Climate change impact on Australia may be irreversible, five-yearly report says

An independent review of the state of Australia’s environment has found the impacts of climate change are increasing and some of the changes could be irreversible.

 The Tarkine wilderness area in Tasmania.
Josh Frydenberg says the State of the
 Environment report indicates the impact of
 changing weather patterns is being felt
on both land and sea.

The latest State of the Environment report, a scientific snapshot across nine areas released by the federal government every five years, says climate change is altering the structure and function of natural ecosystems in Australia, and is affecting heritage, economic activity and human wellbeing.

It warns climate change will result in “location specific vulnerabilities” and says the most severe impacts will be felt by people who are socially and economically disadvantaged.

Record high water temperatures caused “widespread coral bleaching, habitat destruction and species mortality” in the marine environment between 2011 and 2016, it says.

The minister for energy and the environment, Josh Frydenberg, was due to release the report card on Tuesday morning.

Read Katherine Murphy’s story on The Guardian - “Climate change impact on Australia may be irreversible, five-yearly report says.”