Global warming puts beach suburbs under threat

By Saffron Howden

August 27, 2007 12:00am

NORTH Cronulla's Surf Life Saving Club and an entire row of water-front houses at the famous Sydney beach could be under water by the end of this century.

Alarming research into the impact of climate change on the NSW coast shows the state will be more vulnerable to rising sea levels, harsh storms, huge waves and extreme winds than many other parts of the world.

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The State Government modelling shows large numbers of homes along the coast could be submerged - some within 40 years.

While the worldwide average sea level is expected to rise by up to 800mm by 2095, in NSW the increase could be higher - up to 1m.

The Government used the latest CSIRO research - which warns severe coastal flooding and dangerous weather events could accompany sea level rises 10 times worse than those in the 20th century - to plot the potential impact of destructive erosion on some of the state's key beaches.

The modelling by the Department of Environment and Climate Change shows many beach-front homes could be lost.

In North Cronulla, coastal erosion could push the ocean to the front door of waterfront homes by 2050. By 2100, the second row of homes back from the beach could have water views too close for comfort.

The predictions are worse than previous estimates and could spell danger for thousands of Australians living along the coast.

More than 80 per cent of Australians lives within 3km of the coast and less than 6m above sea level.

"Rises like this not only put sea-side communities like Cronulla, Bondi and the Northern Beaches at risk, they would cause catastrophic economic impacts," Climate Change and Environment Minister Phil Koperberg said.

"Our experts predict that while sea levels in NSW have already risen by 10cm over the past 100 years, this could intensify 10-fold this century," Mr Koperberg said.

"With so many people living on or near the coast this has the potential to have major economic, social and environmental impacts."