Queensland flood victims deserve recognition of new climate science from our political leaders
Queensland flood victims deserve recognition of new climate science from our political leaders
The Queensland floods demonstrate the impacts of climate change are worsening. A warmer atmosphere can hold more water vapour, and result in larger, more energetic storms and rain events.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Impacts Adaptation and Vulnerability report released 28 February makes this clear. The report states that extreme rainfall intensities have increased by 10–20% in Australia over a 50 year period, and extreme rainfall is projected to increase again over the next 20 years. It also highlights that “future sea level rise combined with storm surge and heavy rainfall will increase compound flood risks”.
“Queenslanders and our neighbours in northern NSW have just experienced what the impact of these changes means, with homes damaged and lives lost”, Queensland Conservation Council Director Dave Copeman said.
“Flood victims deserve the truth from our Federal Government, about the role of climate change, not weasel words and platitudes such as the Treasurer Frydenberg statement on ABC TV today that there are many factors, and “forever it has been thus”. So far, we have not been able to find any State or Federal Government minister identifying the impact of climate change. We hope, with the release of this IPCC report, this will change.“
“Once in 100 year floods now seem to hit us every 10 years. And people left devastated are likely to be the poor and vulnerable”, said Mr Copeman. “It’s folks living in flood zones who can’t afford flood insurance that has increased fivefold, or people experiencing homelessness dying in their cars as the water rises.
“The faster we cut emissions, the more damage we can avoid. We need our politicians to show the same urgency that every Queenslander in the path of the flood felt, as they worked through the night to move precious items beyond the reach of the rising waters.
Instead, members of the Federal Government dither, squabble, and can’t decide on real action, while the water rises.”
The IPCC report demonstrates the growing impact of climate change in Australia, and the need to accelerate the transformation of our economy to reduce emissions in line with our Paris commitments. Climate change is already causing immense damage, and far worse is to come if we don’t reduce emissions.
Contact Dave Copeman, [email protected]
Facts
1. Between 2010-2020, human mortality from floods, droughts and storms was 15 times higher in highly vulnerable regions, compared to regions with very low vulnerability
2. Globally, population change in low-lying cities and settlements will lead to approximately a billion people projected to be at risk from coastal-specific climate hazards in the mid-term
3. Future sea level rise combined with storm surge and heavy rainfall will increase compound flood risks
4. Hourly extreme rainfall intensities increased by 10–20% in many locations between 1966–1989 and 1990–2013. Daily rainfall associated with thunderstorms increased 13-24% from 1979-2016, particularly in northern Australia.
5. Daily rainfall intensity increased in the northwest from 1950–2005 and in the east from 1911–2014