The Australian government on Sept 15 released its first National Climate Risk Assessment, warning of wide-ranging threats from climate change to communities, the economy, and the environment.
Covering eight key systems – economy, food, communities, health, Indigenous peoples, transport, energy, and the natural environment – the report models scenarios of 1.5°C, 2°C, and 3°C global warming. It finds that climate impacts will hit Australia from coast to inland, with risks compounding and amplifying each other.
Climate and Energy Minister Chris Bowen described the results as “cascading, compounding and concurrent.” Even if warming is limited to 1.5°C, sea levels could rise 0.14 metres by 2050; at 3°C, the rise could reach 0.54 metres, placing more than 1.5 million homes at risk of coastal flooding and inundation. Queensland faces the greatest threat, with 18 of the 20 most vulnerable areas in the state’s southeast, including Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
The Australian Climate Service said climate change endangers key systems underpinning daily life, urging stronger adaptation measures. Proposed responses include urban greening and large-scale tree planting to reduce extreme heat and urban heat island effects.