Climate change no excuse to plunder north's resources
21 Aug 2007
Ill-considered responses to climate change in Australia's south are no excuse for an unsustainable rush to develop northern Australia's water, land and energy resources, says a new report to WWF released today.
The report, Assessment of the Direct and Indirect Risks from Human Induced Climate Change to Key Ecosystems in Northern Australia, was prepared for WWF by Hyder Consulting, which engaged scientists with expertise in climate change impacts and northern Australia.
All major ecosystems in northern Australia - tropical rivers, coral reefs, coastal wetlands, rainforests, savanna woodlands and low islands - are ranked as being at 'medium' or 'high' risk from climate change.
The report marks the first time scientists have assessed climate risks to all of the globally significant ecosystems in the north, as well as recommending steps to make them resilient to climate change shocks.
"Australia's last great intact landscape needs help - not further degradation - to withstand climate change," said Dr Stuart Blanch, WWF's Northern Landscapes Manager.
"Longer heat-waves will dry out and reduce the productivity of fragile northern soils. Heavier storms will damage crops, erode soils and pollute marine fisheries. More cyclones will wash salt water further into coastal wetlands and kill freshwater plants," Dr Blanch said.
"The report highlights the large economic risks to farmers seeking to establish the north as the food bowl of Asia. Farmers will not escape climate change in northern Australia.
WWF is calling on the Federal Government's Northern Australia Taskforce, chaired by Senator Bill Heffernan, to rule out major water resource development which would only weaken the north's climate resilience.
"To help sensitive ecosystems survive climate change we must keep them healthy to have their best chance of adapting to hotter temperatures and bushfires, more frequent cyclones and rising sea levels," Dr Blanch said.
"Building resilience means conserving native vegetation rather than clearing it for agriculture, keeping free-flowing rivers free of dams, and supporting Indigenous communities and pastoralists to manage weeds, reduce over-grazing by cattle and burn off to prevent major wildfires," he said.
WWF is seeking a 10-year, $233 million Sustainable Northern Australia program from the Federal Government to manage the threats to the north and to build resilience to climate change.
WWF is also urging governments and industries to commit to reducing emissions by 30 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020 and to establish world's best practice energy efficiency programs.
A synopsis of the report is available for download.
Find out more
Charlie Stevens, Press Officer, WWF-Australia
Phone: 02 8202 1274
Mobile: 0424 649 689
Email: cstevens@wwf.org.au
Dr Stuart Blanch, Northern Landscapes Manager, WWF-Australia
Mobile: 0427 957 868
