Yesterday, beach-goers had a glimpse of what our coastlines may look like in 50 years, with New South Wales and South East Queensland experiencing the highest daytime ‘king tides’ forecast for 2009.
“By 2060 to 2070 we could be experiencing tides of at least this magnitude every month, rather than just twice a year due to climate-change induced sea level rise,” says a research scientist with CSIRO’s Climate Adaptation National Research Flagship, Dr Kathy McInnes.
King tides are natural events that happen twice a year. Dr McInnes says observing the king tide can assist communities to plan and prepare for the effects of climate change.
“This king tide is not caused by climate change, but it can help us picture what our coastlines might look like in the future.”
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, sea levels are projected to rise by between 18-79cm or more this century.
“Photographing or recording the effect of the king tide on seawalls, jetties, coastal infrastructure and foreshore areas creates a helpful visual record for use in adaptation planning,” Dr McInnes says.
Scientists from the CSIRO Climate Adaptation Flagship are working with communities, governments and industry to understand and prepare for the impacts of climate change.