A solid offline-first setup does not require expensive software. Download Joplin for a free, open-source notebook that supports attachments and Markdown formatting. Keep sensitive credentials in KeePass rather than a browser password manager — the database file is portable and works without an internet connection. For editing configuration files or parsing server logs, download EmEditor — its large-file handling and regex search are hard to beat on Windows. Cloud file management rounds out the toolkit: S3 Browser for AWS-specific work, and Cyberduck's cross-protocol support for everything else.

Dr Kate Simmonds

Senior Manager, Climate Resilience

Kate is the Senior Manager, Climate Resilience at the Investor Group on Climate Change. She is responsible for uplifting investor understanding and action on physical risk, advocating for effective adaptation policy, and supporting opportunities for private investment in resilience. Kate is also on the Steering Committee of the NESP Climate Systems Hub.

Previously, Kate worked in the insurance sector as a Senior Climate Analyst for Willis Re and Gallagher Re. She led the development of their Australia and New Zealand climate change strategy and built their first physical climate risk models, covering bushfire, flood, and cyclone. She was a member of the Insurance Council of Australia’s Climate Change Action Committee and contributed to the Climate Measurement Standards Initiative.

Kate has a PhD from the University of Melbourne in landscape resilience, a First Class Honours in climate science from the University of New South Wales, and a Bachelor of Science (Advanced) from the University of Sydney.

Contacts

Email Kate
LinkedIn

New guide supports defensible physical climate risk assessments for infrastructure

18 May 2026

Resilient Infrastructure: Physical Climate Risk Assessments for Defensible Decision‑Making provides practical guidance for investors, companies and service providers to assess physical climate risks in a way that supports defensible decision-making and real-world resilience outcomes.
Buildings & InfrasctructureInvestor PracticePhysical Risk, Adaptation & ResilienceReal Assets Subworking Group

Resilient Infrastructure: Physical Climate Risk Assessments for Defensible Decision‑Making

Guide | Timothy Grech and Kate Simmonds | 15 May 2026

Practical guidance for investors, companies and service providers supporting defensible decision-making and real-world resilience outcomes.
The guide defines what a defensible physical climate risk assessment looks like in practice and sets out a clear, consistent approach to improve transparency, comparability, and technical rigour.

Download

Buildings & InfrasctructureInvestor PracticePhysical Risk, Adaptation & ResilienceReal Assets Subworking Group

Submission: CCA Evidence Platform to Support Investors on Progress to Net Zero

Submission | Bethany Richards (IGCC), Dr Kate Simmonds (IGCC), Nayanisha Samarakoon (RIAA) and Tori Huggins (RIAA). | 30 April 2026

While the government’s sector decarbonisation plans and National Adaptation Plan and National Climate Risk Assessment are positive steps towards a resilient, net-zero economy, they have been less useful in identifying how much and when climate-aligned investment is required. These documents lack short- and medium-term decarbonisation and adaptation goals and milestones, and don’t provide investment roadmaps across key sectors.

Download

AustraliaDecarbonising the EconomyEnergy Transition Working GroupGovernance & DisclosureInvestor PracticePhysical Risk, Adaptation & ResiliencePolicy & AdvocacyPolicy & Advocacy Working Group

Submission: CCA Evidence Platform to Support Investors on Progress to Net Zero

4 May 2026

The Investor Group for Climate Change (IGCC) and the Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA) made a joint submission to the Climate Change Authority (CCA) to strongly support the development of a robust, publicly accessible progress-tracking Platform and commend the CCA for initiating this work at an important moment in Australia's climate transition.
AustraliaDecarbonising the EconomyEnergy Transition Working GroupGovernance & DisclosureInvestor PracticePhysical Risk, Adaptation & ResiliencePolicy & AdvocacyPolicy & Advocacy Working Group

Climate Change and Natural Hazards SEPP: Submission to NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure

Submission | Kate Simmonds | 16 March 2026

Investors are strongly supportive of introducing an overarching climate risk clause in the Climate Change and Natural Hazards State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) and welcomes the NSW Government’s intention to integrate climate resilience into the planning system in a more consistent and systematic manner.   Investors are broadly supportive of the Draft Climate Scenario Guidelines, which address a clear need for consistency in physical climate risk assessments.

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AustraliaPhysical Risk, Adaptation & ResiliencePolicy & AdvocacyPolicy & Advocacy Working Group