Climate Change

Climate change through global warming occurs as a direct result of an over supply of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide-equivalent gases: CO2e) in the atmosphere causing an increase in global temperatures due to trapped heat radiation.

The global climate has changed often over the planet's history (being both significantly warmer and cooler then current conditions), however, before the human population, climate change variations were due entirely to natural systems. It is widely accepted that current global warming and extreme climatic events are a direct result of human activities from things such as driving cars, air travel, shipping, fossil fuel based power generation, land-clearing and waste disposal.

The Effects of Climate Change

Climate change is anticipated to increase the severity of Drought conditions and reduce the availability of water.  Some scientists are warning that the extreme heat and dryness that helped spread the recent fires in Australia, South Africa and California are becoming more common as human activity continues to produce increased levels of carbon emissions and intensify global warming.

The changing climate will threaten world Agricultural Production. In Australia, if the temperature rises by 2°C, the national livestock carrying capacity is projected to decrease by 40%.

Climate change is also expected to affect the world Infrastructure. For example, in Australia changes in temperatures and rainfall are expected to increase road maintenance costs by 31% by 2100.

Above and beyond the impact on people, Flora and Fauna are also likely to suffer as a result of climate change, with a drastic reduction of the extent and quality of world habitats.

Other examples of the effects of climate change include Rising Sea Levels and storm surges eroding coastal areas and causing floods and damage to coastral infrastructure and communities