Climate change impacts on Australia and the benefits of early action to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions

Abstract

In this report commissioned for the Australian Business Roundtable on Climate Change, CSIRO scientists suggest that future emissions trajectories indicates that, left unchecked, human greenhouse gas emissions will increase several fold over the 21st century. As a consequence, Australia’s annual average temperatures are projected to increase 0.4–2.0°C above 1990 levels by the year 2030, and 1–6°C by 2070. This technical report outlines the likely impacts on Australia of climate change, and the benefits of global emissions reductions.