How extreme sea level events are going to increase in Australia

(The Guardian, 8 Oct 2019) A major new report predicts extreme sea level events that used to occur once every hundred years will occur at least once a year in many regions around the world by 2050.

The Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change looks at the impacts of climate change on glaciers and ice sheets, sea level rise, extreme sea level events and ocean ecosystems.

With immediate cuts to carbon emissions, scientists expect sea level rise of 30cm-60cm by 2100. Without cuts in carbon emissions, the ocean is expected to rise between 61cm and 110cm.

The global impacts of sea level rise will be major, with rises under even the best-case scenario still exposing millions of people to flooding, and as a potential result, the displacement of people from coastal areas.

In coastal cities, without significant spending on adaptation measures such as relocation and sea walls, there will be severe damage to buildings and other infrastructure.

In Australia, the potential replacement cost of residential buildings exposed to a 1.1m level sea rise is estimated at as much as $63bn.

So, how will the increased frequency of extreme sea level events impact Australia?

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The Guardian, 8 Oct 2019: How extreme sea level events are going to increase in Australia