Eeeeeek! If you thought rising fuel prices, sinking super funds, and upwardly mobile van park fees were the biggest threat to the future of the grey nomad lifestyle … think again!
The full implications of a report released last week on the risk of climate change to Australia’s coasts are only just beginning to sink in. The study predicted sea level rises could claim thousands of buildings and significant infrastructure by the end of the century … and no doubt a stack of van parks and idyllic oceanfront camping areas, as well.
The report, titled ‘Risk to Coastal Settlements and Communities’, was commissioned by the Federal Government and assesses the potential damage caused by a worst-case scenario sea level rise of 1.1 metres within 90 years.
Wow! That sounds scary. Perhaps the loss of some top places to camp will be the least of our worries … and perhaps we are being churlish to even think about it. Indeed, the report identifies $226 billion worth of assets at risk of erosion or being wiped out. It found up to 274,000 homes were at risk of inundation and erosion along with over 8,000 commercial buildings, and up to 35,000 kilometres of roads and rail around the country.
It warns any future developments in coastal areas must take account of potential sea level rises.
The report also warns climate change will increase the frequency and severity of natural disasters, which currently cost around $1 billion a year.
This is genuinely sobering stuff and underlines not just how important it is that we enjoy what we’ve got while we can, but also that we do what we can to ensure others will have the same opportunities in the future.
Federal Climate Change Minister Greg Combet says the research is designed to help people adapt.
“We’ve got to do the work to understand what the potential risks are so we can prepare for it,” he said. “One thing obviously we have to do is cut our pollution in partnership with other nations internationally, but we’ve also got to make sure that we adapt to the potential consequences of climate change and that’s what this report is intended to understand.”
He says 85 per cent of Australia’s infrastructure is along the coastline.
