Summary of research
Alpine areas of NSW and the ACT are vulnerable to climate change which is putting snow-dependent ecosystems, wildlife and industries at risk. These technical reports were published by the NSW Government in 2020, and can help analysts and decision makers understand how these alpine areas are affected by climate change, and make better informed planning and management decisions.
Climate change impacts in the NSW and ACT Alpine region: Projected climate (PDF 5.2MB) - Observations have shown substantial changes in precipitation and temperature, which are impacting ecosystems in the region.
Climate change impacts in the NSW and ACT Alpine region: Impacts on fire weather (PDF 1.4MB) - While bushfires are a natural phenomenon in Australia, they can cause significant damage and loss to human life and infrastructure.
Climate change impacts in the NSW and ACT Alpine region: Impacts on water availability (PDF 3.2MB) - Climate change can impact water availability, quality, salinity and aquatic biodiversity. Projected affects to water availability through changes in surface runoff and recharge to groundwater in the alpine region are
Climate change impacts in the NSW and ACT Alpine region: Projected changes in snowmaking conditions (PDF 1.8MB) - The NSW and ACT alpine region is a popular winter holiday destination with ski resorts located across the region.
Climate change impacts in the NSW and ACT Alpine region: Impacts on crop suitability (PDF 4.6MB) - Climate change has direct impacts on crop productivity that might present challenges to food security worldwide. This report presents the impacts of climate change on certain crops in the downstream Riverina-Murray region. Understanding the regional impacts of climate change on crop yields is essential to develop key adaptive strategies and mitigate negative impacts on food security.
Climate change impacts in the NSW and ACT Alpine region: Impacts of extreme rainfall on soil erosivity and hillslope erosion (PDF 2.1MB) - Climate change is expected to impact soils through changes in soil erosion, which can have significant implications for natural assets, agricultural lands and water quality.
Climate change impacts in the NSW and ACT Alpine region: Impacts on biodiversity (PDF 5.9MB) - The NSW and ACT alpine region hosts unique biodiversity. Plants and animals in the region have evolved to fit a small window of suitable environmental conditions, making them sensitive to changes in the climate.
Climate change impacts in the NSW and ACT Alpine region: Integrated assessment using the Multi-Criteria Analysis Shell for Spatial Decision Support (MCAS-S) tool (PDF 4.5MB) - Adapting to climate changing impacts can be technically and socially complex, requiring the integration of information including: bio-physical (e.g. ecology, soils, hydrology), cultural, economic (e.g. farm profitability, commodity prices) and social (e.g. wellbeing, behaviour). The datasets generated by this project have been incorporated into a datapack for the alpine region that allow exploration by the user. The Multi-Criteria Analysis Shell for Spatial Decision Support (MCAS-S) software was applied to facilitate the integration of different types of spatial data in the NSW and ACT alpine region.