No matter what shape Australia's Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme finally takes or what emission targets are agreed internationally, our climate will keep changing well beyond the end of my lifetime.

Thanks to the quantity of greenhouse gases already in the atmosphere, and the thousands of tonnes being added each day, our generation is witnessing a larger and more rapid climate shift than any generation before us.

This is not a reason to despair, or give up trying to reduce our carbon use indeed, we must escalate our efforts in developing new technologies to reduce and offset our emissions.

But, at the same time as we cut greenhouse gas emissions to avoid more dangerous levels of climate change, we also need to prepare for the changes that are now unavoidable, and begin adapting to life in a constantly changing climate.

So how much change is now inevitable? What type of climate should we prepare for?

The climate changes predicted up until 2030 are said to be ''locked in'' because they are almost entirely caused by past and current emissions the horse has already bolted.

Conservatively, by 2030 we expect that average temperatures in Australia will be 1 degree higher than in 1990, with many more very hot days, above 35 degrees.

Rainfall projections vary but we expect a 2-5 per cent decline overall, with changes in the timing, distribution and intensity of rainfall events.

This is the national picture: local conditions will vary. But it's vital not to be complacent about even slow-moving climate trends, because they can magnify the impacts of extreme weather events.

For example, when the projected rainfall decrease meets climbing temperatures, the effects of drought are amplified.

Similarly, for each 1 per cent decline in rainfall, run-off into our rivers and dams drops by 2-3 per cent.

In coastal environments it is likely that even small sea level rises will cause significant problems when combined with tidal surges during storms or cyclones.

These climate changes may be unavoidable, but that doesn't mean they're unmanageable.

Australians have a long history of coping with the vagaries of an extremely variable climate.

By acting quickly but wisely, we can adapt to the coming changes to avoid some of the worst potential impacts and take advantage of new opportunities that will emerge.

In my travelling around talking to industries, local government and communities, it is clear there are two areas where adaptation to climate change is an immediate priority.

The first is the issue of new housing developments and planning codes in urban coastal environments.

Local governments are facing the challenge of accommodating population growth while ensuring that new developments are not vulnerable to future climate change.

Science can help inform these decisions through developing better fine-scale climate projections and assessing risks of floods and storm events.

In Sydney, the CSIRO Climate Adaptation Flagship has teamed up with the Sydney Coastal Councils Group to identify the most vulnerable groups and locations, and put adaptation strategies in place.

In Canberra we are working with the ACT Government on a sustainable urban renewal project in the East Lake area which will be designed to adapt to climate change.

Indeed, the whole issue of sustainable urban development and building design is increasingly being re-thought in the context of energy efficiency and climate adaptation.

The second area of great concern is agriculture and our rural communities.

Over the past 100 years Australian agriculture has, on the whole, been successful in adapting to a highly variable climate through technological and farm management innovation.

New technologies like more drought tolerant wheat varieties or better farming systems can help deal with some climate change.

However, it is likely that transformational changes in Australian agriculture will be required.

The challenge is to identify when incremental innovation is no longer enough and plan for these larger changes by having new farming systems and policies in place to deal with the transitions.

Science can help to inform these transitions but it requires a participatory research approach whereby scientists work closely with farming communities to sift through difficult choices.

To be successful in adapting to climate change, organisations and communities will need the adaptive capacity to deal with significant social and economic change.

Finding ways to support, facilitate and build this adaptive capacity is a key challenge for scientists, policymakers and business alike.

Australia is blessed with a high standard of living and strong governance systems, so we have the capacity to adapt to some of the climate changes we know are coming.

It is up to policymakers, industry, communities and scientists to make sure we work together and rise to this challenge.

Dr Ash is director of CSIRO's Climate Adaptation Research Flagship.