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Human Actions Blamed for Worst Australian Drought

 

SYDNEY, Australia, January 15, 2003 (ENS) - Human-induced global warming was a

key factor in the severity of the 2002 drought in Australia, the worst in the

country's history, according to a report issued Tuesday by WWF Australia. The

report is part of an effort by Australian environmental organizations to

convince the Liberal Government of John Howard to reverse its policy and sign

the Kyoto climate protocol.

 

Higher temperatures and drier conditions have created greater bushfire danger

than previous droughts, the report warns. Drought severity has increased in the

Murray Darling Basin, where 40 percent of Australia's agricultural produce is

grown. It has cost some A$8.1 billion in lost farm production, and taxpayer

funded drought assistance to farmers could exceed A$500 million.

 

 

 

Dry rangeland in Western Australia (Photo courtesy National Land and Resources

Audit)

The report, " Global Warming Contributes to Australia's Worst Drought, " compares

the 2002 drought with the four other major droughts in the country since 1950

and has found higher temperatures caused a marked increase in evaporation rates

from soil, watercourses and vegetation.

" The higher temperatures experienced throughout Australia last year are part of

a national warming trend over the past 50 years which cannot be explained by

natural climate variability alone, " said Professor David Karoly, formerly

professor of Meteorology at Monash University.

 

Karoly coauthored the report with Dr. James Risbey from Monash University's

School of Mathematical Sciences, and Anna Reynolds, WWF Australia's Climate

Change Campaign manager.

 

In 2002 Australia recorded its highest ever average March-November daytime

maximum temperature. The temperature across the country was 1.6°C higher than

the long term average and 0.8°C higher than the previous record.

 

The Murray Darling Basin experienced average maximum temperatures more than

1.2°C higher than in any previous drought since 1950.

 

" Most of this warming is likely due to the increase in greenhouse gases in the

atmosphere from human acitivity such as burning fossil fuels for electricity and

transport and from landclearing, " said Karoly.

 

The actual trend in Australian temperature since 1950 now matches the climate

model studies of how temperatures respond to increased greenhouse gases in the

atmosphere. Karoly believes this is the first drought in Australia where the

impact of human-induced global warming can be clearly observed.

 

Dr. Risbey said that although the 2002 drought was related to natural climate

variations associated with El Niño, last year's higher temperatures could not be

attributed solely to this factor.

 

" While higher temperatures are expected during El Niño triggered droughts, "

Risbey said, " the 2002 drought temperatures are extraordinary when compared to

the four major droughts since 1950, with average maximum temperatures more than

1°C higher than these other droughts. "

 

Reynolds says global warming is affecting the livelihoods of rural Australians.

The report contains new data on evaporation rates, and says low rainfall and

higher evaporation has adversely impacted agricultural productivity with lower

crop production leading to lower export earnings for farmers.

 

 

 

Sheep surrounded by a cloud of dust in Australia's 1982 drought. (Photo courtesy

Australian Bureau of Meteorology)

WWF is urging Prime Minister Howard to sign the Kyoto climate protocol to

prevent more economic and environmental devastation. Australia would be

permitted to limit its greenhouse gas emissions to an eight percent increase in

the 2008 to 2012 period. The Howard government has chosen to follow the United

States away from the protocol and towards technological and market based ways to

dealing with global warming.

" We can slow global warming, keep temperature increases to the lower end of the

scale and reduce the severity of future droughts, " said Reynolds.

 

" The Kyoto Protocol is the first international agreement with targets for

reducing greenhouse gas emissions and slowing global warming - it is in our

national interest to ratify the treaty, " she said.

 

The nation's largest conservation group agrees. The Australian Conservation

Foundation (ACF) issued a statement today urging the Howard government to

reconsider its Kyoto Protocol policy. " Australia and the United States are now

the only developed countries refusing to join Kyoto - and both countries are big

contributors to climate change, with huge greenhouse pollution problems, " the

ACF said.

 

" If the Howard Government is serious about addressing climate change and

protecting Australia's natural resources, agricultural industries and economy,

it would ratify the Kyoto Protocol immediately, " said the ACF. " With water

already such a problem, Australia can't afford to ignore climate change. "

 

 

 

In the Murray-Darling River Basin (Photo courtesy CSIRO)

Australia is the world’s driest continent. The report means that Australia's

already stressed rivers will have less water in the coming decades. The biggest

drops in rainfall are expected in spring, particularly over eastern Australia.

Mean flows in the Murray-Darling river system are predicted to be reduced by 30

percent by 2050, which would undo current repair efforts. the ACF said.

In late December, the Howard Government sponsored a national conference in

Canberra on climate change. Some 150 business and community leaders, government

officials and scientists looked at the possible impacts of climate change on

Australians and adaptation strategies.

 

They acknowledged that climate change " could potentially affect Australia’s

water supply, agricultural production, flooding and stormwater management,

coastal erosion, biodiversity, increases in pest species and diseases, insurance

cover and premiums and tourism. "

 

Environment Minister Dr. David Kemp said, “Adaptation to the impacts of climate

change will require an understanding of projected effects on regions within

Australia, sectors of economy and society. It is imperative that Australia be

prepared and have a plan of action on ways to respond to climate change impacts

and adaptation. "

 

As part of what the Howard Government is calling the Government-Business Climate

Change Dialogue, five business working groups were formed and are currently

examining greenhouse gas response options with regard to energy and resources,

energy intensive manufacturing, transport and transport infrastructure,

agriculture and land management and cross-sectoral issues.

 

These groups will provide advice to the federal government in March 2003 on

issues and options that will guide the development of a long term greenhouse

strategy for Australia. This advice will be the focus of a Government-Business

Roundtable in April or May.

 

Prime Minister John Howard touched on this issue in his New Year message. " The

separate but related environmental challenges of water and salinity must be high

on the national agenda in 2003 and beyond, " the Prime Minister said.