Australia must cut emissions 40% by 2020 to avoid 'dramatic climatic shifts'

[GliderGuider]

Australia must cut emissions 40% by 2020 to avoid 'dramatic climatic shifts'

The book, Four Degrees of Global Warming: Australia in a Hot World, sets out a series of stark scenarios facing the country should global temperatures rise by 4C above the pre-industrial average.

By 2100, annual rainfall in southern Australia is likely to fall by 50%, the sea level is set to rise by 1.1m and snow cover will fall “to zero in most alpine regions”, the book warns.

With temperatures rising by 3-5C in coastal areas and 4-6C in inland areas, Australia’s future will be a “disturbing and bleak vision of a continent under assault”, according to the book, which was compiled following two years of original research by its authors.

The Great Barrier Reef will “decline precipitously” with 4C of warming, common species will become endangered or extinct, and production in the key Murray-Darling food bowl could slump by 90%, leading to food insecurity.

Heat-related deaths are predicted to triple to 17,200 from 1990 levels, with Sydney set to experience 12 days a year over 35C by 2070. Melbourne will endure 26 days above this temperature mark, while Perth is due to swelter for 67 days a year above 35C.

All that roof-top solar should do it, right?

[Gman]

1. These days I think they'd welcome some 35C days

With so many days above 40C in recent years.

[pscot]

2. They are working hard

to deserve what's coming to them:

two controversial coal mines in the Australian state of Queensland would emit nearly 125 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e) annually. (Those emissions, based on court documents and environmental impact statements Readfearn obtained, include the actual burning of the coal as well as emissions associated with its extraction.) The Australian government has approved the two projects, which remain mired in litigation


http://qz.com/144817/two-australian-coal-mines-alone-will-emit-more-greenhouse-gases-than-52-countries/

[NoOneMan]

3. I don't think the climate gives a damn what Australia decides to do

[GliderGuider]

4. Too true. That's the significance of the phrase "well-mixed greenhouse gases". nt

[NickB79]

5. 40% cut in emissions in 6 years? What's the problem?

[caraher]

6. Well, at least we'll know to blame Australia when things get bad

What a weird headline!

[hatrack]

7. Blaming Canada's much more fun - cooler uniforms!

[caraher]

8. Plus the song's been written for that already <nt>