This attractive little wretch, a lucerne stemborer adult beetle, Zygrita diva, is one of many insect pests whose numbers and survival abilities are expected to increase as Australia’s climate continues to change.

Opinion in regional NSW appears to echo that of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that impacts from human induced changes are either here or may soon be upon us.

More than 90 per cent of an indicative group of survey respondents foresee further changes ahead and three quarters think those changes will be noticeable within five to 10 years.

According to Climatology in Agriculture project officer, Michael Cashen, noticeable shifts in sensitivity to the issue occurred among 1500 participants in 15 State-wide climate change public forums this year.

"About 20 per cent of participants arrived with doubts about whether human induced climate change was occurring but that dropped to about one in 10, once they had sat through their forum," Mr Cashen from NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) at Tocal said.

Farmers comprised about 60pc of regional community members who attended the forums. Survey results collated from all the forums bear out Mr Cashen’s assessment, shared by staff in DPI’s climate risk management team.

DPI and Catchment Management Authorities (CMAs) organised the forums, and the opinions expressed by participants suggested they were already highly tuned to one of the aims, to raise awareness of climate change.

The other main forum goals were to consider potential impacts on agriculture and increase NSW farmers’ and rural communities’ preparedness with adaptation strategies.

"Eighty per cent of forum respondents said they had already observed some changes," Mr Cashen said.

"A large majority of all respondents on arrival at the forums said the changes they saw ahead would have either significant, major or huge impacts on their businesses.

"Just over 20pc thought there would be little impact from change and 10pc thought there would be none."

The IPCC’s fourth assessment report, released November 16, says that if climate change impacts are to be minimised, reaction on a global scale must occur much faster than it is now.

"With drought persisting, rural people are looking for reliable information about climate change and what it might mean to them from a trusted source," Mr Cashen said. 

The climate change forums were funded by a $75,000 grant from the NSW Government under its Climate Action Grants package and were run in collaboration, with some support funding from, the State’s CMAs.

Demand expanded the first proposal for 10 forums to 15, attracting an average of 100 people to each, 95pc of whom said the day had been useful to them.

Events were held at Muswellbrook, Narrabri, Tamworth, Buronga, Dubbo, Bega, Nowra, Broken Hill, Goulburn, Cowra, Deniliquin, Albury, Hillston, Griffith and Bourke.

All were designed to match the production orientation of each region, however, common themes included presentations from specialists on the observed local historic climate changes, climate change science and projections, the impacts on natural resources and systems including water, plus how producers can adapt to minimise the risks.

Mr Cashen said responses from exit surveys after each forum will be used to tailor future DPI extension material.

Contact Michael Cashen, (02) 4939 8953, michael.cashen@dpi.nsw.gov.au or Gary Allan, (02) 6391 3902, gary.allan@dpi.nsw.gov.au