The report looks at the projected impact of climate change state by state, as well as in reference to average global temperatures and its impact on agriculture.
“When we look at Queensland, we’re talking about higher rainfall events, whereas in Victoria, we’re talking about the state becoming hotter and drier from the north towards the south,” Rural Bank’s Andrew Smith said.
In Queensland, the report found warmer temperatures are already reducing the life cycle of wheat and will cause flowering to occur two to three weeks earlier by 2030.
The report laid out how heat stress days, which are those days above 35°C, will increase in Brisbane by 2050 from about two days a year to eight.
Predictions for Tasmania expect the temperature rise to be less than for most of the rest of Australia.
It also looked at the projected impact of climate change by commodity and industry.
The report also calls for more focused research to examine the roles agriculture and land management can play in emission reduction targets.
Andrew said it was important to examine the impact of climate change at a farm gate level.
“I think the take-out for us was very much around understanding your own landscape, and if adaptation is required to transition through that,” he said.
“It may mean some areas become tougher from a profitability perspective.”
Read the full report at https://www.ruralbank.com.au/knowledge-and-insights/publications/climate-report/
