The climate is changing in NSW. Average yearly temperatures have been increasing since the 1960s and 2000-09 was the state’s hottest decade. It is likely that NSW’s climate will get hotter with wetter warmer months, a drier winter and reduced winter rain. More severe weather events and natural disasters are also expected, like storms, floods, bushfires and droughts.
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Climate change can have:
- direct impact through
- heatwaves
- storms
- floods
- drought
- indirect impacts through
- air quality
- water quality and quantity
- food quality and quantity
- change to ecosystems
- health impacts, including
- cardiovascular diseases
- respiratory diseases
- infectious diseases (water, food, vectors)
- allergies
- injuries
- mental illness.
Groups at risk include:
- socio-economically disadvantaged
- people with disabilities
- remote Aboriginal communities
- pregnant women and their unborn children
- children
- older people
- rural communities
- industries and their workers
- tourists