A Century's perspective on climate variability and impacts on agriculture.

Wright, W.J. Dr; ph: (03) 9669 4781; fax: (03) 9669 4678; w.wright@bom.gov.au

Research Organisation: National Climate Centre, Bureau of Meteorology, GPO Box 1289K, Melbourne, 3001

Collaborators: The Organising Committee has cross-disciplinary representatives from the Bureau, CSIRO, and the Queensland Department of Natural Resources.

Sponsor: LWRRDC, Land and Water Resources Research and Development Corporation

Objectives:

To summarise current knowledge about the spatial and temporal variability of Australian climate, including long-term climate variability and change, and how it impacts upon the Australian agricultural industry and the environment, from the perspective of climate variations and impacts during the 20th Century.

To explore strategies for minimising the adverse effects of the climate, its variability, and its extremes on agriculture, and conversely, for exploiting current climate knowledge and information to improve the viability and efficiency of various agricultural activities.

Methodology:

A three-day Workshop will be conducted to review current knowledge on long-term climate variability and its impacts on the agricultural sector. The Workshop will also include spatial climate variability, as this has an impact on enterprise planning. The proposed format of the Workshop will be for presentations in the morning and early afternoon, followed by discussions and group work on particular topics, with emphasis on developing strategies for coping with climate variability, and the application of climate knowledge. It is intended that key outcomes from the Workshop will be published.

Progress: In planning stage; organising committee convened and working on details.

Period: starting date 1999-07; completion date 2000-06

Status: project has commenced

Keywords: Climate variability and impacts, climate change, workshops, managing climate variability and change, sustainability

Publications: None as yet.