Parts of Sydney to be under water from rising sea levels

Greg Combet, Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency has released maps predicting flooding from rising sea levels with climate change in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth in 2100:

“The Government recognises that coastal areas of Australia are a priority for adaptation action, with many communities vulnerable to impacts such as erosion and sea inundation,” Mr Combet said.

“Developed in partnership with the Co-operative Research Centre for Spatial Information, these maps are an important product for the community to understand potential risks to infrastructure and properties and to prepare for the climate change impacts of sea level rises,” he said.

“The maps provide useful initial information to decision-makers to prepare for potential risks from rising sea levels in coastal areas.”

The Co-operative Research Centre for Spatial Information CEO, Dr Peter Woodgate, said the maps used the highest resolution elevation data currently available and were a powerful tool to help communicate potential risk.

The indundation maps show the potential long-term effects of climate change, highlighting three simple sea level rise scenarios for the period around the year 2100: low (0.5m), medium (0.8m) and high (1.1m).

• The low scenario represents future sea-level rise which is likely to be unavoidable.
• The medium scenario is in line with recent global emissions and observations of sea-level rise.
• The high scenario considers the possible high-end risk identified in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 4th Assessment Report and more recent research.

Mr Combet said that every day, decisions were being made for new housing developments and infrastructure in coastal areas and having this information would help the community prepare for the future effects which climate change could have. ...

From: Coastal maps help Australia prepare for impacts of climate change, Media release GC 69/10, The Hon Greg Combet AM MP, Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, 15 December 2010