Potential Impacts

Climate change is a serious global challenge that will not have consistent impacts, for example, some localities are likely to experience more rainfall, some less. What is certain is that climate will become increasingly different to what we know:

• The CSIRO has predicted that Australia will be hotter and drier in coming decades.
• Warmer conditions will result in more extremely hot days and fewer cold days. Overall, annual average temperatures will be 0.4 to 2 degrees Celsius greater than 1990 by 2030. By 2070, average temperatures are likely to increase by 1 to 6 degrees Celsius.
• Heavy rain events will become more intense. According to insurance company IAG, a 25% increase in 30 minute precipitation results in 100 year flood events occurring every 17 years.
• There will be increased fire frequency and intensity. According to IAG, a 1°C mean summer temperature increase results in a 17-28% increase in wildfires and a 143% increase in catastrophic wildfires.
• The Australian Greenhouse Office stated in 2003 that "climate variability is a major factor in the Australian economy".
• Australia is currently gripped by its worst drought on record. Peter Corish of the National Farmers Federation said in 2004 that "the greatest risk facing farmers is climate change".
• The changing climate will also impact water and soil quality. Decreased rainfall will adversely affect stressed water resources. Salinisation and soil erosion will affect water quality and agricultural land.