Queensland can expect coastal erosion and permanent inundation of coastal land as a result of a predicted 0.8 metre sea level rise by 2100, according to a new scientific report released by the Queensland Climate Change Centre of Excellence.

 

The publication Queensland Coastal Processes and Climate Change was released at the Greenhouse 2011: the science of climate change conference in Cairns, where delegates from around the world have gathered to hear from leading scientists and climate change experts.

 

The report found that with the impacts of climate change we can expect both mean and maximum wind speed of tropical cyclones in some locations will increase, and rainfall within 100 km of the eye of the cyclone will also increase by 20 per cent.

 

The report also describes the differences between Queensland coastal regions and how they vary in form, function and their vulnerability to coastal hazards and climate change.

 

For example, the report found that Central Queensland is prone to inundation, Southern Queensland is particularly vulnerable to coastal erosion and inundation, and North Queensland is at risk of storm tide inundation from increased cyclone intensity.

 

In relation to specific locations it found:

  • The Gulf of Carpentaria with its wide muddy intertidal flats is regularly inundated by cyclone-induced storm tide events and can expect these occurrences to increase.
  • The low-lying islands of the Torres Strait are frequently flooded by storm tides and can expect this to increase and to suffer loss of land from sea level rise.
  • Northern Queensland’s coarser sandy beaches can be severely eroded during tropical cyclones and its coastal towns are at risk of storm tide inundation from increased cyclone intensity.
  • Central Queensland has wide, gently sloping intertidal flats that are prone to inundation.
  • The extensive development in Southern Queensland and its long stretches of fine sandy beaches make it particularly vulnerable to coastal erosion and inundation potentially resulting in significant economic loss.

 

Copies of the Queensland Coastal Processes and Climate Change report are available at: www.climatechange.qld.gov.au