Australia Faces More Severe Cyclones, Wildfires, Floods as Climate Warms: IAG

Australia faces the prospect of more severe cyclones, wildfires and floods as the climate warms, the nation’s largest insurer said.

A 3 degree Celsius increase in global temperatures will lead to higher intensity cyclones moving further south, longer bush fire seasons in all states and more intense rainfall across the country resulting in more frequent flooding, Insurance Australia Group Ltd. said in a report Friday. [Editor’s note: the report is titled “Severe Weather in a Changing Climate.”]

Rising sea levels will also increase the risk of floods impacting coastal areas, buildings and infrastructure, according to the report, which was done in conjunction with the U.S. National Center for Atmospheric Research.

“This report shows that our climate is changing more rapidly than some have predicted,” IAG Chief Executive Officer Peter Harmer said in the report. “It is critical there is a coordinated national approach from governments, industries and businesses to build more resilient communities and reduce the impact of disasters.”

The warning comes as Sydney was blanketed in a haze of smoke for a third day from wildfires burning hundreds of kilometers north of the city. The government advised people with respiratory problems to stay indoors and avoid vigorous exercise.

Photograph: A local resident gets into his vehicle near a bushfire burning near Busbys Flat, Australia, on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019. Parts of Australia’s east suffered widespread fire damage with up to 30 homes destroyed as wildfires continued to ravage northern New South Wales state. Photographer: Jason O’Brien/AAP Image via AP.

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• Eastern Australia Wildfires Destroy Up to 30 Homes