Australia has released its most comprehensive assessment of climate change risks, warning that the country will face more frequent, extreme, and simultaneous climate events. The report, issued by the government, states that no Australian community will be immune from these “cascading, compounding and concurrent” risks, according to Climate and Energy Minister Chris Bowen. The warning comes as the government prepares to announce its new 2035 emissions reduction target.
Specific Threats and Projected Impacts
The assessment outlines several key threats:
A 3-degree Celsius warming would increase the number of extreme heatwave days in Australia from four to 18 per year, and the duration of marine heatwaves from 18 to nearly 200 days. In this scenario, heatwave-related deaths in Sydney could increase by 444%.
Rising Sea Levels 3-degree warming would raise sea levels by another 54 centimeters by 2090, putting over 3 million people in coastal communities at high risk of flooding and contaminating freshwater supplies.
Plants and animals will be forced to migrate, adapt, or face extinction. Some forests and marine life may perish.
The report notes that Australia is already 1.2 degrees Celsius warmer than historical levels. Northern parts of the country, remote communities, and outer suburbs are particularly vulnerable.
Political and Economic Context
The government’s announcement is a prelude to its new 2035 emissions target, which will add to its existing goals of a 43% cut by 2030 and net-zero by 2050. The report’s findings, however, have been met with a mixed response. The opposition has criticized the government for using “alarmist language,” arguing that any emissions target must be “credible” and upfront about the cost to households and businesses. The debate is further complicated by Australia’s status as a major exporter of natural gas and coal. Nevertheless, the government emphasized that the report’s findings underscore that the “cost of inaction will always outweigh the cost of action.”