Bushfires, Droughts, And Heat Waves: Australia's Existential Challenges Explained

Australia is increasingly proving to be uninhabitable for its residents. Scientists predict that in the years to come, one may not be surprised if the continent is completely uninhabitable.

With the lingering threat of climate change, that dismal prospect of the country becoming inhospitable is appearing even more likely.

Australia's average surface temperature has increased by 1.4 ˇăC, while its open ocean regions have increased by 1 ˇăC. Storms, droughts, bushfires, heat waves, and floods are becoming more common and severe.

The national science agency, CSIRO, and the Bureau of Meteorology have released the projections based on 40 global climate models, producing what they said was the most robust picture yet of how Australia's climate would change.

The 2019 Bushfires in Australia and their impact

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Bushfires are tragically frequent, and whenever they occur they leave behind wracking misery and devastation. They have burned in every state and territory in the spring of 2019, claiming at least 24 lives, destroying almost 1,800 dwellings and turning more than 8.4 million hectares of land into dead charcoal.

The Black Summer bushfires killed or displaced an estimated 3 billion vertebrate creatures. Approximately 24 million hectares were destroyed, including 80% of the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area and 50% of the Gondwana rainforests. Bushfire-related health effects are becoming more prevalent, resulting in deaths and aggravating pre-existing diseases like heart and lung disease.

Droughts, storms, and Heat waves

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Worse, extreme rainfall events will increase, while general rainfall in southern Australia, with the exception of Tasmania, will decrease by up to 69 percent between the winter and spring months by 2090, according to a survey. Droughts will become more severe, with drought lengths increasing by 5% to 20% depending on how soon greenhouse gas emissions are reduced. Already, the largest isolated aboriginal community in Central Australia is running out of drinking water, as are many others that have long prospered on their customary lands. Over the years, Australia has been devastated by storms. Regions such as Sydney, Melbourne, and Queensland have been more susceptible to storms. Heat waves are unavoidable: At 120 degrees Fahrenheit on January 4, 2020, western Sydney became one of the hottest spots on the planet.

The First Climate Projection in Australia

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The first climate projection for Australia since 2007. The following were among the predictions: The interior of Australia is expected to warm faster than the coast. In 2090, Alice Springs will have 83 days per year with temperatures above 40 ˇăC, up from 17 in 1995. By 2090, Melbourne will have had an average of 24 days above 35ˇăC, up from 11 in 1995. By 2090, Sydney will have 11 days with temperatures above 35ˇăC, up from three days in 1995. If emissions are not reduced, Australia will experience a 45cm to 82cm rise in sea level by 2090. According to the report, sea levels would be "several tenths of a metre higher by late in the century" if the Antarctic ice sheet collapsed. Climate change has deep and quickly accelerating implications in all of the areas stated above, according to the report.

What are some measures to save Australia?

First, policymakers should have a better knowledge of climate impacts, such as tipping points and the compounding effects of many stressors at 2ˇăC or higher global warming. Second, consider how food production and distribution networks may adapt to climate change. Third, devise solutions to address the problems posed by extreme occurrences that are becoming more intense, frequent, and large in size.

Fourth, accelerate the development and adoption of low-and zero-emission technologies. Passive cooling strategies, such as including more plants and street trees in the planning process, can help cities cool down. Australia should join other world leaders in stepping up efforts to combat and resolve climate change.

References

Hoegh, O., & Hughes, L. (2021, March 30). Seriously ugly: here's how Australia will look if the world heats by 3ˇăC this century. The Conversation. Retrieved May 24, 2022, from theconversation

Milman, O. (2015, January 26). Climate change will hit Australia harder than rest of world, study shows. The Guardian. Retrieved May 24, 2022, from theguardian

Nogrady, B. (2020, January 7). How Long Will Australia Be Livable? The Atlantic. Retrieved May 24, 2022, from theatlantic