The Tweed Shire Council has released its flood risk study for the Tweed Valley, highlighting increased risks to existing development because of climate change. It points to future planning and development implications from Murwillumbah to Tweed Heads.
According to the study, almost 12,000 people are affected by inundation or isolation in the one-in-100-year flood. Numbers could increase by around 60 percent by 2100 due to climate change factors.
Climate change would significantly increase Tweed’s annual average damage estimates due to flooding, already one of the highest in the State ($22.3million). Investigation of the ‘probable maximum flood’ reveals 41,000 people are affected by this worst-case event.
Council is also conducting a study in coastal areas, expected to be completed by July 2013.
Latest research states Greenland’s glaciers are melting 30 times faster than a decade ago. There has been a 25cm increase in sea level in the past 100 years, with an expected future 30cm rise in 50 years (SBS News 11 July 2012).
There is a wealth of accumulated knowledge available within the Greens network at Local, State and Federal Government levels. Whilst others have been busy debating whether climate change is real, the Greens have been working hard on solutions that will cost the community the least, maintain income insecurity and achieve effective outcomes in tackling climate change.
I believe a vote for the Greens in the coming council election will allow the community to benefit from this extensive knowledge so that residents are best positioned to survive and thrive.
David Norris
Pottsville
