The Conversation

As disasters become more frequent under climate change, building back damaged electricity poles and wires seems maddeningly futile. Sarah Niklas, Research Consultant, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney Scott Dwyer, Research Principal in Energy Futures, University of Technology Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Disasters are becoming more frequent and severe as the climate heats up – but Australia is badly under-prepared. Barbara Norman, Professor of Urban & Regional Planning; Chair of the Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Research Network (CCARRN), University of Canberra Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Councils are trying to balance competing priorities in urban development, with limited resources and stretched budgets. Nicky Morrison, Professor of Planning, Western Sydney University Patrick Harris, Senior Research Fellow, Deputy Director, CHETRE, UNSW Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Floods allow aquatic animals to venture into places you wouldn’t expect, from crocs in swimming pools to bull sharks in a golf course. Euan Ritchie, Professor in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University Chris J Jolly, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Macquarie University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

By following moisture from the oceans to the land, researchers worked out exactly how three oceans conspire to deliver deluges of rain to eastern Australia. Chiara Holgate, Hydroclimatologist, Australian National University Agus Santoso, Senior Research Associate, UNSW Sydney Alex Sen Gupta, Senior Lecturer, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Nine mammals in Northern Australia are at risk of extinction in the next two decades – and we know little about this home-grown crisis. Noel D Preece, Adjunct Asssociate Professor, James Cook University James Fitzsimons, Adjunct Professor in Environmental Sciences, Deakin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The latest IPCC Report lacked Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lead authors. This is a severe limitation to understanding and responding to climate change in this country. Bradley J. Moggridge, Associate Professor in Indigenous Water Science, University of Canberra Gretta Pecl, Professor, ARC Future Fellow & Director of the Centre for Marine Socioecology, University of Tasmania Nina Lansbury, Senior Lecturer, School of Public Health, The University of Queensland Sandra Creamer, Adjunct professor, The University of Queensland Vinnitta Mosby, Lecturer, James Cook University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Improved warnings are unlikely to protect houses, but it means people can prepare – they can move possessions, reach vulnerable loved ones and evacuate in a timely manner. Kate R Saunders, Lecturer, Queensland University of Technology Kate Helmstedt, Senior lecturer and ARC DECRA Fellow, Queensland University of Technology Kirien Whan, Research scientist, Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

New Zealand can expect more days above 25℃, the threshold for heat stress in livestock, and fewer frost days, which will affect crops like kiwifruit that need winter chilling. Anita Wreford, Professor, Lincoln University, New Zealand Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Food is a fundamental human right. But governments have left it to charities and food suppliers to step in after disasters. That has to change as climate change throws up greater stresses. Rachel Carey, Senior Lecturer in Food Systems, The University of Melbourne Leila Alexandra, Research Assistant , The University of Melbourne Maureen Murphy, Research Fellow (Food Systems), The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

As history shows, many natural and human factors determine how water will behave during a flood. Margaret Cook, Lecturer in History, University of the Sunshine Coast Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Tree rings are ‘nature’s weather stations’ and reveal far more of the Daly River’s history than scientific records can. Philippa Higgins, PhD candidate, UNSW Sydney Fiona Johnson, Associate Professor, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UNSW Sydney Jonathan Palmer, Research Fellow, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences., UNSW Sydney Martin Sogaard Andersen, Associate professor, UNSW Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

How does this compare to Australia’s previous floods? And can we expect more frequent floods at this scale under climate change? The answers aren’t straightforward. Andrew King, Senior Lecturer in Climate Science, The University of Melbourne Linden Ashcroft, Lecturer in climate science and science communication, The University of Melbourne Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick, Chief Investigator on the ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes; ARC Future Fellow, UNSW Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Globally, about a billion people living in coastal cities are at risk of climate hazards. The impacts go well beyond the coast and could affect us all, with disruptions to supply chains and trade. Bruce Glavovic, Professor, Massey University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

We are no longer in typical conditions. Climate change is already damaging human and natural systems we hold dear in Australia. Brendan Mackey, Director of the Griffith Climate Change Response Program, Griffith University Francis Chiew, Senior Principal Research Scientist, CSIRO Gretta Pecl, Professor, ARC Future Fellow & Editor in Chief (Reviews in Fish Biology & Fisheries), University of Tasmania Kevin Hennessy, Principal Research Scientist, CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, CSIRO Lauren Rickards, Professor, RMIT University Mark Howden, Director, ANU Institute for Climate, Energy and Disaster Solutions, Australian National University Nigel Tapper, Professor, Monash University Nina Lansbury, Senior Lecturer, School of Public Health, The University of Queensland Uday Nidumolu, Principal Research Scientist, CSIRO Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

As the impacts and costs of climate change increase over time, New Zealand’s financial systems could become less stable and the government less able to support those affected. Judy Lawrence, Senior Research Fellow, New Zealand Climate Change Research Institute, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Alistair Woodward, Professor, School of Population Health, University of Auckland Anita Wreford, Professor, Lincoln University, New Zealand Mark John Costello, Professor, University of Auckland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The IPCC is the global authority on climate change. Their new report paints a worrying picture of climate impacts already affecting billions of people, economies and the environment. Mark Howden, Director, ANU Institute for Climate, Energy and Disaster Solutions, Australian National University Joy Pereira, Professor, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (National University of Malaysia) Roberto Sánchez, Professor, Colegio de la Frontera Norte Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A weather system called ‘atmospheric rivers’ is causing this inundation. In March last year, an atmospheric river brought 800kg of water vapour over Sydney every second. Kimberley Reid, PhD Researcher in Atmospheric Science, The University of Melbourne Andrew King, Senior Lecturer in Climate Science, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

If estimates are grossly inaccurate, Australia’s emission reduction targets will not be grounded in a credible assessment of greenhouse gas outputs. Samantha Hepburn, Director of the Centre for Energy and Natural Resources Law, Deakin Law School, Deakin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Russia supplies much of Europe’s gas. Will their invasion of Ukraine lead to a renewed push for energy independence? Ellie Martus, Lecturer in Public Policy, School of Government and International Relations, Griffith University Susan Harris Rimmer, Professor and Director of the Policy Innovation Hub, Griffith Business School, Griffith University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.