Australia's coastal communities and industries are set to face massive disruptions from climate change unless rapid action is taken, the UN's climate scientists have warned.
found melting sea ice and glaciers could raise sea levels by 30-60cm by 2100, even if global warming is capped at two degrees, or by more than a metre if pollution rates continue on current trends.
Report co-author Associate Professor Nerilie Abram from the Australian National University said the UN's projections were dire for Australia's coastal areas.
An aerial image of sunbathers at Coogee Beach. Source: AAP
"Australia's coastal cities and communities can expect to experience what was previously a once-in-a-century extreme coastal flooding event at least once every year by the middle of this century – in many cases much more frequently," she said in a statement.
Associate Professor Abram said if rapid action is taken, Australia could gain more than a decade of extra time to prepare coastal infrastructure against these damaging events or "even avoid them significantly".
"But even if we act now, some changes are already locked in and our ocean and frozen regions will continue to change for decades to centuries to come, so we need to also make plans to adapt," she said.
"In Australia, adapting coastal communities to unavoidable sea level rise is likely a priority. There are a range of possible options, from building barriers to planned relocation, to protecting the coral reefs and mangroves that provide natural coastal defences."
Wednesday's report, which focused on what climate change is doing to the world's oceans and frozen areas, also said global warming means more coral bleaching, more storms, declining fish stocks and threats to food security.
The report said melting sea ice and glaciers will raise sea levels by up to 60cm by 2100, even if global warming is capped at two degrees. Source: AAP
In a statement, Australian Conservation Foundation CEO Kelly O'Shanassy said, "this is a stark warning from the world's best scientific minds".
"Australia has so much to lose. We love the Great Barrier Reef, Ningaloo Reef and our other spectacular coral ecosystems. We love our beaches. We love fishing and water sports. We need to protect these with urgent climate action."
The IPCC also found the impact of climate change is already affecting low-lying islands and coasts around the world.
"This report clearly articulates that for the Pacific, the climate crisis is a cultural crisis, with sea-level rise, increasing king tides, and storm surges already threatening to wipe out our culture, our food, and our history," Greenpeace head of Pacific Joseph Moeono-Kolio said.
"For Pacific people, the oceans are a great provider and spiritual source, yet the climate crisis means the ocean has become dangerous, frightening and unpredictable.
"This is yet another stark warning that as the climate emergency intensifies, Australia and the world needs to take urgent action to tackle coal as the biggest driver of climate change."
More than 100 authors from 36 countries worked on the report, which referenced 7000 scientific publications.
The Australian government has maintained it's on track to reduce carbon emissions by at least 26 per cent by 2030, in line with Paris Agreement commitments.
