- Title:
-
The Impact of Climate Change on Fire & Emergency Services Now and in the Future
- Date:
- September 2008
- Organisations
- BCRC
- Authors:
- Amanda Lynch
- Location:
- Australia, VIC, Australia
Overview
The International Bushfire Research Conference 2008 - incorporating The 15th annual AFAC Conference, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Global climate change is real and observable. Since the start of the 20th century, the global-mean surface temperature of the earth has increased by around 0.74o C and the rate of warming has been largest in the latter part of the 20th century. It has been documented that low rainfall and high daytime temperatures during the late winter through spring tend to be associated with an early start to the fire season and larger than usual burnt areas. Recent trends in fire season severity, then, appear to be at least partly the result of changes in the climate.
We have reached an understanding that the fire climate system has a large degree of inertia. This means that the climate system will take time to respond to actions that reduce the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The consequence of this inertia is that we are already committed to a certain degree of climate change beyond that already observed, even if atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations were stabilized today.
Further, the vulnerability to impacts of climate change is increasing for reasons that have nothing to do with emissions, including unsustainable and rapid development and economic inequity. It is inevitable that damaging and even catastrophic events will continue to occur regardless of efforts to mitigate emissions.
Our goal in response to climate change is to reduce losses of things valued in Australia's many and diverse communities, including lives, property, livelihoods and cultural identity. Stabilization of concentrations is one means for reducing losses, and increasing resilience to catastrophic events is another. This talk will discuss the synergies possible in developing adaptation to climate change and planning in emergency services.
