The Bluewater and Climate Node has the task of determining managing a comprehensive, integrated and multi-disciplinary set of observations designed to address some of the major science questions relating to Australia's oceanic environment. The main socio-economic drivers of these questions are;

Managing a Variable and Uncertain Climate

Much of the Australian continent is subject to strong climate variability, driven by coupled atmosphere/ocean processes. Due to our reliance on commodity exports and our large agricultural sector, Australia has a climate sensitive economy. Improved climate prediction on seasonal timescales can help mitigate the impacts of our variable climate ion the natural terrestrial environment, agricultural sector, water management and health and disaster mitigation systems. The science of seasonal climate forecasting relies on timely and accurate ocean data streams and enhanced process understanding of upper ocean processes and atmosphere/ocean coupling.

Rising Sea Levels, Warming and Drying under Climate Change

As a continent located largely in the latitudes of the 'desert belt', the most populous and agriculturally productive regions of Australia are likely to experience substantial warming and drying over coming decades due to anthropogenic climate change. Australia is also a coastal nation: 86% of the population lives within 50 km of the coast along with much of our built infrastructure. Australians are therefore highly vulnerable to sea level rise. Australian policy makers and the public require more thorough and timely global and regional assessments of ongoing changes in our climate, oceans, ice-sheets and terrestrial systems. Improved projections are also needed to underpin adaption.

Stewardship and Conservation of Biology

Australia has one of the largest marine jurisdictional zones in the world, comprising about 16 million km2 excluding Antarctica and includes some 4.4% of the global ocean area. Australia's ocean domain includes all five of the world's ocean temperature zones - tropical, subtropical, temperate, subpolar and polar. The domain encompasses diverse marine and estuarine habitats ranging from small estuaries to the extended continental shelf, and from the tropics to the Antarctic and to the island ecosystems of Australia's external territories. These habitats contain a wealth of fauna and flora, most of which are unique to Australia. It is imperative that we not only observe the physical and chemical changes in the marine environment, but also the biological changes that will have ecological and socio-economic consequences, and will also influence the pace and extent of climate change itself.

Sustainably Exploiting Marine Resources

Marine ecosystems provide major economic and social values through commercial and recreational fishing and marine aquaculture. Climate change is expected to have dramatic impacts on fisheries and aquaculture through changes in temperature, ocean currents, winds, nutrient supply, rainfall, ocean chemistry, and extreme weather conditions. To better manage these impacts, an integrated ecosystem approach is essential, requiring information on the response of ocean physics, chemistry and biology to climate variability.

Defence and Security

Australia's defence and security needs rely on the ability to operate in the maritime environment of the Australian region, and specifically to defend the air and sea approaches to Australia. The physical oceanography of our region is extraordinarily complex and in order to be able to operate successfully in these waters, it is necessary to understand and predict the various current systems and other oceanographic phenomena.