| Will our beaches disappear? Post Queens birthday weekend swell this is a legitimate question
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| | Collaroy/Sth Narra erosion 12/6/07 | Photo: Christie |
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When you look at the pictures of Collaroy/Sth Narrabeen after the recent storm swell you can’t help but ponder the above question.
The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change draft report that was leaked to the Sydney Morning Herald earlier this year listed The Collaroy/Narrabeen stretch among the most vulnerable in oz.
A sea level rise of just 20 centimetres combined with a one in 50 year storm would erode the dunes and push the shoreline back by more than 100 metres.
The potential economic loss if such a dramatic change to the shoreline occurs in this area alone would blow out to hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars.
| | This is serious mum. Colla/Narra post storm erosion. 12/6/07 | Photo: Christie |
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Then think Byron Bay, Wamberal and any other particularly vulnerable stretch of beach you can think off and start multiplying the numbers.
On top of the expected increase in extreme storm events, ( as a result of global warming ) start thinking about the rapidly melting Greenland ice sheet.
Australian climate change specialist Tim Flannery says scientists have grossly underestimated the ice melt in Greenland.
Tim was quoted in The Herald earlier this year. He said,” If you combine it with the melting in Antarctica, you’ve got enough sea- level rise to change the shape of the Australian continent.”
Researchers using satellites found that Greenland’s ice sheet lost about 237.5 cubic km in 2005.
In 1996 it lost about 100 cubic km. Just for comparisons sake Sydney uses less than one cubic km of water each year.
If the entire ice sheet melts global sea levels will rise by 6m flooding most of the world’s coastal cities, including Sydney. - BH
| | The Pasha Bulker still stranded at Nobbys days after the big Friday storm swell | Photo: Brad Sutton |
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| | Big closeout set hits the back of The baths at Newie on 9/6/07 | Photo: Brad Sutton |
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| | Tow ins on 9/6/07 at Newcastle | Photo: Brad Sutton |
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| | Bomb sets hit the back of The Cowrie Hole. Newcastle 9/6/07 | Photo: Brad Sutton |
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