Two leading Tasmanian scientists will discuss the latest climate change research, which one says should be of interest to Tasmanians due to the accelerated warming of waters off the state's East Coast.
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Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies' Nathan Bindoff and CSIRO's Jess Melbourne-Thomas will host the 6pm webinar to highlight key findings from the IPCC's Special Report, on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate, released in September last year.
The webinar will address questions such as:
- When will climate change emerge?
- How much benefit is there in low-emission trajectories?
- How can it be that so many ecosystems are affected?
- What are the solutions?
- What are the policy implications for adaptation to reduce the risks and hazards of climate change in the oceans and on our coasts?
Professor Bindoff said the lecture was of particular interest for Tasmanians, as the waters off the East Coast were warming at four times the global rate, leading to significant changes in local ecosystems.
"The world-class research carried out by local scientists provides a preview of the changes we can expect globally in coming years, including the arrival of invasive species and range-extending fish, the loss of key species such as giant kelp, and marine heatwaves bringing diseases such as POMS," he said.
In other news:
"The IPCC report on the oceans and cryosphere gives perhaps the most comprehensive picture to date of the impacts of climate change caused by humans, particularly on the oceans but also on high mountains and the polar regions.
"I think the key message from the report is that there are options to respond to climate change, but there are also limits to adaptation, and choices need to be made around the sorts of emission pathways that society might choose."
Dr Melbourne-Thomas was a lead author on chapter three: polar regions and Professor Bindoff was coordinating lead author on chapter five: changing ocean, marine ecosystems and dependent communities.
The April 30 lecture is free, but registration is required.
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