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Western Australia, particularly the south-west, is vulnerable to climate change. Changing rainfall patterns, rising sea levels and increasing intense weather events pose a threat to the states water supply, agriculture, coastal infrastructure and natural habitats.
This report accompanies The Critical Decade: Climate Change Science, Risks and Responses and highlights key climate change impacts and opportunities for Western Australia:
- Rainfall patterns in Western Australia have changed over the last 40 years. There is significant evidence that climate change has contributed to the marked drying trend in the south-west of the state. This has had serious implications for urban water supplies and agriculture.
- Sea levels along Australia’s west coast have been rising at more than double the global average. With a significant part of the population living in coastal towns and cities, rising sea levels pose significant risks to Western Australia’s coastal infrastructure and iconic beaches.
- Western Australia is home to internationally recognised biodiversity which is threatened by a changing climate. Suitable habitat for a range of iconic species including the quokka, Carnaby’s cockatoo and the tingle tree are likely to be substantially reduced due to climate change.