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Mapping climate change vulnerability in Australia's tropical north
By Dan Gaffney
September 16, 2008
The risks and impacts of climate change on indigenous communities in Australia's tropical north is the subject of a new scoping study.
The study will assess the vulnerability and adaptive capacity of hundreds of Indigenous communities to climate change impacts across an area spanning the Kimberley, Arnhem Land, Cape York and the Torres Strait.
A multidisciplinary research team from UNSW's Climate Change Research Centre, CSIRO and the North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance will consider:
- Climate projections in the tropical north, including average changes and extreme weather events.
- How biophysical impacts impact human and ecosystem health.
- Likely costs to existing infrastructure such as roads, buildings and coastal development, impacts on energy and communication infrastructure, delivery of education and health services.
- The potential economic opportunities from carbon abatement schemes.
- Changes in biodiversity and traditional food-source security.
- Impacts on indigenous employment, enterprise and tourism.
Led by CCRC's Research Fellow, Dr Donna Green, the team will use a range of regionally focused climate change projections to assess impacts in the years 2030 and 2070.
"Climate change impact studies have largely ignored Australia's tropical north, despite the vulnerability of many of the communities living in unique ecosystems in this vast region so it will be important work," says Dr Green.
The researchers will use spatial information to report on key areas of concern such as vulnerability to extreme weather events and temperature change. They will generate maps showing ‘hotspot' communities and locations that are more likely to be impacted by the direct and indirect effects of climate change.
"These 'vulnerability maps' will reveal the capacity and resilience of these communities to withstand and adapt to climate change impacts. They will also show what further research needs to be performed," says Green.
"Once these vulnerability maps have been produced, we will talk to Indigenous leaders and government agencies to engage them to 'ground truth' the impacts and begin discussions for further research direction and policy options," says Joe Morrison of the North Australian Indigenous Land & Sea Management Alliance (NAILSMA).
"Indigenous communities face many serious consequences from climate change, including impacts on community infrastructure from cyclones and flooding, and effects to their customary estates from salt water intrusion and changes to sea levels and rainfall patterns. "It is imperative that we start to consider these scenarios and to prepare already vulnerable communities with the means to respond'.
The scoping study is funded by the Federal Department of Climate Change with support from the Western Australia Department of Environment and Conservation, and the Northern Territory and Queensland Governments.
Media contacts:
Donna Green - UNSW 0417 455 920
Joe Morrison - NAILSMA (08) 89467 691
Sue Jackson - CSIRO 0438 890 254 or (08) 89448415
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