Risks from Climate Change to Indigenous Communities in The

Risks from Climate Change to Indigenous Communities in the Tropical North of Australia i Risks from Climate Change to Indigenous Communities in the Tropical North of Australia A scoping study for the Commonwealth Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, the Western Australian Department of the Environment and Conservation and the Northern Territory Department of Natural Resources Editors: Donna Green, Sue Jackson & Joe Morrison Contributing Authors: J.C. Altman, B. Abbott, N. Biddle, J.P. Evans, D. Dominey-Howes, C. Michael, K. Jordan, C. O’Neill, B. Preston, M. Stafford Smith, W. Steffen, S. Veland, P. Whitehead & E. Woodward. Case study authors: J.C. Altman, S. Aniba, P. Bayliss, N. Biddle, H. Boxer, J. Bradley, W. Bujiman, G. Friday, G. Hitchcock, G. James, S. Johnson, K. Jordan, M. Mirikul, D. Moor, I. Munro, D. Ober, A. Ralph, M. Ryan, V. Sinnamon, P. Sullivan, M. Warusam & S. Winderlich. ii © Commonwealth of Australia 2009 ISBN: 978-1-921298-56-1 This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from the Commonwealth. Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to the: Commonwealth Copyright Administration Attorney-General’s Department 3-5 National Circuit BARTON ACT 2600 Email: [email protected] Or posted at: http://www.ag.gov.au Online version available at: http://www.climatechange.gov.au Please cite this report as: Green D, S Jackson and J Morrison, 2009, Risks from Climate Change to Indigenous Communities in the Tropical North of Australia. Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency: Canberra Design by Ben Nacard Disclaimer: Material in ‘Risks from Climate Change to Indigenous Communities in the Tropical North of Australia’ is made available on the understanding the Commonwealth is not providing professional advice. Before relying on any of the material, readers should obtain appropriate professional advice. While reasonable care has been taken in preparing this discussion paper, the Commonwealth provides no warranties and makes no representations that the information contained in ‘Risks from Climate Change to Indigenous Communities in the Tropical North of Australia’ is complete or reliable. The Commonwealth expressly disclaims liability for any loss, however caused and whether due to negligence or otherwise, arising directly or indirectly from the use or reliance on information contained in the discussion paper by any person. iii Table of Contents Page Executive Summary ��1 Chapter 1: Introduction �� 4 Terms of reference and objectives �� 4 Background and context to study �� 6 Concepts in vulnerability and adaptation �� 11 Summary �� 16 Chapter 2: Climate change projections ��18 Temperature �� 19 Precipitation �� 19 Evaporation ��25 Sea surface temperature ��25 Extreme weather ��27 Summary ��30 Chapter 3: Climate change impacts on ecosystems and associated communities ��32 Climate impacts on natural systems ��33 Invasive species ��36 Biodiversity ��37 Complex interactions and multiple stressors ��37 Ecotonal shifts ��37 Indirect effects..........................................................................................................................................38 Summary �� 40 Chapter 4: Climate change impacts on Indigenous health �� 42 Psycho-social health ��43 Physical injury from extreme weather events ��43 Emergency risk management ��43 Vector-borne diseases �� 44 Respiratory illness �� 44 Gastrointestinal illness �� 44 Heat-related illness �� 44 Access to health centres �� 46 Hospital access �� 46 Nutrition �� 46 Summary �� 48 Chapter 5: Climate change impacts on infrastructure �� 50 Housing infrastructure ��50 iv Page Water supply and sewerage ��51 Electricity supply ��51 Telecommunications �� 53 Transport �� 54 Summary �� 56 Chapter 6: Climate change impacts on education ��58 Education infrastructure �� 59 Indigenous learning �� 59 Indigenous knowledge and its role in natural resource management ��61 Collaboration amongst Australian Indigenous communities ��61 Intergenerational transmission of traditional knowledge .................................................................... 63 Adult education in natural resource management programs �� 63 Summary ��64 Chapter 7: Climate change impacts on livelihoods ��66

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