The Australian Government, the Western Australian (WA) Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage (DPLH), and the Shire of Cocos (Keeling) Islands (the Shire) have partnered to develop a Coastal Hazard Risk Management and Adaptation Plan (CHRMAP) for the Cocos (Keeling) Islands (CKI). This is part two of a three-phase project to build understanding of how the Islands’ coastlines will be affected by erosion and inundation in the future and identify and prioritise management responses.
A CHRMAP is a strategic policy guidance document generated and periodically refreshed by, or on behalf of, a local government in accordance with WA state planning guidelines, which apply in the Indian Ocean Territories.
A CHRMAP takes data collected during a Coastal Vulnerability Study (CVS) (Phase One) and makes recommendations that can be used in local planning policies and decision-making (Phase Three). This helps inform government decision-makers and the community to plan and respond to an area’s particular coastal hazards and vulnerabilities.
The components of a CHRMAP include:
- coastal hazard risk identification and assessment
- coastal risk evaluation based on community and stakeholder engagement and an assessment of community safety
- identification and assessment of adaptation options to mitigate coastal hazard risk
- identification of preferred options.
The two-volume CKI Coastal Vulnerability Study was published in 2022. It assesses the potential impacts of coastal erosion and inundation on assets and infrastructure on CKI.
The draft CKI CHRMAP estimates how CKI’s coastlines will be affected by sea level rises over 100 years, identifies assets and areas of value to the community that are predicted to be impacted and outlines potential responses across all levels of government and private citizens over short, medium, and long-term timeframes. It is currently open for public consultation via a Social Pinpoint site
Once the draft CHRMAP is finalised, the Shire of CKI, the WA Government, and the Australian Government will be able to incorporate the policy advice into local planning schemes and strategies and consider responses to its recommendations.
Project Progress
The Coastal Hazard Risk Management and Adaptation Plan (CHRMAP) project will equip decision-makers in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands (CKI) with an understanding of how climate change is likely to affect the community, and what they can do to manage those effects.
The CKI CHRMAP project has three phrases:
- Phase 1 - from 2018 and 2020, involved data collection and scientific modelling to produce a Coastal Vulnerability Assessment (both volumes are available here).
- Phase 2 - is delivering a CHRMAP which identifies and assesses coastal hazard risks, evaluates their effect on safety based on community and stakeholder engagement, identifies feasible adaptation options to mitigate coastal hazard risks and identifies recommended responses to coastal risks over the short, medium, and long-term.
- Phase 3 - will involve the Shire of CKI (the Shire) developing a Local Planning Scheme and Local Planning Strategy informed by the CHRMAP’s recommendations and identified risks.
The CKI CHRMAP Project is currently in Phase 2. Community consultation on the draft final CHRMAP and recommended actions began in January 2025 and is currently open. Public submissions can be made here.
All documentation relating to Phase 1, community engagement since 2018, the full CHRMAP draft, and a summary document (available in English and Cocos Malay) are available here.
Latest Information
Public consultation on the draft CHRMAP began with a series of on-island stakeholder briefings and community engagement sessions between 29-31 January 2025. Representatives from the Australian Government, WA Government and technical specialists shared the full draft CHRMAP and a shorter summary document with the community. They presented high level information and gathered initial feedback. Further on-island engagement will take place in April.
All documentation is now available on the social pinpoint site, along with the feedback received in previous consultations. For further updates, please see the Project Updates page, managed by the CHRMAP project team.
Community Engagement
The CKI community has been engaged throughout the CHRMAP development, with residents providing information about how they value and use the coastline and also workshopping various adaptation options. This has helped inform the options presented in the draft CHRMAP to manage future coastal risks.
2018-2021
- Development of the CKI Coastal Vulnerability Study – Coastal Vulnerability Assessment Report (CVS) which informed the CHRMAP.
- CKI community was kept informed of the project as data was collected and it was progressed, including during on island visits.
- Residents were provided with technical information and findings from the CVS.
2022
- Community consultations occurred in September and November to inform the vulnerability and risk assessment sections of the CKI CHRMAP.
- Targeted consultation sessions were held with residents of each island and a youth group. Materials were translated into Cocos Malay or given additional visual support so that all members of the community were able to engage
- We heard from the community about how people value and use the coastline.
2023
- In February 2023, the team visited CKI again to confirm the community’s central values and preferred management options in the short to medium term and long term.
2024
- Community information updates were provided through CKI community notices, social media, and website updates as the draft CHRMAP report was progressed.
2025
- Draft CHRMAP released for community consultation, in line with state planning framework.
- Community feedback on the draft CHRMAP opened on 29 January and remains open.
- Online workshops and presentations to provide further technical and background information will take place ahead of additional public meetings and consultation sessions on CKI in April.
Further Information and contacts
Project Social Pinpoint site: social pinpoint site
The DITRDCA team working on the CHRMAP can be reached at CKITaskforce@infrastructure.gov.au