Media Release: Infrastructure Sustainability Council welcomes Infrastructure Victoria report, highlights practical pathways to strengthen climate resilience
The Infrastructure Sustainability Council (ISC) has welcomed Infrastructure Victoria’s report Warning signs: climate change risks to Victoria’s infrastructure, describing it as a welcome contribution to understanding and responding to climate risk across critical infrastructure systems.
The report finds that more than $57 billion of Victorian infrastructure is exposed to climate hazards by 2030, increasing to over $70 billion by 2070 as extreme weather events become more frequent and severe.
ISC Chief Executive Toby Kent said the report provides a timely reminder of the growing importance of resilience in infrastructure and investment.
‘Infrastructure Victoria has highlighted the scale of climate risk facing our infrastructure networks, but also the opportunity to take a more proactive and coordinated approach,’ Mr Kent said.
‘With the right tools – such as the ISC’s IS Rating Scheme and its climate adaptation credits – we can better anticipate these risks and build resilience into projects from the outset.’
The report identifies that key infrastructure sectors – including roads, rail, energy and health – face increasing exposure to hazards such as floods, bushfires and extreme heat, with risks varying across regions and asset types.
The ISC noted that while the findings reinforce the importance of acting early and consistently, particularly given evidence that adaptation can reduce long-term costs and service disruption.
‘This is about embedding resilience as a standard part of infrastructure delivery,’ Mr Kent said. ‘By integrating climate considerations early, we can support better performing assets and more reliable services for communities.’
The ISC emphasised that the IS Rating Scheme, including its dedicated climate risk adaptation credits, provides a structured and verifiable pathway to respond to the risks outlined in the report.
The IS Rating Scheme enables infrastructure owners and project teams to
- Identify and assess climate risks early, using recognised approaches aligned with hazard, exposure and vulnerability analysis
- Apply climate adaptation credits to guide design, mitigation and resilience strategies
- Enhance asset durability and service continuity under changing climate conditions
- Prioritise cost-effective adaptation measures, reducing lifecycle costs
- Provide consistent, transparent reporting on sustainability and resilience outcomes.
‘The value of the IS Rating Scheme is that it translates high-level risk insights into tangible actions at the project level,’ Mr Kent said.
‘It helps ensure resilience is not just considered – but demonstrated – in project outcomes.’
The ISC highlighted that strengthening resilience is central to its purpose of enabling infrastructure that delivers enduring environmental, economic and social value.
‘Our purpose is about supporting infrastructure that performs over the long term,’ Mr Kent said. ‘Resilience is fundamental to that – ensuring assets can continue to operate and support communities in a changing climate.’
The ISC also welcomes Infrastructure Victoria’s focus on the upcoming 2026 Climate Adaptation Action Plans as a key opportunity to continue strengthening infrastructure resilience:
‘There is already strong momentum across government and industry,’ Mr Kent said. ‘This report helps prioritise where effort can be focused and how existing approaches can be scaled more consistently.’
The ISC highlights that collaboration across government, industry and advisory bodies will be essential to embedding resilience at scale:
‘Climate risk is one of the many factors shaping infrastructure decisions,’ Mr Kent said. ‘By taking a considered and structured approach – supported by tools like the IS Rating Scheme – we can manage these risks effectively while continuing to deliver infrastructure that supports economic growth and community wellbeing.’
‘We look forward to working with Infrastructure Victoria, the broader Victorian government and industry stakeholders on the development of plans and systems to manage climate risk and infrastructure.’
Media enquiries
Annie Manson
Policy & Advocacy Manager
Infrastructure Sustainability Council
+61 422 131 741