The Climate Change Office in ReCFIT coordinates the Tasmanian Government's climate change action, in partnership with business, community, and other levels of government.

• We provide advice to the government on climate change, including how Tasmania can:
  • reduce greenhouse gas emissions
  • improve its capacity to prepare for and respond to the impacts of climate change
  • capitalise on the opportunities from a changing climate and the development of a low-carbon economy
  • contribute to national policy development.
• We also monitor, analyse and report on Tasmania’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Contact us

• Email: climatechange@recfit.tas.gov.au
• Phone: 03 6166 4466
• Join our subscriber list: newsletter signup form
• Mail: Climate Change Office, ReCFIT, Department of State Growth, GPO Box 536, Hobart TAS 7001

Climate change

Climate change is an important issue that presents both challenges and opportunities for Tasmania. The Tasmanian Government is focused on taking practical action to reduce the state’s greenhouse gas emissions and respond to the impacts of a changing climate.

• Fact Sheet - Climate Change (PDF)
• Fact Sheet - What you can do (PDF)

What is climate change?

Climate change is a change in global climate patterns over many decades that has been caused by increasing levels of greenhouse gas emissions, primarily from the burning of fossil fuels like coal.

What’s the difference between climate and weather?

Weather is measured over a short period of time, like your weekly forecast or monthly outlook, and climate tells us about atmospheric conditions over relatively long periods of time.

How is Tasmania affected?

In recent years Tasmania has seen some extreme climate and weather activity, including two significant bushfire events, a record marine heatwave off the East Coast, prolonged drought and flooding. Learn more about the projected climate change impacts for Tasmania.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report states that it is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land. It also concludes that human influence has warmed the climate at a rate that is unprecedented in at least the last 2000 years. Widespread and rapid changes in the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere and biosphere have occurred.

There have also been national and international developments in response to climate change, with implications for governance of business, industry and government.

Technology and innovation also present new opportunities as the world transitions to a low carbon economy. Learn more about the risks and opportunities for Tasmania.