Climate Change 101

What is climate change

Brought to you by Loop & Co

Introduction

What is climate change?

• Climate is average or typical weather of a location
• Global climates have changed over the past 100 years
• Change is set to continue and increase over coming 100 years

How can we deal with climate change?

Mitigation is reducing future impact through greenhouse gas emissions reduction

Avoiding the unmanageable

Adaptation is reducing vulnerability to impacts already committed to

Managing the unavoidable

We are already experiencing changes in our climate. 

Future climate change is expected to: 

• Increase the frequency and intensity of things like - heatwave, fire, intense rainfall, storms and drought conditions.
• Result in incremental changes like sea level rise and temperature increase.

IMPACT: TEMPERATURE

NOW:

Climate change is making heatwaves and extreme hot weather worse.

In Melbourne heatwaves are starting 8 days earlier.

FUTURE:

Mean annual temperatures forecast to increase by between 1.1 - 4.0 °C 

IMPACT: RAINFALL

NOW:

Climate change is influencing rainfall patterns and drought conditions.

Average rainfall in Melbourne's west was approximately 450 mm pa for the past two decades, much below the average 550mm pa prior

FUTURE:

Annual average rainfall forecast to fall, but could fall by 27% or could rise by 4% 

NOW:

Climate change is increasing the occurrence of high bushfire danger weather.

In southeast Australia the fire season is becoming longer, reducing the opportunities for hazard reduction burning

FUTURE:

Severe  fire danger rating increase by between 40% to 100%

IMPACT: BUSHFIRE

NOW:

Current intense rainfall following periods of drought lead to flow on impacts such as landslip, erosion and soil damage.

These in turn have flow on impacts.

FUTURE:

Increased frequency and intensity of storm events are predicted for this century, resulting in damaging winds, rain and significant on-flow impacts for infrastructure, property and agriculture.

IMPACT: STORM EVENTS

CLIMATE IMPACTS ACROSS SECTORS 

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Example adaptation actions to manage climate risk!

Often classified as: protect, accommodate or retreat!

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Community education & awareness raising

Changes to road temperature tolerance & planning

Sea walls to address sea level rise and erosion

Changes to infrastructure and drainage

Urban greening 

Updating policies and strategies to consider climate risk

Take a moment to reflect...

What was the most important thing you have learned?

What are you taking away?

What will you talk to your colleagues about?

How can you start a conversation about adaptation in your workplace?