Australia Needs National Plan For Rising Seas

Michael Perry, PlanetArk 28 Oct 09;

SYDNEY - Australia needs to adopt a national policy to combat rising sea levels, which may see people forced to abandon coastal homes and banned from building beachside homes, said a parliamentary climate change committee.

The committee's report said that A$150 billion ($137 billion) worth of property was at risk from rising sea levels and more frequent storms.

Australia is an island continent with 80 percent of its 21 million people living on the coast. Authorities are split on adopting a policy of retreat or defense against rising seas.

The country's current coastal management policy is fragmented and authorities need to adopt a national policy to coordinate new coastal building codes, and relocation and evacuation plans, said "Managing Our Coastal Zone in a Changing Climate" report.

Australia must examine the legal liability and insurance cover associated with property loss and damage due to climate change, improved early warning systems for extreme seas, and work to prevent the spread of tropical diseases such as dengue fever.

"The key message that emerged from the inquiry is the need for national leadership in managing Australia's coastal zone in the context of climate change," Jennie George, a government MP and committee chair, said in launching the report on Tuesday.

"This is an issue of national significance."

The report said thousands of kilometers of coast around Australia was at risk from rising sea levels and extreme weather events caused by climate change.

An estimated 711,000 homes were within 3 km (2 miles) of the coast and less than 6 meters (yards) above sea level.

Tropical Queensland state was the most at risk, with almost 250,000 buildings vulnerable. Next was the most populous state New South Wales (NSW) with more than 200,000. Coastal flooding and erosion already costs NSW around A$200 million a year.

The report called for a national policy which could see government authorities prohibit occupation of land or future building development on property due to sea hazards.

It called for building codes, including cyclone building codes, be revised to increase resilience to climate change.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates that a global rise in sea level of some 80 cm (31.5 inches) is possible by 2100.

But the report warned a mean sea level rise was not the major threat to coastal property, but more frequent storms and sea surges on top of higher sea levels posed the greatest risk.

"The gradual rise of sea level will continue to be almost imperceptible," it said. "Elevated sea levels will lead to an increase in the potential impact of extreme sea level events caused by storm surges and heavy rainfall."

(Editing by Jeremy Laurence)

Australia coastal living at risk
BBC News 27 Oct 09;

Australians may have to leave coastal areas as rising sea levels threaten homes, according to a new report.

The parliamentary committee report says urgent action is needed, as seas are expected to rise by 80cm (31 inches).

About 80% of Australians live in coastal areas, and the report recommends new laws banning further development in coastal regions.

Correspondents say the authorities are divided over whether to retreat from rising seas or defend the coastline.

Coastal identity

The report, entitled Managing Our Coastal Zone in a Changing Climate, urges the authorities to consider "the possibility of a government instrument that prohibits continued occupation of the land or future building development on the property due to sea hazard".

It estimates that Aus$150bn ($137bn) worth of property is at risk from rising sea levels and more frequent storms in future years.

There are almost 50 recommendations in the report, ranging from a national coastline plan and greater co-operation between different authorities to a revised building code to cope with storm surges and soil erosion.

It does not say the government should force people to move inland but proposes that an independent group look into whether the government could - and should - do just that.

Australia's major cities are all in coastal areas, as well as the homes of some six million people outside the main population centres, according to the report, which was issued late on Monday after 18 months of study.

Alan Stokes, the task force's executive director, said banning development in certain areas was necessary if the government wanted to prevent a major loss of life in the event of natural disasters such as tsunamis.

"There's no doubt Australia will remain and continue to be a coastal community," he said.

"But we may have to be a bit more considerate about which parts of the coast we develop further and which ones we don't," he added.

Last week the government reintroduced carbon trading legislation which was rejected in August and is among a package of bills aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions by up to 25% by 2020.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, founded by the UN, estimates that a global rise in sea level of some 80cm is possible by 2100.

RISK TO AUSTRALIA'S COASTAL POPULATIONS
# Queensland: 250,000 buildings at risk
# New South Wales: 200,000 buildings at risk
# Western Australia: 94,000 buildings at risk
# Victoria: 80,000 buildings at risk
# South Australia: 60,000 buildings at risk
# Northern Territory: 900 buildings at risk
# Tasmania: 20% of coastline at risk