The purpose of this update is to review the current scientific knowledge base on climate change, particularly with regard to (i) the underpinning it provides for the formulation of policy and (ii) the information it provides on the risks of a changing climate to Australia.
This book seeks to provide a bridge from the peer-reviewed scientific literature to a broader audience of society while providing the depth of science that the complex issue demands and deserves. The chapters cover what we have already observed in the global and Australian climate; how greenhouse gases affect climate; our modelling of the future; how we might adapt to and prepare for climate change and how we might mitigate to reduce greenhouse emissions. These aspects are all important as we seek a comprehensive response to climate change.
The Australian Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency releases official projections of its greenhouse gas emissions annually. The previous projections were released in early 2011 (referred to as the 2010 projections). Since the release of the 2010 projections, the Department of the Treasury released modelling in mid-2011, entitled Strong Growth Low Pollution (SGLP), which includes projections of Australia’s emissions to 2050.3
The 2012 projections provide a full update of Australia’s emissions projections including:
The projections are developed and presented at a sectoral level, encompassing domestic emissions from stationary energy (including electricity generation and direct combustion), transport, fugitive emissions from fuel production, industrial processes, agriculture, waste and deforestation and reforestation.
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