Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Download WA State of the Environment 2006
Document related concepts
Transcript
State of the WA Environment Climate Change Vulnerabilities & Impacts: The unavoidable need for managing change Dr Wally Cox Chairman Environmental Protection Authority WA State of the Environment 2006 SoE Overview • Report to community and decision makers (every 5 years) • Major environmental issues and trends • Raise awareness Pressures State • ID responses required SOER Response • Report out in late 2006 WA State of the Environment 2006 Scope • Fundamental Pressures: – CLIMATE CHANGE , population & consumption • Major environmental themes: – Land, air, inland waters, marine, biodiversity , human settlements, heritage • NRM Sectors: – Agriculture, mining, energy, water supply etc Climate change identified in every section WA State of the Environment 2006 Aspects of climate change Natural Drivers Climate Change Vulnerability Residual Spontaneous Vulnerability Anthropogenic Drivers Emissions, Mitigation Planned Adaptation (ie reduction of vulnerability Adaptation Western Australian Impacts West Australian Action WA State of the Environment 2006 WA’s position • Primary focus greenhouse gas emissions mitigation • Global emissions reduction beyond our control • Change is inevitable • WA must prepare to live with and adapt to climate change WA State of the Environment 2006 Vulnerabilities • Key drivers temperature and rainfall • Every living organism has a T & R range • Implications for natural and economic systems in WA Key vulnerabilities - natural systems General: Climate change will exacerbate current threats to biodiversity, natural systems Individual species: eg Some threatened spp. even more vulnerable, Some too slow to adapt, move Stirling Range Moggridgea V narrow range, highly vulnerable to fire, sp. spider increased fire incidence will increase vulnerability Endangered mammal spp. Exacerbation of existing threats – loss of habitat, In the SW eg Dibbler increased fire threat Vegetation assemblages Impacts on many vegetation types eg Decline in Tuart, Wandoo Already subject to a number of stresses Decline in Karri, Marri, Tingles Future risk from lower rainfall Ecosystems Coral reef bleaching Increase in # high sea temperature events Loss of wetlands Lower rainfall, increased eutrophication Decline in riverine ecosystems Reduced streamflow, increased eutrophication Key vulnerabilities - economic systems General: Most NRM sectors vulnerable to CC Sector Vulnerability Drivers Water supply - Risks to quantity and SW quality of water supply Decreased rainfall, increased evaporation, corresponding non-linear decrease in runoff & g/water recharge Agriculture Changing productivity, impacts on farm profitability Increased temperatures, changes in evaporation, enhanced CO2 concentrations, increased seasonal variability, changes in rainfall intensities Pastoralism Decrease in viability of (southern) rangelands Rainfall decline in southern rangelands leading to reduced pasture growth and water availability Forestry Changing productivity, changes in sustainable yields from native forests Rainfall decline, increasing temperatures, exacerbation of pests and diseases Gnangara Mound decline Consequences Yanchep Caves Stygofauna and root matt communities Banksia prionotes Banksia littoralis Regelia ciliata Median monthly flows for the Harris River, near Collie before and after 1976 WA State of the Environment 2006 Adaptation - Principles • Prevent and/or modify threats • Change uses / activities • Change location of activities • Expand research into impacts, technologies and methods of adaptation • Educate, inform and encourage behavioural change WA State of the Environment 2006 Adaptation - capacity • Some areas will be able to adapt: – Water sector – Coastal planning – Agriculture • Some won’t – Vulnerable SW ecosystems – Wheatbelt spp. – Southern rangelands? – Coral reefs – Ningaloo, Dampier Archipelago WA State of the Environment 2006 Intervention? Cost of intervention Technology requirements Timeframe Extreme / deliberate intervention ‘Last line of defence’ Millenium Seed Bank Project, cryogenic chamber Yanchep stygofauna Intervention: adaptive management Knowledge Natural adaptation WA State of the Environment 2006 Conclusion • The “Greenhouse Bulldozer” is coming • We have a moral obligation to reduce our GHG emissions • We need to: – Enhance our understanding of the impacts for WA environment and sectors – Plan to adapt AND – Adapt
