Copenhagen: what we must demand

Last summer, much of south-east Australia experienced extremely hot weather. For six days, temperatures remained above 40C. This caused massive bush fires which were only controlled after the death of some 178 people. Property losses resulted and a further 200 people died from heat-stroke due to prolonged high temperatures.

Unabated climate change will produce longer and more frequent period of extreme heat, increasing the number and severity of bush fires, the death toll and property losses. It will increase loss of water from reservoirs and moisture from the earth through evaporation, reducing cultivation, crop yields and the area of human habitat. Top-soil, deprived of cover will be blown away or eroded and fertility will be lost.

Rising sea levels

Combined with king-tides or storm-surge activity are already causing coastal erosion and damage to low lying sea-front property including dwellings, surf clubs and other structures. Erosion results in loss of sand from beaches and undermining of the beach-head. The first signs of estuarine flooding causing local salt water contamination have occurred. The Australian government is now considering the need to map and identify coastal areas subject to flooding and limit or stop building in such areas.

A 1-2m rise in sea level is going to happen. Combined with storm surges or typhoons has the potential to flood large parts of major cities such as Shanghai or New York causing catastrophic losses and massive economic dislocation. It would inundate prime agricultural land around the deltas of rivers such as the Irrawaddy, Ganges Nile and Mekong, causing disastrous loss of food production with starvation ensuing. International and local wars over water and food would result, accompanied by massive population movement.

Health threats

Increased temperatures have already resulted in spread of vectors in the Townsville/Cairns area Queensland, resulting in a significant increase in the incidence of dengue fever, malaria and the occurrence of cases of encephalitis.

Warming in excess of 2C would result in the spread of vectors south to major population areas such as Brisbane and the Gold Coast and possibly Sydney, resulting in spread of these and other diseases. No less seriously it would result in rising concentration of ozone in the lower atmosphere, adversely affecting those with respiratory complaints and causing premature death.

Ocean Pollution

Our seas and oceans are being polluted by CO2 causing increased acidification and by use as a dump for man-made waste products including highly toxic materials. Both, combined with warming sea temperatures are destroying coral reefs, other marine habitat and endangering pteropods and plankton on which larger marine life depends. These developments and destructive, rapacious overfishing threaten viability of fish stocks on which humans largely depend for protein.

Continuation of these practices and increased global warming will result in collapse of fisheries and their loss as a major food source, worsening shortages resulting in starvation, massive population movements in search of food and outbreak of diseases.

Glacier melting