IS for government climate change adaptation activities: an exploratory case study

This paper reports a case study of climate change adaptation activities of the New South Wales Government’s Climate Change Working Group where ten agencies have responsibility for thirty-five long-term activities. A concurrent Data-Centre Consolidation project has highlighted the mammoth amount of data held by different agencies that must be integrated into information to adequately support these adaptation activities. Our analysis of data collected from interviews and documents reveals the potential of a retrospective ontology capability, and a unique citizen record in enabling this integration. Adaptation activities require resolution of differences in the perspectives of government agencies and citizens and changes to current restrictive sustainability practices in order to meaningfully engage with a wide range of non-governmental stakeholders in a way that ensures visibility of action and confers the authority to act in the context of climate change adaptation activities.