More climate disasters expected as part of three degree temperature rise

A study released at the end of March called The Risks to Australia of a 3° Warmer World by the Australian Academy of Science said Australia “must plan to do better and prepare for the worst” when it comes to climate change.

At three degrees or more, days above 50°C are expected in Melbourne and Sydney in summer, and the Murray River region is expected have up to 37 additional days of ‘heat stress’ a year, impacting livestock.

Fruit, vegetable and crop production will also be affected.

Heatwaves, bushfires, storms and flooding have become more frequent and intense in the past few decades, and the study said “multiple lines of evidence” showed extreme weather events such as the 2019-20 bushfires would become more common.

“These extremes and their risks are likely to escalate as global temperatures continue to rise and our capacity to respond becomes compromised as the frequency increases,” the study said.

“The only way to reduce the risk of these unpredictable and dangerous outcomes is for a substantial reduction in the emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.”

Shepparton climate activist Robert McLean said the region would be hotter and drier when facing the brunt of climate change.

“It’ll be a difficult time (under three degrees of warming),” he said.

Mr McLean said responsibility for climate change had been pushed on to individuals from larger companies.

“There’s not much you or I can do . . . we can put solar panels on roofs, grow our own vegetables, use public transport and cut back on eating meat but we need governments at all levels to make changes,” he said.

Mr McLean said a carbon price was needed.

“We’re at 1.2 degrees above pre-industrial levels already, if it gets up to three degrees who knows what will happen with wild weather,” he said.