
Ever since the industrial revolution in the 1800s, we have been increasingly pumping gases into the atmosphere, causing the earth to heat up faster than any other time in the planet’s history. Anything we burn gives off these gases, carbon dioxide in the main, whether for electricity generation, space heating, vehicle fuels, industrial processes, deforestation, composting or animal farming.
Earth has been much hotter in the past, but the current rate of change is unprecedented. Moreover, global warming is happening in people’s lifetimes rather than geological timescales. The consequence is melting polar ice caps, rising sea levels, and more frequent and extreme weather events.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (The IPCC) is the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change. The IPCC has said we should restrict any global temperature rises to no more than 1.5°C overall to avoid the worst effects. Reaching this is a truly global challenge.
In practice, you reduce your GHG emissions and also offset the emissions you can't stop emitting by implementing activities to absorb GHG emissions equal to those you cannot get rid of (e.g. purchasing offset credits).
Figure 1.1 Overview of GHG Protocol scopes and emissions across the value chain, Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) Accounting and Reporting Standard, Greenhouse Gas Protocol, World Resources Institute {https://ghgprotocol.org/sites/default/files/standards/Corporate-Value-Chain-Accounting-Reporing-Standard_041613_2.pdf}
Department of Environment: Understanding Climate Change
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Garnaut Review – Climate change impacts on Australia
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Climate change impacts on biodiversity in Australia: outcomes of a Workshop sponsored by the Biological Diversity Advisory Committee
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Climate Change Impacts & Risk Management A Guide for Business and Government
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A pocket guide to climate change – ABC News
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Ask a Stupid Question Day 2020 – Part 6 – Better Sydney, Downer, ISCA
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Ask a Stupid Question Day 2020 – Part 7 – Better Sydney, ISCA, Downer
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Ask a Stupid Question Day 2020 – Part 9 – Downer, ISCA
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Climate Change Adaptation e-learning module
E-learning Module
Australia’s Biodiversity and Climate Change
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Point of No Returns – Climate Change
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Department of Environment, Climate Change & Water NSW: Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Strategy Progress Report
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Appendices – Impact of Climate Change on Road Infrastructure
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Tasmania’s Top Climate Change Questions Answered
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Beyond Zero Emissions – Million Jobs Plan
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Two years on from the Engineering Declaration of a Climate and Biodiversity Emergency – what does effective action look like?
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A new choice: Australia’s climate for growth – Deloitte Access Economics
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Analysis of climate change impacts on the deterioration of concrete infrastructure – Synthesis Report
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The Climate Institute – Infrastructure Interpendencies and Business-Level Impacts
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Wellbeing
Climate Change Risk Disclosure
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