Australia, the driest inhabited continent on Earth, could become even drier as the world heats up, according to a report released in February 2001 by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. With global warming, rainfall would decrease for much of Australia, with the risk of droughts associated with El Niño events likely to increase. Farming, tourism and coastal development would be hit by these changing conditions. 'At risk' natural environments include coral reefs, presently endangered or sensitive species, freshwater wetlands in the coastal zone, and alpine areas. Wind energy is set to play its part in reducing the effects of global warming.

Why Do We Need Renewables?
Electrical energy is essential to billions of people around the world. We are reliant on it for the simplest of things from light to read by to water for a shower.

The conventional sources of power come from burning of fossil fuels such as coal, gas, oil or from nuclear fuels. As there are fears of fossil fuel shortages as well as evidence that fossil fuels are creating climate change and concerns about nuclear power, generation of an alternative clean energy source is clearly of growing importance.

To reflect these needs, government legislation aims to have 2% of Australia's electricity generated by renewable sources by 2010.

What is Global Climate Change?
Our climate has warmed by about 0.7°C over the last 300 years, with about 0.5°C of warming occurring over the last 100 years.

It is accepted that much of this change is due to an increase in the emissions of greenhouse gases, which are created through burning fossil fuels.

Scientific models predict that the average global temperature will rise by a further 3°C by the next century unless change takes place now.

With a rising in global temperatures, the ice caps in the Arctic and Antarctic regions have already begun melting, which is leading to sea level rises.

The resultant effect on human life and the natural environment could be devastating, with rising sea levels likely to submerge whole islands in the Pacific, flood low lying areas in many countries and inevitably push entire species to extinction.

The extraction and use of fossil fuels is responsible for many of the world's environmental problems. Much air and water pollution, soil erosion and climate change is fossil fuel energy related.

To address these issues, a shift to methods of producing heat and electricity that do not compromise the environment and the needs of future generations is a global priority.