About

ClimateWatch

ClimateWatch is an initiative of the Earthwatch Australia. The program was first developed in 2009, with the support of the Bureau of Meteorology and University of Melbourne with the aim of building an Australianwide network to monitor phenology - the seasonal changes in nature.

By engaging citizen scientists (the general public) in observing, recording and collecting data on Australian flora and fauna, ClimateWatch helps build an understanding of the implications of climate change. It is the largest citizen science phenology project of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere and is currently supported by the Commonwealth Inspiring Australia Science Engagement Program, the Helen Macpherson Smith Trust and the Victoria Department of Education and Training. Previous partners and sponsors are listed here.

The App

The ClimateWatch App was first released in (2010?). In 2020 it received a significant upgarde through the App developer Spotteron. The app is free to download etc etc.

Sustainable Developement Goals

Not only are we paving the way for important citizen science phenology research but we are also doing our part to assist in achieving the 2015 United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Climate Change

Over the past 100 years, the average surface temperature in Australia has risen by 0.9 C - 1.1 C and we are already seeing impacts in nature. Climate change is affecting rainfall and temperature across the country and as a result, affecting established flowering times, breeding cycles and migration movements and other phenological (seasonal) changes. With this rapid change in climate, over a million species (including us) will have to adapt quickly or face extinction. So what can we do to help? ClimateWatch was developed to understand the effects climate change is having on our earth’s natural processes. Created as a citizen science project, it allows every Australian to be involved in collecting and recording data that will increase our understanding of climate change impacts. Essentially, ClimateWatch monitors phenology... phenolo-what you ask?

Phenology

Phenology is the study of periodic plant and animal life cycle events and how these are influenced by seasonal and interannual variations in climate. Examples include bird nesting, insect hatching, plant flowering and fruit ripening. Many studies have already provided insight into the relationship between climate variables, such as temperature and rainfall, to the timing of these phenophases. Monitoring phenology is important as changes can impact entire biological communities, our food sources and our health. Unfortunately few significant datasets have been collected and researched in Australia and the Southern Hemisphere. By becoming a ClimateWatch citizen scientist and monitoring your local environment, you will be filling in the gaps of information that are largely lacking in our region of the world and are vital for informing climate change management strategies and solutions.