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HOW IS GLOBAL WARMING AFFECTING LIFE IN AUSTRALIA?

• Ecosystems:
Global warming stresses ecosystems through temperature rises, water shortages, increased fire threats, drought, weed and pest invasions, intense storm damage and salt invasion, just to name a few. Some of Australia’s great natural icons, such as the Great Barrier Reef, are already threatened.

• Species:
One in six species is at risk of extinction because of climate change. To survive, plants, animals and birds confronted with climate change have two options: move or adapt. With the speed of climate change we are experiencing already, it’s often not possible for a species to adapt quickly enough to keep up with its changing environment. And with the amount of habitat destruction, moving is becoming increasingly difficult.

• Food and farming:
Changes to rainfall patterns, increasingly severe drought, more frequent heat waves, flooding and extreme weather make it more difficult for farmers to graze livestock and grow produce, reducing food availability and making it more expensive to buy.

Read more on food and farming here.

• Water:
Reduced rainfall and increasingly severe droughts may lead to water shortages.

• Coastal Erosion:
Rising sea levels and more frequent and intense storm surges will see more erosion of Australia's coastline, wearing away and inundating community and residential properties.

• Health:
Increasingly severe and frequent heat waves may lead to death and illness, especially among the elderly. Higher temperatures and humidity could also produce more mosquito-borne disease.

• Damage to homes:
Increasingly severe extreme weather events like bushfires, storms, floods, cyclones and coastal erosion, will see increased damage to homes, as well as more costly insurance premiums.

• Coral bleaching:
Rising temperatures and acidity within our oceans is contributing to extreme coral bleaching events, like the 2016 event that destroyed more than one-third of the Great Barrier Reef.

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Some people are predicting that in the next hundred years temperatures will rise by 4 degrees. That might not sound like much but according to a new report the consequences could be really serious. Let's take a look.

NATHAN BAZLEY, REPORTER: How do you imagine the world will look in 100 years time? Something like Wall-E? Or maybe Tron? Well either of those predictions could always end up to be true. Although it's probably not likely.

But recently the World Bank, an international aid group, said they have a prediction of their own. And it's got nothing to do with cute robots. It's all about temperature. Their prediction is that by 2100, the world will have warmed by 4 degrees.

NATHAN: Wait up, 4 degrees is nothing! Yesterday was 4 degrees warmer than today for example, but it doesn't even feel that much different! So how could 4 degrees possibly have much effect on our planet?

Well our earth is a really delicate place. All of our weather patterns, ice caps and water systems are finely balanced. Even one degree could cause things to change. And four degrees could change everything. Here are 4 ways the World Bank says that 4 degrees would make a difference.

1. Ocean Changes: Under the water here at the Great Barrier Reef, life looks pretty spectacular. But if the world warms four degrees over the next century, it could look very different. Coral is really sensitive to changes in water temperature. A couple of degrees rise can stop their growth, a couple more degrees can start to destroy them. So 4 degrees could spell disaster for many reefs around the world.

2. Heat Extremes: During a heatwave, things already feel pretty hot. You might think 4 degrees extra wouldn't make much difference. But the temp rises wouldn't spread out evenly across the globe. If you're living in these areas in 2100, then your temps might rise by up to 9 degrees. And considering many of those areas are already pretty hot now, your air con might struggle.

3. Food Shortages: We all like a good feed, but with 4 degrees extra on the temperature gauge, food could be a problem. Some crops die if conditions are too hot. And with extra heat around, some water sources are likely to evaporate too, making it a double whammy. So we could see more drought and even tougher conditions for farmers.

4. Rising Sea Levels: Finally, we have the most dramatic change of all - rising sea levels. With extra heat around, the immense amount of ice around the polar caps will start to melt, dumping billions and billions of litres into the sea. Low lying island nations, like Kiribati in the Pacific, are already facing big problems with rising sea levels. These people's homes aren't far from going under the waves forever.

But by 2100, if the predictions are correct, all of these areas could follow suit, including some parts of Australia. That's why the World Bank is calling for all countries to work together to fight climate change now. Because it'll require a big effort from everyone to reduce pollution and stop the 4 degrees before it happens.

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Some people are predicting that in the next hundred years temperatures will rise by 4 degrees. That might not sound like much but according to a new report the consequences could be really serious. Let's take a look. NATHAN BAZLEY, REPORTER: How do you imagine the world will look in 100 years time?

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What are the impacts of climate change? - Australian Museum

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The effects climate change could have on oceans, vulnerable animal species, sea level and human lifestyles.