Climate Change Champion
The search is on for farmers enthusiastic about managing climate risks
Nominations close 14 January 2010
Click on the title to access more information
Climate change is a global issue that affects us all.
Changes in climate patterns mean that extreme weather events such as heat waves, floods, storms, droughts and bushfires will become more frequent, more widespread or more intense. Climate change is the result of changes in our weather patterns because of an increase in the Earth's average temperature. This is caused by increases in greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere. These gases soak up heat from the sun but instead of the heat leaving the earth's atmosphere, some of it is trapped, making the Earth warmer. Climate change is also known as global warming.
Research by the world's leading scientists suggests that without actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the Earth's surface temperature is likely to rise by 1.0C-6.4C by the end of this century. Likely outcomes are reduced water availability, more heat waves, fewer frosts, less snowfall, more storms, stronger tropical cyclones and rises of 18-59cm in sea levels.
For Australia, it is impossible to precisely predict what the impacts of climate change will be as they will vary with each region. However, best estimates indicate that by 2030 Australia will face:
- around 1C of warming in temperatures
- up to 20 per cent more drought-months
- up to 25 per cent increase in days of very high or extreme fire danger
- increases in storm surges and severe weather events
Australia is very vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. If levels of greenhouse gases continue to rise, the resulting climate change could lead to serious impacts on coastal communities, iconic areas such as the Great Barrier Reef and the Kakadu wetlands, biodiversity, agriculture, water supplies, human health, transport and communications infrastructure.
See the Office of Climate Change for more information.