ABSTRACT
Climate change is now a household phrase that holds meaning for many, and implications for everyone on the planet. It is no longer restricted to the realm of scientific research but is a major concern for politicians and businesses that see the expensive social, economic and environmental ramifications (and opportunities) of change. At the level of individuals, there is a growing awareness of the potential impacts, although there may be a detachment between the broader picture and how it may affect each of us. This is in part due to the uncertainty surrounding how climate change will manifest itself at the time and space scales of our day-to-day lives. Scientifically, there are key concerns about how global warming will propagate through the climate and hydrological systems, what the feedbacks may be and how best to mitigate or adapt to climate change. Unfortunately, the consequences of global warming on the climate and terrestrial systems, and their extremes, are at best uncertain and at worst exceptionally worrying.
