How is climate change impacting us?

Hobart is one of the most bushfire-prone cities in Australia. This is due to its highly flammable vegetation and climatic systems bringing adverse weather to southeast Tasmania. Projections indicate that increased evaporation, longer dry periods, more extreme temperatures and increased wind will increase the occurrence and intensity of bushfires.

This increases the risks to people, homes, infrastructure and the natural environment. Being prepared can help reduce the impacts of bushfire and strengthen community resilience.

Hobart bushfire exposure map TFS - Bushfire: Why risk it?

Heat may not seem like a major risk in a city known for its cool climate, but heatwaves already have serious impacts on Tasmanians. As the climate changes, Hobart is expected to experience more frequent and severe heatwaves.

Urban areas can be 1-7°C hotter than surrounding areas due to the urban heat island effect. This difference will only become more pronounced with climate change.

Research from the University of Tasmania's Menzies Institute for Medical Research found that extreme heatwaves increase ambulance dispatches in Tasmania by up to 34 per cent, while heatwaves are associated with higher rates of illness and mortality by 8 percent, particularly among older people, young children and other vulnerable community members. Preparing for hotter conditions can help protect our health, wellbeing and quality of life.

Hobart residential heat risk map

Climate change is expected to bring more frequent and intense rainfall events, increasing the risk of flooding across Hobart.

Hobart's steep landscape and location between Kunanyi / Mt Wellington and the River Derwent as well as its many rivulets makes it particularly susceptible to flash flooding.

Recent events have shown the significant impacts flooding can have on homes, businesses, infrastructure and community safety. The 2018 Hobart flash floods and severe weather caused more than $137 million worth of damage across Greater Hobart.

Hobart flood map

Sea levels around Hobart are projected to rise by 23cm by 2050 and 85cm by 2100, relative to 2010. This will increase the risk of inundation and erosion across Hobart's coastline.

Much of Hobart sits near sea level, including parts of Sandy Bay, Battery Point, New Town, and even the city itself. This makes it vulnerable to these impacts in the future.

Preparing for these changes now can help protect our communities, economy and natural environment into the future.

Storm surge and flood prone land planning

Disasters are becoming more complex, with one extreme event often triggering a chain reaction of impacts across interconnected systems. For example, a major bushfire can lead to power outages, communication failures, health impacts and business disruption.

Understanding and preparing for these cascading risks is critical. By continually strengthening our preparedness and recovery planning, we can improve our ability to respond to complex events and build a more resilient Hobart.

The physical impacts of climate change have flow on impacts across:

• nature
• the built environment
• economy
• society
• governance of organisations
• supply chains.

It is important to consider how climate change impacts these areas to help us be better prepared and how we can best adapt.

You can learn more in the Climate Change Information for Decision Making and Climate Risk Assessment documents.

The challenges facing Hobart are significant and are going to have severe impacts on our community. However, there's a lot we can do together to protect ourselves from the worst of it. By building resilience in our communities, we can work together to make a climate ready Hobart that can face these challenges head on.

TasALERT - Get Ready