Australia's Biodiversity and Climate Change: Summary for policy makers 2009

A strategic assessment of the vulnerability of Australia’s biodiversity to climate change

Summary of a report to the Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council commissioned by the Australian Government

This document is a summary of the key issues for policymakers derived from a strategic assessment of the vulnerability of Australia’s biodiversity to the impacts of climate change. The assessment was commissioned by the Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council (NRMMC). It was undertaken by an independent Expert Advisory Group, chaired by Professor Will Steffen from the ANU, reporting to the Department of Climate Change.

This is the first such national assessment of the vulnerability of Australia’s biodiversity to climate change. The assessment’s main focus is on terrestrial biodiversity. This is partly because there has been a recent analysis of the impacts of climate change on marine biodiversity generally (and the Great Barrier Reef in particular); and partly because there is relatively little research to date on the consequences of climate change for freshwater biodiversity. Work is now underway to provide a preliminary assessment of implications for high conservation value freshwater systems.

Three products have come out of the vulnerability assessment: a full report in the form of a book; a Technical Summary; and this short Summary for Policy Makers.

The Expert Advisory Group’s assessment does not necessarily represent the views of individual states and territories, or the Australian Government. However, the insights gained through the biodiversity vulnerability assessment should provide a valuable source of guidance and information for biodiversity practitioners in developing climate change adaptation strategies for Australia’s biodiversity.

The NRMMC is continuing its effort to confront the challenges of climate change and has identified a broad suite of priorities to be addressed over the period 2009 to 2012. These include a review of the National Strategy for the Conservation of Australia’s Biological Diversity – Australia’s premier biodiversity conservation policy statement – and a review of the National Action Plan for Biodiversity and Climate Change, due to be undertaken in 2009.