About the Climate Change and Development Roundtable

Australia has one of the highest greenhouse emissions per capita in the world – this includes our current emission level and also our historic ‘carbon debt’. Given the catastrophic impacts expected in our region, Australia has an obligation to reduce the chance of dangerous climate.change, and to assist impacted communities within our region to adapt.

The Roundtable facilitates information exchange between the two areas of expertise – development and climate change - resulting in mutually supportive campaigns to strengthen both sectors’ work on the crucial issues of poverty reduction, sustainable development and addressing the impacts of climate change.

The CCDR website can be found at: http://www.ccdr.org.au/

Members of the Climate Change and Development Roundtable include:

• AngliCORD
• Australian Conservation Foundation
• Climate Action Network Australia
• Caritas
• Christian World Service – National Council of Churches in Australia
• Environment Victoria
• Friends of the Earth
• Greenpeace
• Commission for Mission – Justice and International Mission
• Oxfam Australia
• Tear Australia
• World Vision

About the report

The two-part report, which includes research by the CSIRO as well as roundtable recommendations, finds the coastline of the Asia/Pacific nations are highly vulnerable to climate change, particularly sea level rise, and that existing challenges to human security in the region may be significantly exacerbated by the broad range of impacts that climate change may bring, particularly food and water insecurity and diseases.   

Launched today, the report finds that climate change will threaten our region’s economy, development and security unless governments and aid agencies prepare for its impacts.

CSIRO undertook a review of 186 different regional and national estimates of the potential impacts of future climate change across a variety of indicators within the Asia/Pacific region and confirmed there “is little room for optimism”.  The research, commissioned by the roundtable, finds:

• Coastal communities: millions of people in the Asia Pacific region will be left homeless from sea level rises of up to 50cm by 2070, with economic costs of thousands of billions and over 100,000kms of coast line devastated with hot spots including Bangladesh, India, Vietnam, China and small Pacific island states;
• Ecosystems and Biodiversity: Many communities in this region depend on coral reefs and mangrove wetlands with loses of up to 50% of mangroves in some areas.  High-altitude and mountain ecosystems represent another key ecosystem of concern.  China’s boreal forests will be reduced by 70% based on current climate change projections;
• Disease and Heat-Related Mortality: The region as a whole is expected to become hotter and wetter, exposing millions more people to heat-related illnesses and mosquito borne diseases such as dengue fever and malaria by the end of the century.  while flooding and tropical cyclones will increase injuries and deaths;  Changes to fundamental health considerations such as food and water security will prove costly;
• Water Resources:  A particular challenge for water resources will be the management of extreme events such as prolonged drought which undermines food security, or extreme rainfall events, which increase the risk of flooding.  Northern China has been in a water crisis for a number of years due to climate change as well as population increases.  The Pacific Island states are also at risk due to salt-water intrusion into available freshwater resources.  The cost of preparing for water stress is likely to be considerable.
• Agriculture and Fisheries: Climate change may affect agricultural production in a number of ways: through food and fibre production, water resources and coastal ecosystems.  Much of Asia and the Small Island States are highly vulnerable across the three indicators.  While some agricultural practices can be upgraded, much of this is tied to regional economic development. 
• Regional Economies:  The net effect of climate change is expected to be negative.  Loss of agricultural revenue and additional costs for managing water resources, coastlines, and disease and other health risks will negatively affect economic activity. For example, Sri Lanka’s GDP could drop by 2.4% with less than 2°C of warming.  Rural areas dependant on subsistence agriculture are likely to be more vulnerable to potential climate consequences.