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Climate change is a threat to the diversity of life on the Australian continent and to many of our great natural icons. Australians are noticing that the nature of Australia – be it the outback, beach, forests, or mountains – is changing, as we busily burn so much coal and oil that we change the climate of the entire planet. Global warming is a reality already with us - nine out of the ten warmest years on record are since 1990. This paper reviews scientific literature and finds that within our lifetimes:
- Three of Australia’s World Heritage Areas are being, and will be, significantly damaged by low levels of climate change - Kakadu, Wet Tropics, Great Barrier Reef. Another World Heritage Area, the Blue Mountains, will be affected by higher levels of climate change.
- 90 Australian animals have been specifically identified as at risk from climate change, including the State Emblems of Victoria (Leadbeater’s Possum), South Australia (Hairy-nosed Wombat), and Queensland (Koala). However the number of animals at risk could be far higher if broader studies were undertaken
- Animals identified as at risk include mammals, birds, reptiles, frogs, fish and invertebrates from all Australian States and Territories.
- Many of Australia’s remaining native forests will change or be damaged by the effects of climate change. For example, Australia’s wet tropical mountain rainforests will decrease by 50% with only a 1°C rise in the global temperature.
- Global warming may already be creating weather conditions that increase the intensity of bushfires. In 2001 much of eastern Australia was drier than normal which, combined with extremely hot days, created tinderbox conditions in forested areas of NSW in early 2002. These actual conditions match with the scientific projections for NSW as global warming intensifies. Bushfires like those experienced in NSW in 2002 will continue to occur more regularly, causing serious and irreversible damage to national parks, forests and private property.
- Within the next few decades many species of Australia’s famous gum trees (Eucalyptus) will have their entire present day population exposed to temperatures and rainfalls under which no individuals currently exist.
- Mount Kosciuszko, Australia’s highest mountain, will lose its alpine environment.
- Current efforts to repair the Murray Darling river system will be undone by 2050, with climate change causing a reduction in the river’s mean flow of up to 30 percent.
- Few of Australia’s diverse environments, from the ocean to the deserts, will be immune from climatic stress and loss of species.
- Many of our national parks that currently protect endangered species may not have a suitable climate in the future for these species.
- Regional communities that rely on the natural environment for tourism income, fresh water and local recreation will be affected by the impacts of climate change on these ecological services.
- The damage caused by climate change will have a negative economic impact on the tourism, fishing, forestry and agricultural industries in regional Australia.
- Most of these changes will occur within our lifetimes and will be difficult to stop if greenhouse gas emissions continue to accumulate in the atmosphere at higher and higher levels.
This paper catalogues the warning signs from the bush. The findings are conservative because of the low level of Government support for scientific research into the impact of climate change on Australia’s nature. There are likely to be many other ecosystems, species and national parks that will be affected by climate change – but we are at risk of not paying enough attention before it is too late.
As a “megadiverse” nation, biologically speaking, Australia has a particular responsibility to lead other nations in making the reductions in greenhouse pollution necessary to stabilise the earth’s climate.
The solutions to climate change are available to us today and green power projects employ more people for each unit of power produced, than greenhouse gas producing fossil fuel power stations. There are more economic benefits for regional communities in the industries preventing climate change than those causing it. These solutions will not be introduced without a determination by Governments and the public to make major changes to the way we produce electricity, provide transport and use the land.
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Great Barrier Reef
Image courtsey of worldwide fund for nature.
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