The risks and impacts of climate change on indigenous communities in Australia's tropical north is the subject of a new scoping study led by UNSW's Dr Donna Green.

The study will assess the vulnerability and adaptive capacity of hundreds of Indigenous communities to climate change impacts across an area spanning the Kimberley, Arnhem Land, Cape York and the Torres Strait.

A multidisciplinary research team from UNSW's Climate Change Research Centre, CSIRO and the North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance will consider:

Led by CCRC's Research Fellow Dr Green, the team will use a range of regionally focused climate change projections to assess impacts in the years 2030 and 2070.

"Climate change impact studies have largely ignored Australia's tropical north, despite the vulnerability of many of the communities living in unique ecosystems in this vast region so it will be important work," says Dr Green.

The researchers will use spatial information to report on key areas of concern such as vulnerability to extreme weather events and temperature change. They will generate maps showing 'hotspot' communities and locations that are more likely to be impacted by the direct and indirect effects of climate change.

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Media Contact: Dan Gaffney | 0411 156 015 | g.gaffney@unsw.edu.auClimate Change Research Centre Contact: Donna Green | 0417 455 920 | donna.green@unsw.edu.au