A leaked report by the United Nations Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change paints a devastating picture of Australia’s future.
The report was revealed on the ABC’s The 7.30 Report and predicts the average coastline temperature could rise by up to 3.4 degrees by 2050 and by more than 6 degrees by 2080.
This will result in the bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef, more frequent and intense floods, fires, droughts and storms. The Murray-Darling Basin will further suffer from dwindling of streamflows.
Ironically, Prime Minister John Howard says that although he has not yet read the draft report on Australia, he believes that "we need to take action in a balanced and measured fashion."
Source: ABC News Online