Climate change is probably one of the biggest issues in the world. It is something we have done to our world and the way we manage it wil determine our survival. Climate change is change in climatic factors such as trends of rainfall, snow cover, temperature rising, sea level rising and drought. In the past 200 years the climate of Australia has had some changes. To start off there’s been a trend for temperature to increase since 1850 through to 2000. the graph shows an increasing trend in mean surface temperature over a period of more than 150 years. The temperature change is small, but over time, the results can be huge, because temperature influences really important aspects of our environment, such as humidity, rainfall, soil, evaporation, and these factors in turn change environment, ecology and human functioning.

Bureau of Meteorology, 2008, “Time series – Global Climate Variability and Change” Commonwealth of Australia, [online] Available: http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/silo/reg/cli_chg/g_timeseries.cgi

(Date accessed: 7/7/08)

In Australia we let off to much carbon emission a year. The emissions act like a blanket in our atmosphere and make the temperature rise. The increase in temperature changes climate and results in disasters like flooded coastlines, longer and more frequent droughts, reduction in populations and even extinction of species of animals and plants across Australia, loss in water resources, and reduced snow in alpine areas.

Climate Change in Australia did an experiment on temperature change based on a time period of 1980 to 1999. This showed how much the average temperature would rise by the summer of 2030 around Australia.

Climate change in Australia, 2007 “National Temperature change 2030 Summer” Australian Greenhouse Office [online] Available:http://www.climatechangeinaustralia.gov.au/nattemp1.php

(Date accessed: 7/6/08)

In ACT and NSW, the temperature could rise 1.5 ºc above the average. In Queensland the temperature would also rise another 1.5 ºc above the average temperature (in 2007). Northern Territory once again a 1.5 ºc rise from the average temperature in 2007. Western Australia is also another 1.5 above the average temperature in 2007. South 1.5 above the average temperature in 2007. Victoria is an average of 1 ºc over the average temperature in 2007. Tasmania with another 1º rise over the average temperature in Tasmania in 2007. This gives us a national average of a 1.5 ºc increase over the next 20 years. If the temperature is raising the iceburgs will weaken, causing them produce cracks in them. Soon the cracks will broaden and parts of the iceberg will break off. The iceberg will break up and fall into the water, making the water level rise. This is called displacement, a bit like if you put your hand in a glass of water, the water level rises. Thee will be more liquid water in the oceans when iceburgs and glaciers melt. Even though iceburgs and glaciers are far away from Australia, the impact will be big in Australia because when the world sea level rises, and Australia is surrounded by sea, and most of Australia’s population live in the coastal zones.

This is what happens with the iceberg. Sea level is rising at an approx 2 centimetres per year. As this builds up, parts of our coast line will go under water. This will impact on the location of our houses and shops. We will no longer be able to build beachside houses or have beachside businesses. As well as sea level rising, temperature changing, changes in rainfall and icebergs melting, animals are linked to climate change as well. Because of the drought or in some areas and lack of rainfall, the rainforests are struggling to find water to grow new trees and grasses therefore the animals that feed of them will have more competition in finding food. The animals will soon starve of hunger, as their habitat reduces and changes. Forests may become drier and there will be greater risk of huge bushfires, adding to further destruction of the environment.

You do not have to be a scientist to address climate change. We can already see the effects of climate change eg; Temperatures rising, and increase of dramatic weather events, but to discover our scientists have important skills and knowledge that can help us manage these changes better. To help minimize the effects and impacts of climate change scientists (using scientific methods, research and knowledge) have discovered numerous ways to help prevent our world from changing dramatically. Scientists have been recommending changes for our world that are healthy. These ways include;

Wind power and hydroelectricity. Wind power is electricity generated by wind mills. Wind power has been around for a long time but has recently been used more to prevent a use of carbon fuels therefore reducing carbon emissions.

Scientists also have made recommendations on how to save water resources. Rain water tanks can be used to collect from the rainfall instead of using the water in the dams to water our gardens. We can also use water saving shower heads, and front loading washing machines that use less water.

We have water restrictions and daily consumption targets to preserve water use. If water restrictions are enforced people are only allowed to use certain amounts of water eg: 4 minute showers, watering you garden with a watering can apposed to 30 minute showers and watering you garden with a hose, watering at night time when there is less evaporation.

Scientists have also developed solar power. Solar power is power generated by the sun. The heat from the sun, heats water thus creating steam that makes the turbines go around therefore creating electricity.

Although those a very well thought out ideas there are limitations to them too. A limitation with having windmills is that they are very expensive and high maintenance. Prices can range from $10000 to $12000. Also they take a longer time to process energy compared to coal powered energy. A limitation with rain water tanks is that they need space, and if it doesn’t rain the tank will be empty so the owner of the rain water tank will use the water from the hose or dam which puts the situation back to the start were there was no water to begin with. A limitation with solar power is it is also very expensive like the windmills, solar power prices range from $30000 to $40000.

Climate change and the scientific solutions have become a big factor of politics recently. In fact scientists have been becoming politicians to employ their theories and solutions on climate change to the government. Governments need to co-operate in order to manage water resources and big issues to do with climate. The government has also debated taxes and issues of the environment. They are encouraging the public to reduce carbon emissions by giving rebates like if you get solar power you get an 8000 dollar rebate. They also require energy ratings in houses, and put taxes on fuel that has the effect or reducing the amount of petrol people use.

The economic factor of climate change is vast. With more frequent droughts, farmers will find it harder to grow food and therefore prices will rise. People are already paying more for fuel and oil and that price will continue to rise. We may have to import food, and develop crops that are more drought resistant. There are lots of issues about genetically modified crops and the impact on the environment and future opportunities. Tourism will be affected – for example, if the snow fields keep reducing and eventually disappear, all the economic benefits to the Australian alpine region will be lost.

An increase of natural disasters will cost society in disruption to human life and property devistation. Relocating will cost people because the sea level will rise and they will have to relocate. In the long term, population changes will happen, and people will move to areas that are not as hot and have more rainfall, and this causes a change to national and social infrastructure. Some communities will become run down and ghost towns will be left as desert areas increase, and other areas will boom with not enough services to cope with increasing populations.

The social factor in climate change is enormous. The farmers that live in -land may experience economic depression because they may have to change there farming practices to less intensive agriculture eg. Changing from sheep to cattle, reducing the number of livestock per acre, and changing pasture from lucerne to saltbush. The people on the coast lines of Australia (80% of our population) will have to move because of flooding and coastal erosion and may not have the same lifestyle. Values of waterfront properties may drop if the buildings are at risk of devistation. Pests and disease factors may change due to climate changes, and cause major population problems (eg asthma with more dust, or new tropical diseases in northern Australia where rainfall is increasing). We will have to co-operate more with other countries to manage our resources well, and there will be more regulations for industry and communities.

The environmental impact due to climate change causes reduction of biodiversity (animals, plants and habitats). This means that we have a more fragile environment as species of plants, animals and insects die out or migrate to other areas so the whole environment is at risk. There are gaps in the food chain, and it all collapses.

The way we manage climate change will be critical in whether we survive as communities, as a nation and in fact, as a planet. Scientists play an important part it helping us to know what the warning signs are, and how we can slow the process down. The scientists need the help of all the people, giving them resources to do their important work, changing laws and habits, and educating everyone so that we all can help and have a role in reducing carbon emissions and slowing global warning. Australia has many very special unique environments and co-operation between scientists and the whole population will help preserve our biological, economic, social and political livelihood. We must also remember that what happens in Australia will also have an impact on the rest of the world, and our survival as a planet.