Yesterday The Northern Star reported on expected coastline changes and innundation due to climate change.
The Federal Government has given $2 million towards assisting NSW North Coast councils to plan for negative impacts such as sea-level rises.
"It is estimated that the sea will rise by at least one metre in the next 100 years, claiming about 100 metres of the shoreline.
It would see the destruction of multi-million-dollar coastal real estate at places like Belongil and Lennox Head, more frequent severe floods, and land become swampy in low-lying places like Ballina. ----
Dr Peter Cowell, senior lecturer at the University of Sydney, said hundreds of thousands of homes faced possible inundation resulting from climate change over the next 20 to 30 years.
He said Byron Bay and Ballina were areas expected to be among the hardest hit, as well as Cairns in north Queensland, Wamberal on the NSW Central Coast and Narrabeen on Sydney's northern beaches.
"With places like Belongil, it's not a matter of 'if', but 'when'," he said.
"Existing hazards which happen occasionally will start to happen more often. As the sea level rises nuisance floods will happen so often they'll create dysfunction in the community."
Unfortunately for North Coast residents, most elected councillors do not fully understand the processes or timelines involved in permanent seawater inundation or rises in the water table and salt levels.
Throwing money at local councils will not result in adequate planning, because both State and local governments are in the thrall of coastal developers.
If the Rudd Government truly wants to help the North Coast plan for climate change it needs to insist that the NSW Government (and other state governments) put in place legislation prohibiting further development in identified vulnerable areas and all coastal estuaries.
It should do so, not just because of the high population numbers living on the coast, but because coastal economies significantly contribute to the nation's wealth and it would be foolish to allow continued public or business infrastructure growth in high risk areas.
Local economic disruption from increased severe storms, flooding, and inundation would have a flow-on effect for the national economy.
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