Environment
- Publication no: AP-R774-26
- ISBN: 978-1-923617-71-1
- Published: 1 September 2026
- PDF (free) Download
This report supports enhanced natural hazard resilience performance of transport assets and services across Australia and New Zealand. As the frequency and severity of climate-related hazards continue to increase, this research provides a valuable foundation for embedding resilience into transport planning, management and decision-making.
The methodology for this report involved a literature review, member and industry engagement, and co-design with the Project Control Group (PCG). A framework for measuring climate and natural hazard resilience performance was then developed, bringing together aspects of resilience performance and risk as well as organisational capability. As part of this guidance, a 6‑step process for selecting and applying resilience metrics was developed and tested to confirm it is practical, scalable and able to generate insights even where data availability is limited.
The output of this research is structured, evidence-based guidance designed to support transport organisations in establishing and applying climate and natural hazard resilience metrics. A register providing a set of potential metrics accompanies the report.
This report will be useful for all transport agencies of differing scales and levels of maturity seeking to improve resilience to the impacts of climate change and natural hazards.
Download the Measuring Climate Resilience Performance of Transport Assets and Services Metrics Register [Excel |1.12 MB].
- 1. Introduction
- 1.1 Background
- 1.2 Purpose
- 1.3 Scope
- 1.4 Intended audience
- 1.5 High-level methodology
- 2. Resilience Measurement Framework
- 2.1 Why measure resilience performance?
- 2.2 Components of resilience measurement
- 2.2.1 Resilience performance
- 2.2.2 Climate- and natural hazard-related risk
- 2.2.3 Organisational resilience
- 2.3 Types of metrics and indicators
- 2.3.1 Leading and lagging indicators
- 2.3.2 Core and supporting metrics
- 2.3.3 Results chain categories
- 3. Recommended Resilience Measurement Process
- 3.1 Step 1: Establish purpose and scope of resilience measurement
- 3.2 Step 2: Understand capacity, capability and organisational drive
- 3.3 Step 3: Establish metrics linked to evaluation purpose
- 3.3.1 Step 3a: Identify or develop a clear question aligned to your measurement purpose
- 3.3.2 Step 3b: Map to relevant components of resilience
- 3.3.3 Step 3c: Review metrics register to identify potential metrics
- 3.3.4 Worked examples for Steps 1–3
- 3.4 Step 4: Set assessment approach
- 3.4.1 Targets and thresholds
- 3.4.2 Trend analysis
- 3.4.3 Rubrics
- 3.4.4 Combination assessment approaches
- 3.5 Step 5: Collect data and assess performance periodically
- 3.5.1 Other potential information sources
- 3.6 Step 6: Close the loop
- 3.6.1 Using resilience metrics to support asset management
- 3.6.2 Using resilience metrics to support the identification, prioritisation and deployment of adaptation actions
- 4. Conclusions and Recommendations
- 4.1 Key takeaways
- 4.2 Recommended next steps for Austroads
- References
- Appendix A Literature Review Approach
- A.1 Approach
- A.2 Search terms
- A.3 Screening criteria
- A.4 Review process and documentation
- Appendix B Review of Current Knowledge and Practices
- B.1 Member interviews
- B.2 Documents reviewed in detail
- B.3 Findings
- B.3.1 General approaches to establishing performance metrics
- B.3.2 Overarching resilience frameworks
- B.3.3 Conceptualising resilience in the transport context
- B.3.4 Tools for measuring resilience
- B.3.5 Barriers to resilience measurement
- Appendix C Industry Engagement
- C.1 Engagement approach and objectives
- C.2 Stakeholders consulted
- C.3 Key insights
- Appendix D Piloting the Approach
- D.1 Pilot objectives and method
- D.2 Pilot participants
- D.3 Key insights
- Appendix E Complete Register of Metrics
- Appendix F Example Rubrics
- F.1 Resilience performance rubrics
- F.2 Risk rubrics
- F.3 Organisational resilience rubrics
- Appendix G Climate and Hazard Data Sources
Austroads has released the Environment and Sustainability Initiatives Stocktake 2025–2027: Year 1, continuing and building on earlier work to provide deeper insight into how transport agencies across Australia and New Zealand are embedding sustainability practices across their operations and strategic frameworks.