Abstract

The Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Improvement (MERI) Framework for Climate Change Adaptation in Victoria (the MERI Framework) outlines a whole-of-government approach to monitor and evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of actions in Victoria’s Climate Change Adaptation Plan 2017-2020 (the Adaptation Plan), and will build an understanding of how adaptation actions have contributed to achieving longer term outcomes and goals articulated in the Adaptation Plan.

The MERI Framework provides for:

• Monitoring, to track implementation of actions by government
• Evaluation, to determine effectiveness of government’s adaptation actions
• Reporting, to disseminate lessons learned
• Improvement of implementation of actions, through feedback to government programs and policy

The MERI Framework reflects inputs from a wide range of government departments and agencies involved in the delivery of adaptation actions outlined in the Adaptation Plan across Victoria, and is intended to build upon, rather than duplicate, existing MERI frameworks and processes already undertaken across government.

Successful adaptation means that many adverse impacts of climate change can be reduced, managed or avoided. Monitoring, evaluation and reporting will assess the implementation and outcomes of adaptation actions and track progress towards climate resilience. The MERI Framework will also help structure communication on progress and inform and improve future policy and program design.

The approach adopted in the MERI Framework is based on best practice literature on monitoring and evaluating climate change adaptation and has been designed to consider issues of scale and complexity. It also considers potential resource needs associated with different approaches to monitoring and evaluation of adaptation at a state level. The MERI Framework has three key components--a 6-monthly implementation monitoring, an 18-month review, and a 3-year synthesis review--and is supported by a separate and complementary project on long-term ‘state of adaptation’ indicators that will assist government departments and agencies to establish a baseline for adaptation in Victoria, and to monitor change over time.