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| Climate change in Australia | |
|---|---|
| Name | Climate change in Australia |
| Caption | Satellite image of Australia |
| Country | Australia |
| Status | Ongoing |
| Key events | 2009 Copenhagen Conference, 2015 Paris Agreement, 2019–20 Black Summer bushfires |
| Emissions yr | 2021 |
| Gdp | A$1.9 trillion (2021) |
Climate change in Australia Australia has experienced measurable changes in temperature, rainfall patterns, extreme events and ecosystems linked to global atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations. Scientific agencies and research institutions attribute many observed trends in Australia to anthropogenic forcing, while federal and state institutions, political parties, industry groups and civil society debate mitigation and adaptation strategies. Indigenous nations, conservation organisations, mining companies and urban planners are among the actors responding to shifting risks to infrastructure, agriculture, biodiversity and coastal communities.
Australia is a large, climatically diverse continent encompassing the Great Barrier Reef, Tasman Sea, Gulf of Carpentaria and the Nullarbor Plain, with population centres such as Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide. Observed changes include rising mean temperatures recorded by the Bureau of Meteorology, more frequent heatwaves documented by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), and shifts in precipitation affecting regions from the Murray–Darling Basin to the Kimberley. Major climate-linked crises include the 2019–20 Black Summer, coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef and marine heatwaves affecting the Tasman Sea and Coral Sea. Responses span federal legislation such as the Emissions Reduction Fund, state-level initiatives in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland, business commitments from BHP, Rio Tinto and Woolworths, and advocacy by groups like the Australian Conservation Foundation, GetUp! and the Australian Youth Climate Coalition.
Peer-reviewed analyses by institutions including the CSIRO, Australian Bureau of Meteorology, Australian Research Council centres and university groups at Australian National University, University of Melbourne, University of Queensland and University of Sydney link observed warming to increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases measured at monitoring stations such as Cape Grim. Climate model projections use frameworks developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and regional downscaling work from the Pacific Climate Change Science Program to estimate future changes under different emissions pathways. Drivers include anthropogenic emissions from fossil fuel extraction in regions like the Bowen Basin and Pilbara, land-use change in the Murray–Darling Basin and natural variability associated with the El Niño–Southern Oscillation, Indian Ocean Dipole and Southern Annular Mode affecting rainfall and storm tracks. Studies link increased fire weather to projected warming and drying, while ocean warming and acidification threaten ecosystems such as the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and commercial fisheries operating out of ports like Port Hedland and Fremantle.
Agriculture across the Murray–Darling Basin and grazing lands in New South Wales and Queensland faces heat stress, changed growing seasons and water scarcity affecting producers such as those represented by the National Farmers' Federation. Coastal cities including Sydney and Melbourne confront sea-level rise and coastal erosion along the Bass Strait and Moreton Bay. The mining and resources sector in the Pilbara and Hunter Region encounters operational risks from extreme heat and cyclones like Cyclone Yasi. Biodiversity impacts include range contractions for species in the Wet Tropics, coral bleaching events on the Great Barrier Reef and threats to fauna in protected areas like Kakadu National Park and Daintree National Park. Public health systems in capital cities and regional centres respond to heatwave fatalities, vector-borne disease risk shifts affecting regions around Townsville and mental health pressures observed after disasters such as the Black Saturday and the 2011 Queensland floods.
Australia’s emissions profile features high per capita greenhouse gas output driven by electricity generation, industrial processes, transport and land-use change, with notable sources including coal-fired power stations in the Latrobe Valley and metallurgical emissions from steelworks in Newcastle. National policies have varied across administrations, including mechanisms such as the Carbon Pricing Mechanism (2012–2014), the Direct Action package and the Safeguard Mechanism. States and territories have pursued renewable targets, battery projects in South Australia and hydrogen strategies in Western Australia. Corporate investment trends show growth in solar and wind projects by companies like AGL Energy and Origin Energy, while debate continues over carbon capture and storage proposals in regions such as the Gippsland Basin. Emissions trends reported under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change indicate sectoral shifts but ongoing challenges to meet long-term temperature goals set by the Paris Agreement.
Adaptation planning occurs at multiple levels, including local government strategies in councils across Greater Sydney and Greater Melbourne, state emergency frameworks used by agencies such as the New South Wales Rural Fire Service and research on nature-based solutions led by institutions like the Australian National University and the University of Western Australia. Infrastructure resilience investments include flood mitigation in the Brisbane River catchment, coastal protection works in Gold Coast and retrofitting of public assets in Hobart. Indigenous-led adaptation projects draw on Traditional Owner knowledge from groups such as the Yorta Yorta and Noongar people to manage fire regimes and biodiversity. National emergency management coordination involves agencies including the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience and the Australian Defence Force for large-scale responses to events like the 2019–20 Black Summer.
Public opinion polls by organisations such as the Lowy Institute and the Australian Electoral Study show variation across regions and demographics, influencing party platforms of the Liberal Party of Australia, Australian Labor Party and The Greens. Business councils including the Business Council of Australia and unions like the Australian Council of Trade Unions engage in policy discussions alongside environmental NGOs such as WWF-Australia and Friends of the Earth Australia. Litigation has emerged through cases in the High Court of Australia and state courts, and shareholder activism targets companies like Woodside Petroleum and Santos Limited. Cultural responses involve artists, Indigenous leaders and youth movements inspired by figures associated with events like the School Strike 4 Climate movement.
Australia participates in international forums including the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the G20 and Pacific-focused mechanisms addressing vulnerabilities of nations such as Fiji and Vanuatu. Bilateral partnerships involve research collaboration with institutions like the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and funding arrangements linked to multilateral development banks such as the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank. Climate finance initiatives include domestic concessional funding programs and international aid to Pacific island states through the DFAT. Debates continue over Australia’s role in financing global mitigation and adaptation, technology transfer for low-emissions hydrogen exports, and obligations under agreements like the Paris Agreement and the Kyoto Protocol.