Climate Change Adaptation

Climate change is the significant long-term change in weather patterns as a result of an increase in the earth’s average temperature. In 2007 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluded global warming is now unequivocal and temperature increases since the 1950s are very likely due to increased concentrations of greenhouse gases, as a result of human activities (IPCC, 2007).  Human activities such as burning of fossil fuels and land clearing have contributed to this increase. Find out how you can take action against climate change.

• CSIRO’s Current and Projected Climate Change in the Sydney Catchments

Climate Change impact predictions

• increase in average temperatures;
• increased number of hot days reaching over 35 degrees Celsius;
• decrease in Sydney’s average rainfall; 
• increase in high intensity rainfall events;
• increase in number of days annually when the Forest Fire Danger Index is “very high” or above;
• rise in sea level by up to 0.91m by 2100 with a linear rise over the intervening period;
• increase in average wind speed

Further Information

• Australian Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency
• Australian Government Climate Commission
• Bureau of Meteorology
• Climate Change in Australia
• CSIRO
• Garnaut Climate Change Review
• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
• National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility
• NSW Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water 

Non-government websites:

• Australian Conservation Foundation
• Climate Action Network Australia
• Greenpeace
• Nature Conservation Council of NSW
• Oxfam Australia
• WWF Australia