our work explores the distribution of climate risks across different populations, identifying vulnerable groups and regions and assessing the effectiveness of adaptation and mitigation measures. BCEC researchers have studied the role of governance, institutions, and social capital in supporting resilience, the economic costs of inaction, and the benefits of climate-responsive investments in areas such as infrastructure, housing, agriculture, and environmental management.
We integrate climate science with economic modelling, spatial analysis, and longitudinal data to assess both short- and long-term impacts, from sudden shocks to more gradual onsets. This approach enables us to evaluate policy responses that can reduce exposure, enhance Australia’s adaptive capacity, and support a fair transition for communities and industries facing climate-related disruption. By generating policy-relevant insights, BCEC helps to strengthen Australia’s resilience in a changing climate.
BCEC is always keen to connect with researchers, industry and government partners on climate risk and resilience initiatives. Reach out via bcec@curtin.edu.au to discuss how we can work together.
Related Publications
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Naturally occurring bushfires have become a global concern, with epidemiological evidence highlighting the unique toxicity of bushfire smoke compared to ambient air pollution. Leveraging remote-sensing data and a novel dynamic-radius fire assignment strategy, this paper causally examines the longitudinal impacts... Read article
This study examines the effects of tourism openness on climate change and circular economy outcomes within a Waste Kuznets Curve framework. Drawing on a newly compiled global panel dataset of circular economy indicators covering 64 countries over the period 1995–2022,... Read article
Hawai‘i’s economy, heavily specialized in tourism, is particularly vulnerable to shocks that disrupt tourism numbers. The Maui economy is even more dependent on tourists, and the extraordinary losses from the 2023 wildfires in Lahaina and Kula continue to dampen tourist... Read article
This paper investigates how political corruption moderates the effectiveness of public investment in research and development (R&D) for energy technologies in driving decarbonisation. Using annual panel data for 25 OECD countries (1990–2022), we apply a two-stage instrumental variable approach that... Read article
Climate policy uncertainty has emerged as a key source of systemic risk in global commodity markets, particularly for energy transition metals. The volatile and uneven trajectory of climate policy shaped by shifting political priorities, macro financial shocks and regulatory reversals... Read article
The gender gap in risk preferences in rural farm households, with female farmers commonly viewed as more risk-averse than their male counterparts, may have profound implications for addressing the gendered impacts of climate change. Understanding these gender differences and their... Read article
The Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre team acknowledges the Wadjuk Nyungar people as the traditional owners of the land on which the Centre is situated.