287,313 research outputs found
Climate change 2015: growing risks, critical choices
No full textThis latest Climate Council report provides an update of climate change science, impacts and risks. This report draws from the massive body of evidence that human activities - primarily from the burning of coal, oil and gas - are driving dramatic changes in our climate system. The report outlines how the changing climate poses substantial and escalating risks for health, property, infrastructure, agriculture and natural ecosystems in Australia. Compared to our understanding when the last Critical Decade report was published, the risks of climate change for our well-being now look more serious at lower levels of climate change, strengthening the case for urgent action. Finally, the report describes why it is in Australia’s national interest to play a leadership role in the global move for strong climate action leading up to the Paris climate conference at the end of 2015
Thirsty country: climate change and drought in Australia
No full textThis report argues that climate change is likely making drought worse in the southeast and southwest of Australia, which are some of our most populous regions.
Introduction
Drought has deeply affected Australia throughout its history. The Millennium Drought from 1996-2010 serves as a recent reminder of the wide-reaching impacts that drought can have on Australia’s people and environment.
Australia is the driest inhabited continent on Earth and drought is an important feature of Australia’s climate. Whilst Australians have always lived with drought and its consequences, it is likely that climate change is making drought worse in the southeast and southwest, some of our most populous regions.
We begin this report by describing what a drought is, before considering its consequences for health, the economy, ecosystems and urban water supplies. We then outline the changing drought conditions and increasing drying trends in Australia and explore recent dry conditions in various parts of the country. We conclude by exploring how climate change is influencing drought conditions in the southeast and southwest of the continent as well as drying trends globally
Midwestern Regional Climate Center
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Previous issue date: 2001Mode of access: Internet; current access through PURL.The Midwestern Regional Climate Center (MRCC) is a cooperative program between the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) and the Illinois State Water Survey in Champaign, Illinois.Describes MRCC research and services which explain climate and its impact on the Midwest; provide practical solutions to specific climate problems; and develop issues based climate information for the Midwest region
Australia’s future emissions reduction targets
No full textPresents the Climate Change Authority\u27s recommendations on Australia\u27s future emissions reduction targets, and constitutes the first part of the Authority\u27s response to the Special Review requested by the Minister for the Environment in December 2014.
Background
This report builds on the work in the Authority\u27s recent report, Reducing Australia’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions—Targets and Progress Review , which was provided to the Minister (and released publicly) on 27 February 2014. That report, which reflected extensive public consultation, presented the Authority’s comprehensive assessment of the evidence coming from climate scientists, the efforts being made by other countries to reduce their emissions, and the targets judged to be in Australia’s best interests. The Authority recommended a target for 2020 and a trajectory range for emissions out to 2030. It also recommended a long-term emissions budget to guide Australia’s planning over the period to 2050.
Weighing up all the relevant factors, the Authority recommended a 2020 target for Australia of 19 per cent below 2000 levels. By way of guidance for the period beyond 2020, the Authority recommended a trajectory range to 2030 of emissions reductions of between 40 and 60 per cent below 2000 levels. Under the Clean Energy Act 2011 (Cth) the Government was obliged to respond to these recommendations by the end of August 2014 but, with the repeal of that Act, this obligation lapsed.
In preparing this current report, the Authority has revisited the material underpinning its February 2014 report and updated its analysis in the light of new information that has emerged since that time, particularly in regard to the science of climate change and the recent efforts of many countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
The Authority believes this new information supports its previous assessment that Australia\u27s conditions for moving some way beyond its unconditional target have been met. These conditions included increased clarity around the level and credibility of international action and agreement on emissions accounting and reporting. Australia\u27s commitment under the UNFCCC includes an unconditional emissions reduction target of 5 per cent below 2000 levels by 2020, and conditional targets of up to 15 or 25 per cent.
The present Government has shown no inclination to move beyond the unconditional 2020 target. The consequences of limiting Australia\u27s emissions reductions to this minimum 5 per cent target have been factored into the Authority’s consideration of appropriate post-2020 targets.
 
Seasonal Climate Forecasts and Risk Management Among Georgia Farmers
No full textRecent increases in the scientific robustness of seasonal climate forecasts have not led to substantial changes in farmers’ risk management strategies of actors, largely because there is poor integration of scientific forecasting into farmers’ decision-making processes. The goal of the research presented here is to explore the potentials and constraints for farmers’ application of seasonal climate forecasts through an analysis of the cultural contexts of their decision-making and information use. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 38 farmers in southern Georgia, examining their approaches, risk-management, to livelihood goals and strategies, and interactions with weather and climate information. Findings indicate that farmers’ management of risks associated with climate variability is embedded within a broad array of social factors, including subjective construction of social and personal identities, goals, and values. These cultural contexts affect the ways that farmers interpret and might apply seasonal climate forecasts to agricultural decisions. These findings indicate that, rather than simply acting as a technical information input, seasonal climate forecasts and forecasters must gradually work theirway into farmers’ trusted social networks before their potential as risk management tools will be realized. Furthermore, while seeking to produce scientific information to support farmers’ adaptive practices, scientists themselves must adapt their own practices to better fit a coproduction of knowledge approach
Human health and climate change:Mainstreaming environment and climate change adaptation in the implementation of national development policies and plans
No full textPrintThe long-term good health of a population depends on the continued stability and functioning of the ecological and physical systems. Climate change, therefore, is a significant and emerging threat to public health. Effects of climate change on human health are largely based on impacts of climatic events on the physical environment. Climate change (CC) has a number of immediate and long-term impacts on the fundamental determinants of human health.
Climate Change: Is a change in the state of the climate that can be identified (i.e. through statistical tests) by changes in the mean and/or the variability of its properties and that persists for an extended period typically decades or longer.
Climate Change-related impacts on the ecosystems, for example, are likely to affect population by creating favourable conditions for disease vectors or disease pathogens as well as placing the communities at high risk of malnutrition, diarrhoeal diseases and other environmental health effects attributable to Climate Change (Ebi et al., 2007). Changes in the occurrence and spread of infectious diseases are some of the most widely documented potential effects of Climate Change, which have significant consequences for human health as well as economic and societal impacts (Chan et aI., 1999).
In Tanzania the impact of climatic change on health is evident in many parts of the country. Currently malaria which was not common in many places is now wide spread inmate, Arusha, Mbeya, Njombe, Makete, Mbinga etc because of the changes in humidity and temperature which favours Mosquito breeding and the development of parasite causing malaria to complete the cycle of man-mosquito-man (Yanda et. al.'2006)
Other diseases related to climatic change are like Rift Valley Fever, Bilharzia, Plague, Yellow fever, Dengue haemorrhagic fever, Filariasis and Water-borne diseases. Physical displacement of people due to Climate Change related calamities have also impacts on human health.United Nation Development Programm
Managing Australia’s biodiversity in a changing climate: the way forward
No full textAustralia has a rich biodiversity, with between 7 and 10 per cent of all species on Earth occurring here. There are between 600 000 and 700 000 species found in Australia, many of which are unique (endemic) to the country. The main drivers affecting the state of the environment are recognised as being climate change, population growth and economic growth.In recognition of the immensity and relevance of these issues in current debates and challenges facing government in Australia and internationally, the House Standing Committee on Climate Change, Environment and the Arts sought to conduct an inquiry into climate change impacts on biodiversity, and on 2 June 2011 adopted broad terms of reference, with a focus on nationally important ecosystems.The terms of reference were:The Committee will inquire into and report on biodiversity in a changing climate, in relation to nationally important ecosystems. The inquiry will have particular regard to:terrestrial, marine and freshwater biodiversity in Australia and its territories connectivity between ecosystems and across landscapes that may contribute to biodiversity conservation how climate change impacts on biodiversity may flow on to affect human communities and the economy strategies to enhance climate change adaptation, including promoting resilience in ecosystems and human communities mechanisms to promote the sustainable use of natural resources and ecosystem services in a changing climate an assessment of whether current governance arrangements are well placed to deal with the challenges of conserving biodiversity in a changing climate mechanisms to enhance community engagement. The scope of the committee’s inquiry shall include some case studies of ‘nationally important ecosystems’, as defined by submissions to the inquiry
Managing the unavoidable while avoiding the unmanageable: climate policy tests for the 2013 federal election
No full textIntroductionEvery Federal election, The Climate Institute undertakes a qualitative assessment of the climate change policy position of political parties and independents represented in the Parliament. The Institute bases this assessment on our analysis of what is required for Australia to contribute to effective global climate change solutions and build a prosperous, resilient economy and society.This policy brief explains the rationale for our 2013 Federal election policy tests.This Federal election is critical to Australia’s economic and climate future. The next Government will determine whether Australia will:1. Help or hinder global solutions to climate change: This will in large part be determined by our ability to meet international commitments to do our fair share to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions and help the poorest countries adapt to an increasingly hostile climate and invest in low carbon development pathways. Both of these elements will influence the positive or negative role Australia could play in current negotiations to finalise a global agreement in 2015 that will cover emission commitments from all major economies.2. Continue the historic decline in domestic emissions and accelerate low carbon investment: Driven by global trends and domestic policies like renewable targets and carbon prices, pollution from some of Australia’s largest emission sources have begun to decline. Positive global trends in clean energy technology and increasing scrutiny of the risks associated with investments in high carbon assets are among the global mega-trends that leave our economy exposed in the real world of significant, if insufficient, action to price and constrain carbon emissions.3. Boost preparations for unavoidable extreme weather and other climate impacts: Agencies such as the World Bank, the IMF and the International Energy Agency are increasingly warning that climate change threatens to reverse gains made over decades of economic and social development. We no longer live in the relatively safe climate enjoyed by our ancestors. Even if we achieve more urgent and ambitious action now, our climate will get more hostile with the dangerous levels of greenhouse gases already in the atmosphere. How well we prepare for our increasingly unsafe climate will influence the health and wellbeing of Australians and our economic systems. It will determine the extent to which we can minimise the suffering of unavoidable impacts.Australia is faced with a challenge to manage the unavoidable and avoid the unmanageable. To be credible, let alone strong and effective, 2013 climate election policies will need to:1. Cut carbon pollution.2 Accelerate low carbon investments.3 Prepare for climate impacts
Near-term climate protection and clean air benefits: Actions for controlling short-lived climate forcers
No full textThis report addresses the mitigation of short-lived climate forcers (SLCFs) and its key role in air pollution reduction, climate protection and sustainable development
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