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The reliable forecast of climatic extremes could save Australia tens of millions of dollars.
The 1982/83 ENSO, which led to the Ash Wednesday bushfires in Australia, cost Pacific-Rim nations the lives of 1500 people and caused between $2 billion and $8 billion in property and production losses.
After nearly 12 years research, the prospect of predicting El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is close to being realised. An international research effort to understand ENSO has produced models of global climate.
These models, including CSIRO's own CSIR09, seem to be producing climatic patterns that broadly resemble ENSO.
CSIRO is preparing to capitalise on the predictive power of these models with a new major research effort, the Climate Variability Program.
The program will harness the skills of 14 CSIRO Divisions, and will work closely with the Bureau of Meteorology and other federal and state research agencies.
Although the program is a scientific one, it is ultimately about risk management.
If our managers know a year ahead that next spring will be drier than usual in Queensland then they can prepare for a drought. If it's going to be wetter then they can take advantage of that.
It is hoped that by the year 2000 regional forecasts of climatic extremes will be available using the results of the Climate Variability Program.
Media Briefing
Dr Graeme Pearman, Chief of the Division of Atmospheric Research and Dr Colin Chartres from the Division of Soils will conduct a media briefing on the Climate Variability Program on Tuesday 18 July 1995 at CSIRO Limestone Ave in Canberra at 11.00 am in the conference room.
The latest edition of CSIRO's environmental magazine, 'ECOS Coping with Climate' will be issued to journalists at the briefing.
For further information please contact:
Dr Chris Mitchell, Coordinator of the Climate Variability Program[Level Up] [Doc Top] [Doc End] [Next Item] [Home Page]