New maps reveal Australia’s coastal hotspots under threat
Updated maps show some of Australia’s coastal hotspots could be washed away as oceans rise, new climate change modelling revealed on Tuesday.
Coastal Risk Australia, created by two Australian mapping companies, allowed users to visualise how their homes, neighbourhoods and favourite coastal spots could be vulnerable to rising sea levels.
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The maps used modelling from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which predicted sea levels could rise by 84-centimetres by 2100.
“Seeing is believing. Maps are a universal language for communicating climate change science and by personalising potential impacts, we can build awareness and effective adaptation.
The executive director of mapping company NGIS, Nathan Eaton said in a statement on the site.
The maps showed large stretches of popular beaches, including in Byron Bay and Manly, would be inundated.
Tourist hotspots including Noosa in Queensland, Cairns and Hindmarsh Island could also be under water.
Homes in Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania could be increasingly under threat, the website showed.
Users could adjust the map to see the impact of sea level rise of between zero and 10 metres.
Source: dpa