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Preparing for the Impacts of Climate Change

By understanding the potential impacts of climate change, and identifying ways to adapt, Australia can reduce the economic and social costs and seize emerging opportunities.
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/science/Industries-Transforming.html Photo of a signpost with three alternative signs reading: Success, Risk and Opportunity. Storm clouds and landscape in the background. Photo copyright iStockphoto.com/LockieCurrie Looking to transform your primary industries business or community in response to climate change? Let us know.
/partnerships/seqcari.html A picture of a Gold Coast beach and buildings. Assessing south-east Queensland's vulnerability to climate change, and developing strategies for the region to adapt.
/resources/CAF-working-papers.html Hand holding dirt Sharing CSIRO's current 'work-in-progress' on the science of adapting to climate change.
/science/Marine-Climate-Adaptation.html Reef fish Identifying how climate change will affect Australia’s oceans, and how we can respond to these changes.
Photo of a signpost with three alternative signs reading: Success, Risk and Opportunity. Storm clouds and landscape in the background. Photo copyright iStockphoto.com/LockieCurrie
Looking to transform your primary industries business or community in response to climate change? Let us know.

CSIRO's research is focused on the following:

Alphine snow

Pathways to adaptation: positioning Australia to deal effectively with climate change
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City scene by night.

Sustainable cities and coasts
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Baby turtle

Managing species and natural ecosystems in a changing climate
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Scientists and farmers.

Adaptive primary industries, enterprises and communities
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Melbourne's Telstra Dome with the Yarra River in the foreground and city in the background.

Urban water: addressing Australia's urban water challenges
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Upper Burdekin Valley of Lagoons.

Healthy water ecosystems: research to project, repair and manage Australia's water ecosystems
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Rain over a vineyard in Griffith, NSW.

Understanding how climate change affects water supply
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Eucalypt trees beside still water with reflections in the Murray Darling River system.

Sustainable Yields Projects
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Australians have a long history of coping with a highly variable climate, and our nation enjoys a high standard of living, so we are well placed to adapt and prepare for some of these impacts for climate change.

Because of the amount of greenhouse gases already in the atmosphere, some ongoing changes in the climate are now inevitable.

Both climate change and climate variability pose serious challenges for our communities, industries and environment. For example:

  • Australia is experiencing the worst drought in recorded history, with many cities and regions facing serious water shortages
  • average annual rainfall is projected to decrease over southern Australia in the coming decades
  • Australian average temperatures are projected to rise by up to two degrees by 2050
  • sea level around our coastline could rise by between 18 and 79 cm or more this century.

CSIRO’s climate impacts and adaptation research is conducted primarily through two National Research Flagships:

  • The Climate Adaptation Flagship’s goal is to equip Australia with practical and effective adaptation options to counter the expected damaging effects of climate change and variability.
  • The Water for a Healthy Country Flagship is developing new strategies that reduce water demand, increase water use efficiency, re-use wastewater and allow water to be traded.

Our activities include:

  • producing climate change projections for use in impact and adaptation studies
  • predicting the responses of natural ecosystems to climate change, and developing ways to improve their resilience
  • improving understanding of climate change effects on water supply to help water managers maximise agricultural, urban and ecological water use
  • designing socially acceptable, affordable and environmentally beneficial water management solutions for Australia's cities
  • providing knowledge and tools to protect and restore the health of Australia’s freshwater ecosystems
  • creating more climate-proof buildings and infrastructure improving urban planning
  • exploring adaptation options for agricultural, forestry and marine industries designing socially acceptable, affordable and environmentally beneficial water management solutions for Australia’s cities.
 Second Level:
Preparing for the impacts of Climate Change
Index of preparing for the impacts of climate change related information:

Overviews

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  • Controlled burning in the bush.
    Bushfires overview

    CSIRO bushfire research is improving the understanding of fire, and improving technologies and strategies to save lives and limit damage.

  • Sea and sky: Australia’s large marine jurisdiction offers an enormous range of economic and recreational opportunities, while playing a major role in controlling climate. CMAR aims to advance Australian climate, marine, and earth systems science.
    CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric overview

    CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research (CMAR) aims to advance Australian climate, marine, and earth systems science. Our research focuses on issues affecting Australia and the world, and we provide a range of scientific and consulting services that are underpinned by this research.

News

View all 142 items
 
  • A map of areas in Sydney which could be vulnerable to climate change.
    Sydney climate partnership wins top prize

    A team of CSIRO, University of the Sunshine Coast, WWF and Sydney Coastal Councils Group researchers has been awarded a prestigious Australian Museum Eureka Prize for advising Sydney councils about how they might adapt to climate change.

  • NOAA polar orbiting satellites obtain the data generating sea surface temperature images. This is a composite 15-day image showing the extension of the Leeuwin Current around Tasmania.
    Highest-ever winter water temperatures recorded

    Tasmania’s east coast is recording its highest-ever winter water temperatures of more than 13ºC  – up to 1.5ºC above normal – due to a strengthening of an ocean current originating north of Australia.

Science

View all 85 items
 

Business

View all 49 items
 

Multimedia

View all 47 items
 

People & Places

View all 57 items
 

Publications

View all 116 items
 

Resources

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  • A diagram of ocean currents around Australia.
    Climate questions, science facts

    Our understanding of climate change science has a significant influence on discussions and decisions about reducing net greenhouse gas emissions. Early knowledge of the likely scale and the speed of climate impacts shapes our adaptation plans.

  • A photograph of land with crops in the foreground and some trees in background.
    Carbon and rural land use: key findings

    An analysis of Greenhouse Gas Mitigation and Biosequestration Opportunities from Rural Land Use. This report estimates the amount of greenhouse gases that can be stored or mitigated by changes in rural land use in Queensland and more broadly, Australia.

New to Preparing for the Impacts of Climate Change

Contact

Mrs Liese Coulter
Communication Manager
Climate Adaptation Flagship
Phone: 61 7 3214 2642 

Ms Mary Mulcahy
Communications Manager
Land and Water
and Water for a Healthy Country Flagship
Phone: 61 2 6246 4565 
Alt Phone: 61 419 236 519 
Fax: 61 2 6246 5800