Peter’s farm is on ‘flood country’. As Australia’s sea levels rise, safe land is vanishing and costs are huge
Summary
Australia is facing increasing damage to homes, farmland, and infrastructure due to rising sea levels and coastal flooding. A report projects that by 2100, over 267,000 properties and 2 million hectares of land will be affected, leading to large economic losses and risks to food production.Key Facts
- Peter Lake’s cattle farm in the Clarence Valley floods regularly, with safe land shrinking due to more frequent floods and drought.
- The Climate Council report estimates $855.1 billion in economic losses in Australia by 2100 from coastal flooding.
- More than 267,000 coastal properties and 2 million hectares (4.9 million acres) of land are projected to be damaged by rising seas.
- Queensland, New South Wales, and Western Australia have the highest number of homes at risk.
- The Gold Coast, Brisbane, and Melbourne are the cities expected to face the worst damage and economic losses.
- The report uses a climate scenario projecting a 2.7°C global temperature rise by 2100 based on current policies.
- Economic losses are divided into about $274 billion in property damage and $581 billion in land use damages, including farms.
- Sea levels have risen about 22 cm globally since 1900, mainly due to human-caused warming, with 14 cm more expected in Australia by 2050.
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