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Water and climate: making the link
Australia's leading scientists in climate change and water research will meet in Canberra tomorrow and Friday to discuss the consequences of climate change on Australia's water resources.
Organised by CSIRO, the two day Cutting Edge Science Symposium - Hydrological Consequences of Climate Change will focus on the link between climate and water and our scientific understanding of how future climate projections are likely to affect water availability in Australia.
'Research is revealing that Australia's water resources are highly vulnerable to climate change,' says symposium organiser Dr Ian Prosser, Science Director of the Water for a Healthy Country Flagship.
'This symposium is bringing researchers together from a range of institutions and disciplinary areas to develop a shared understanding of the links between climate change and hydrological systems. 'Climate change is likely to increase pressure on water resources, not only on supply but also on associated natural hazards such as floods and droughts. Our capacity to predict and manage these events requires an improved understanding of how climate influences hydrology and how Australia's hydrological systems, such as evaporation, vegetation and water movement to our oceans, influence our climate.'
The symposium, opened by Australia's Chief Scientist Dr Jim Peacock, will grapple questions such as: (1) What are the observed and projected changes to climate in Australia? (2) What are the consequences of future climate projections on hydrological systems? (3) What is the scientific basis for predicting these impacts and how can we improve these? (4) What are the land surface links between climate and hydrology and how might an improved understanding of these links improve climate and hydrology predictions?
The symposium is organised by the Water for a Healthy Country Flagship, with support from the National Water Commission and Land and Water Australia.
Water for a Healthy Country Flagship is a research partnership between CSIRO, state and federal governments, and other research providers. The Flagship aims to achieve a tenfold increase in the economic, social and environmental benefits from water by 2025.
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