The Marine Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Report Card for Australia 2009 was released in November. The report card summarises our current knowledge of marine climate change impacts and identifies key knowledge gaps and adaptation responses in Australia.
Key findings from the report card include:
- Australian ocean temperatures have warmed, with south-west and south-eastern waters warming fastest
- The flow of the East Australian Current has strengthened, and is likely to strengthen by a further 20% by 2100
- Marine biodiversity is changing in south-east Australia in response to warming temperatures and a stronger East Australian Current
- Declines of over 10% in growth rates of massive corals on the Great Barrier Reef are likely due to ocean acidification and thermal stress
The report card was produced by an author team representing 35 universities and organisations, a project team from the CSIRO Climate Adaptation National Research Flagship, and a steering group comprising representatives from the sponsor organisations.
View the Marine Climate Change Report Card 2009 website for further information.
The report card website mentions ClimateWatch as a program to get involved in to help shape Australia's scientific response to climate change. You can get involved by collecting and recording data on selected plants and animals, including marine species such as the Blue Bottle and Jelly Blubber, in order to help scientists understand the impact of climate change on these species.