A REPORT has been released about the impacts of a changing climate in the north Queensland region.
The Adaptation pathways report draws together up-to-date scientific information from around the world and discusses the implications for the communities, natural environment and industries in the region.
It seeks to provide essential climate change information to enable Regional Natural Resource Management (NRM) Plans across northern Queensland to be updated.
Scientists from James Cook University and CSIRO have worked with NRM groups to identify practical options for adapting to increased temperatures, more variable rainfall, more intense cyclones, storm surges and sea level rise in the Torres Strait region, Cape York, the Wet Tropics and the Mackay- Whitsundays-Isaac regions.
Terrain NRM’s CEO Carole Sweatman said there are 14 Natural Resource Management (NRM) organisations working across Queensland to support strong communities, sustainable industries and a healthy environment.
“The impacts in this region of a changing climate will force us to change what, how and where we can live and do our business,” she said.
“NRM groups are working with communities to plan ahead and come up with ideas about how we can both mitigate and sequester emissions whilst planning for adapting to these changes.”
Professor Steve Turton of James Cook University in Cairns said there is a large body of scientific evidence from all over the world that tells us climate change is already happening and will continue to affect every industry, every community and the environment.
“Communities will be better off if they plan their responses to these impacts,” he said.
“The alternative would be to wait for catastrophic flooding or cyclones to force change, but this wouldn’t give us the chance to take advantage of any opportunities, such as the development of new industries and new ways of doing things.”
NRM organisations are already talking with communities about what’s important to them and will host community workshops with regional stakeholders over coming months to come up with ideas for adapting to the changes that will be felt in the region.
The Adaptation Pathways and Opportunities report identifies pathways that can be taken by people in north Queensland to account for the worst impacts of climate change.
However, the report points out the need for urgent and decisive action at all scales to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. Without these actions the report states the extent of change will eventually make our current ways of life impossible and have devastating impacts on our wildlife and environments.
“The information in this report will support communities to negotiate how we build a future that is economically, socially, culturally and environmentally sustainable,” Ms Sweatman said.
“We hope that all sectors of the community take the opportunity to learn more about the changing climate and get involved in working out solutions for our region,” she said.
