Climate conundrumAustralia could face climate refugees
Australia could face a wave of climate refugees from neighboring Pacific islands unless rich nations help poorer countries with climate change, scientists warned; the 900 climate scientists gathered at a the conference heard specialists say that Australia is already experiencing the effects of climate change and is likely to be one of the most severely affected among developed countries
Australia could face a wave of climate refugees from neighboring Pacific islands unless rich nations help poorer countries with climate change, UN scientist warned. Pacific islands are especially vulnerable to rising sea levels and it is “very likely” that a large-scale relocation of people would be necessary, Martin Parry, visiting professor at the Center for Environmental Policy at Imperial College in London, said Tuesday at a conference of more than 900 climate change researchers in Australia.
“But if we manage it well, and do it over half a century, it doesn’t have to be seen as waves of refugees,” said Parry, who has led the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the Australian newspaper reports.
UPI reports that quotes Parry to say that as for Australia, it could safeguard its coast from rising sea levels without resorting to concrete blockades that would destroy mangroves and wetlands.
Protecting the Great Barrier Reef, Parry said, would pose a greater challenge. “I defy you to be able to defend the Great Barrier Reef to more than 3 degrees (of global) warming.”
Australia is already experiencing the effects of climate change and is likely to be one of the most severely affected among developed countries, said Professor Jean Palutikof, director of the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility, which organized the conference with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO).
“Regardless of what mitigation actions we take now as a nation or globally to cut greenhouse gas emissions, it is too late to mitigate our way out of the problem. We will need a mixture of adaptation and mitigation measures,” said Palutikof.
Australia, the world’s largest exporter of coal is also the biggest per-capita producer of greenhouse gases, with an average output of 20.5 tons of carbon dioxide per person each year.
Other issues covered during the 2-day conference on Australia’s Gold Coast include the economic costs of adapting; options for health, emergency, and community services to cope with the added strain that climate change will place on them; and adapting agriculture to cope with changing weather patterns to ensure long-term food security.
UN Environment Program Chief Scientist Joseph Alcamo said the conference was a “turning point” for climate change science. A certain amount of climate change is inevitable, Alcamo said, adding, “Therefore we’re going to have to plan to adapt to a certain amount of this climate change and I think it’s something that the general public should also realize and accept.”
