Climate Change Becomes Australia's Top Priority

Climate change issues is becoming a top priority for Australians as the change will destabilise the Asia-Pacific region, exacerbate food, water and energy shortages and threaten Australia's security.

Research suggests weather extremes and wilder fluctuations in rainfall and temperatures could transform the region, resulting in a large-scale displacement of people in heavily populated areas and triggering a surge of "climate change refugees".

There is also the prospect of melting ice making the seas less dense and salty at high latitudes, resulting in temporary lower temperatures in Europe but exacerbating overall warming globally.

The impact could create new security risks for Australia, which will have enormous implications for business and the economy.

Thousands of people and numerous Christian organisations are expected to gather in London this November for the 'I Count' climate event to pressure the UK government into taking urgent action on climate change.

The 'I Count' event will be hosted by the Stop Climate Chaos coalition in London's Trafalgar Square from 1pm to 3pm on Saturday 4 November and will also make the call for a radical reduction of worldwide carbon emissions over the next decade.

Later in November, the Queen's Speech could include a landmark bill, which would commit to a Carbon Budget as a way of managing UK greenhouse gas emissions - something environmental and Christian groups like Tearfund have been pushing for.