Tasmania’s climate is projected to change in the future. These changes will result from greenhouse gas emissions that have already been emitted into the atmosphere and will continue to be emitted in coming years.
The Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre, through its Climate Futures for Tasmania project, has predicted that Tasmania will experience an increase in mean temperature, an increase in rainfall over coastal regions and a reduction in rainfall over the central and north-west regions during the 21st century.
Incorporating these projected climate change impacts into our current decision-making will help us to manage the consequences in the future.
The Tasmanian Government’s Climate Change Adaptation Unit, within the Tasmanian Climate Change Office, has been established to assist Tasmanians to adapt to the expected changes in our climate. The Adaptation Unit is working with government, industry and the community to take advantage of new opportunities and reduce vulnerability to detrimental climate change impacts. Currently, the Adaptation Unit is:
· working with the Climate Futures for Tasmania project to communicate information on climate change impacts on agriculture, water and catchments and extreme events at a local scale
· working with the Tasmanian Institute of Agricultural Research and the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment to undertake further analysis of how climate change will impact on a number of Tasmania’s key agricultural sectors and regions
· assisting local government to adapt to climate change by developing a Statewide Partnership Agreement on Climate Change, focusing on adaptation and through the ‘Future Proofing Tasmania’s Councils’ climate change adaptation project, which will develop climate change adaptation plans at a council, regional and land-use level
· developing a suite of climate change adaptation web resources to provide information and resources to assist government, industry and the community adapt to climate change.
Shona Prior
Manager, Climate Change Adaptation Unit
http://www.dpac.tas.gov.au/divisions/climatechange/adaptin