25 Sept; Climate change in Tasmania and beyond: impacts, adaptation and communication

Climate change in Tasmania and beyond: impacts, adaptation and communication

Climate change is already affecting all of our lives, in a myriad of direct and indirect ways, with indications that the rate of change is accelerating. A global annual average of 1.5°C of warming above pre-industrial levels has already been breached, at least temporarily, with many analyses suggesting that limiting warming to 1.5°C or even 2°C degrees might be out of reach. This presentation will consider findings of recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports, and other international assessments, with a focus on impacts and adaptation in marine systems and Tasmania.

This talk will also highlight some of the collaborative, interdisciplinary, and novel approaches underway here in Tasmania to better communicate the complex issues around the climate crisis. Despite the obvious urgency, how to effectively and appropriately communicate about climate change risk remains highly controversial. As both impacts and future risks escalate, concerns abound regarding the mental health impacts – of climate or eco distress and anxiety on young people in particular – requiring evidence-based approaches to inform our efforts to engage and communicate on climate.