More than $226 billion in commercial, industrial, road and rail, and residential assets are potentially exposed to inundation and erosion hazards in the face of a sea level rise of 1.1 metres, according to a supplementary report released by the Federal Government.

 

The report, a supplement to the Climate Change Risks to Australia’s Coasts: a first pass national assessment report released in 2009, provides additional data on the exposure of commercial buildings (e.g. retail precincts), light industrial buildings, and transport systems (road, rail, tramways) in Australia’s coastal areas. Existing data on residential properties is also reported in the booklet, as well as subsequent modelling of projected population change and implications for the exposure levels of residential properties.

 

The analyses in Climate Change Risks to Australia's Coasts and for this report were undertaken by Geoscience Australia using its National Exposure Information System (NEXIS) database. Building replacement values in this booklet are also derived from data in NEXIS and reflect 2008 replacement values of assets.

 

The exposure of different infrastructure types is presented at a state level, with information on the most affected local government areas for each state located at the back of the booklet.

 

It should be noted that the analysis in this booklet considers the combined exposure to the hazards of inundation and shoreline recession (erosion) associated with rising sea levels under a changing climate. In the Climate Change Risks to Australia's Coasts report (2009) the analyses for inundation and erosion were presented separately. There will therefore be differences in the figures reported for residential properties between this booklet and the Climate Change Risks to Australia’s Coasts report.

 

The results from this assessment are useful at a national scale and will assist in prioritising future coastal adaptation planning needs. The available national data is insufficient to answer all questions underpinning decision making at local and regional scales.

 

The booklet considers the worst-case scenario of 1.1 metre sea rise, and finds that coastal assets at risk from the combined impact of inundation and shoreline recession include:

  • Between 5,800 and 8,600 commercial buildings, with a value ranging from $58 to $81 billion (2008 replacement value).
  • Between 3,700 and 6,200 light industrial buildings, with a value of between $4.2 and $6.7 billion (2008 replacement value).
  • Between 27,000 and 35,000 km of roads and rail, with a value of between $51 and $67 billion (2008 replacement value).

The full report is available here