Aussie Climate Change

Australia's climate is changing as it is around the world. The Crone recently had an excellent post on "The Living Planet" by the World Wildlife Fund and it brought to mind some articles I had recently read about just one aspect of our planet and I thought it would be a timely reminder of what we Aussies could possibly face in the future...

"I expect climate change to affect all Australians. It is the Bureau's responsibility to provide decision makers and the general public with accurate observations and information about our changing climate" said Dr. Geoff Love, Director of Meteorology

For too long we have poured greenhouse pollution into the atmosphere – and we are continuing to do so at an alarming rate. Science tells us that this pollution is causing climate change.

We are already starting to feel the effects of this pollution. Projections show that if we don't act, it will only get worse with changing temperatures and rainfall patterns, more droughts, floods, water shortages, rising sea levels and extreme weather.

Australia – already the driest inhabited continent on Earth – is particularly vulnerable to climate change. The longer we wait to act on climate change, the more it will cost and the worse its effects will be.

Since the middle of the 20th century, Australian temperatures have, on average, risen by about 1°C with an increase in the frequency of heatwaves and a decrease in the numbers of frosts and cold days. Rainfall patterns have also changed - the northwest has seen an increase in rainfall over the last 50 years while much of eastern Australia and the far southwest have experienced a decline.

In 2007 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released their fourth assessment report, concluding that:
.....Warming of the climate system is unequivocal
.....Humans are very likely to be causing most of the warming that has been experienced since 1950
.....It is very likely that changes in the global climate system will continue well into the future, and that they will be larger than those seen in the recent past.
.....These changes have the potential to have a major impact on human and natural systems throughout the world including Australia.

Western Australia is Australia's largest state with 75 per cent of its population living in its capital city, Perth. (I live just 2 hours away into the country)

The majority of its population lives along its vulnerable coastal zone and its valuable agricultural industries are largely climate dependent.

It is plausible that uncontrolled climate change could see global sea level rise of 1 metre or more by 2100 and more intense storms threatening coastal housing and infrastructure.

Coastal housing and infrastructure will be at risk as sea levels rise and storms become more intense.

In coastal areas, more than 94,000 coastal buildings are at risk from projected sea level rise, coastal flooding and erosion.

Between Fremantle and Mandurah, an estimated 28,000 buildings and 641 kilometres of road are at risk from erosion due to rising sea levels.

Projections for 2030, in comparison to 1990, were obtained from IPCC, CSIRO and IOCI reports, and are summarised below:

.....W A will be generally hotter, particularly in inland regions.
.....WA will be dryer, particularly in the South West.
.....There will be more frequent, intense droughts, heatwaves and fires.
.....There will be more intense storms, floods, rainfall events and tropical cyclones
.....Coastal regions will experience an increase in sea level.
.....Expected average temperature increases of 0.50C to 20C.

By 2070, Perth's annual average number of days above 35°C could increase from the current 28 days to 36 – 67 days.

These hot days could mean more heat-related deaths. Currently, 294 people in Perth over the age of 65 die from heat related deaths per year – this could rise to 657–689 by 2020 and to 1254–1548 by 2050.

Warmer temperatures and increased rainfall variation are likely to increase the intensity of food and water borne diseases.

Indigenous people living in remote communities are at increased risk with the number of Aboriginal children being admitted to hospital with diarrhoea likely to increase by 10 per cent by 2050

Rainfall changes in:
· South-West of 2 to 20% reduction in annual rainfall with a 17% reduction in winter rain days and
catchment runoff decreases of 5 to 40%.
· North-West of annual rainfall decreases of 1.5 to 3.5%.
• Sea-Level increases of 3 to 17 cm by 2030 and 25 to 75 cm by 2100.

For Extreme Weather Events the following are generally accepted:
• heatwaves – more per year
• droughts – more frequent and severe
• bushfires – increased risk
• flooding – increased intensity
• storms – increased intensity
• tropical cyclones – increased intensity.

We must act now to reduce our greenhouse pollution to avoid the worst impacts of climate change and to protect our long-term prosperity, environment and way of life.

We must also act now to adapt to the impacts of climate change we are experiencing from the greenhouse pollution already in the atmosphere.

What is truly concerning is that the damage we do today and the effects that damage will incur wont be seen for a decade or two later.........

Tackling the problem will not be easy and there will be costs. But the longer we wait to act, the higher those costs will be.

Thought provoking material certainly, even more so when the picture is presented on our own backyards...

“We did not weave the web of life; we are merely a strand in it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.” -- Chief Seattle

Take care of you and yours:)
molly