Climate change demands action
PREVENTING food and water shortages, managing more intense natural disasters and their economic fallout, and avoiding climate-driven extinctions, are among critical topics that will be discussed by those attending the Australian 2012 National Climate Change Adaptation conference in Albert Park, Melbourne from tomorrow (June 25).
Hosted jointly by the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF) and CSIRO's Climate Adaptation Flagship (CAF) the conference is set to tackle a range of issues that have become more urgent since the previous conference in 2010.
NCCARF Director, Professor Jean Palutikof, said adaptation was about preparing for and managing the impacts of climate change and variability, many of which were already evident in the shape of more extreme weather events.
"Decision makers in government, business and the community are faced with making choices now that will determine how successfully we manage the impacts of climate change in the future. These issues have become more urgent since the previous conference," she said.
Since 2010 climate adaptation research has grown exponentially and this conference provides the opportunity to learn and discuss the way forward.
The three-day event will feature inspiring keynote speakers working in the field of climate change adaptation research and practice from Australia and around the world.
The event will be more than a science conference; as well the latest research, it will present practical examples, case studies and lessons learned for adaptation, with sessions on issues as diverse as agriculture, insurance, economics, planning and civil engineering, ecology, resource management and social services.
