Research which will improve the understanding of how climate change might affect off-shore waves and the potential impact on Australian coastal zones, was released yesterday (10th September), by the Australian Minister for Climate Change and Water, Senator Penny Wong . The research, carried out by Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), investigated climatic conditions which could lead to changes in waves on Australia's coast, including extreme waves of around three metres or more.

There is excellent work underway in Australia to harness the power of waves to generate electricity as we move to a low pollution economy, Senator Wong said. Understanding wave behaviour in a changing climate is critical to how successfully we manage both the opportunities and the risks. This study will help increase our understanding of the potential impacts to the coastal zone, as well as providing valuable information for those seeking to generate electricity from wave energy.

The available modelled data suggests that over the past 45 years there has been an increase in the frequency of weather events which led to large waves being generated off Australia's southern coast. The research found strong correlations between wave power in some Australian regions and changes in climate drivers such as the length and strength of the tropical monsoon season in the north.

The report also outlined, for the first time, a method for identifying which parts of the Australian coast are likely to be more susceptible to the impacts of large and powerful waves.

The $800,000 research project was jointly funded by the Department of Climate Change and the CSIRO.

The full report is available at www.climatechange.gov.au