Climate change and the future of Australia's country towns

Abstract

This chapter presents the future of Australia's country towns in the context of anticipated climate change, where it is assumed Australia faces moderate climate change as predicted by the CSIRO's MK3.5 model. It argues that the future of Australia's country towns is not simply a product of climate change and its manifestation in terms of altered rainfall patterns, increased average temperatures and more frequent extreme events. The chapter discusses Australia's country towns within the context of contemporary and anticipated social, economic and climatic trends, before moving on to discuss the estimation of vulnerability within these communities. It describes both the implications for rural communities and the paths potentially available to governments across Australia. The adaptation and future of Australia's country towns is not simply a story of a changing climate and its impacts.