Australia faces cascading climate risks, says government report

CANBERRA – Australia will suffer extreme climate events more frequently – and often simultaneously – putting severe strains on health and emergency services, critical infrastructure and primary industries, a government climate report said on Sept 15.

No Australian community will be immune from climate risks that will be cascading, compounding and concurrent, the National Climate Risk Assessment report said, with the government warning that natural ecosystems and biodiversity will face major challenges.

The report, the first comprehensive assessment of risks posed by climate change across Australia, showed the northern parts of the country, remote communities and outer suburbs of major cities will be particularly susceptible.

Among the conclusions of the assessment of risks to Australia posed by climate change were that heatwaves will become more frequent and deadly, while rising sea levels will put millions at risk and plants and animals will have to move, adapt or die.

In a statement, Energy Minister Chris Bowen said: “While we can no longer avoid climate impacts, every action we take today towards our goal of net zero by 2050 will help avoid the worst impacts on Australian communities and businesses.”

“Australians are already living with the consequences of climate change today, but it’s clear (that) every degree of warming we prevent now will help future generations avoid the worst impacts in years to come.”

It sets out a framework for federal, state and local governments to better coordinate action, he added.

The minister said the government would soon announce the next step in its plans to lower carbon emissions and set “an ambitious and achievable 2035 target”.

Since being elected in 2022, the centre-left Labor government has directed A$3.6 billion (S$3 billion) into climate adaptation programmes as it aims to cut carbon emissions by 43 per cent by 2030 and reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

The previous right-of-centre government was considered by clean-energy advocates to be a global laggard for its emissions policies. Renewable energy projects have faced backlash from communities and conservative politicians and media.

Opposition leader Sussan Ley said Australia should cut emissions but not at any cost and that the government should avoid alarmist language.

“Any (emissions reduction) target must pass two simple tests: it must be credible, and it must be upfront about the cost to households and small businesses,” she said in a statement.

Australia is a major exporter of natural gas and coal. The government last week gave the go ahead for the country’s second-largest liquefied natural gas plant to operate until 2070.

The Sept 15 report said Australia was already 1.2 deg C warmer than historical levels. It said a 3 deg C warming would raise the number of extreme heatwave days to 18 a year from four now and the duration of marine heatwaves to nearly 200 days from 18 now.

The number of deaths from heatwaves in Sydney could increase by 444 per cent in that scenario, it said, while some forests and marine life would perish.

A 3 deg C of warming would raise sea levels by another 54cm by 2090, allowing saltwater ingress to impact fresh water supply and putting more than three million people in coastal communities at high risk of flooding.

Health and emergency services would face pressure, rebuilding costs would rise, property values would fall and hotter, drier weather would damage crop yields and stress livestock, the report said.

The government on Sept 15 also released a national adaptation plan that Mr Bowen said would guide Australia’s response to the report’s findings.

“Our whole country has a lot at stake,” he said. “This report is a reminder, if we needed one, that the cost of inaction will always outweigh the cost of action.” REUTERS