5. Effects of a temperature increase

An average temperature increase of just 2–3°C would result in:

1. 97% of the Great Barrier Reef bleached every year.

2. Severe stress and damage to other iconic natural areas like Kakadu and the Wet Tropical rainforests.

3. Longer and more severe droughts (and water shortages), particularly along Australia’s eastern seaboard and in the south west.

4. 40% reduction in livestock carrying capacity of native pasture systems.

5. 5–10% increase in tropical cyclone wind speeds.

6. 10% increase in bushfire danger in many parts of the country.

7. Vector-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue fever spreading south if effective control measures are not instituted.

8. Population displacement due to rising sea levels, heavier floods and more intense droughts.

9. Increased vulnerability of ecosystems, with as many as 15–40% of species facing extinction.