Qld To Cop Dramatic Rise In Extreme Heat

The Canberra Times - Nicholas McElroy AAP

In Brisbane, days where temperatures rise above 35C will increase sevenfold in 30 years' time.

Key points: Rockhampton will see 121 days per year over 35 degrees by 2090 under current government policies. The number of days over 40 degrees in Roma is expected to increase to up to 84 days per year by 2090 under a business as usual scenario. Townsville nights over 25 degrees are expected to increase to 197 nights per year by 2090. Major heatwaves like these have been dubbed the ‘silent killer’ -- causing more deaths in the last century than all natural disasters put together in Australia.

Queenslanders will have to battle through significantly more days of scorching extreme heat if no changes are made to carbon emissions, new research shows.
In Brisbane, days where temperatures rise above 35C are expected to increase sevenfold in thirty years' time, according to a report from The Australia Institute released on Wednesday.
The current average is two days per year above 35C, but the report forecasts an increase to 14 days per year in 30 years' time, and to 45 days by 2090.
The report crunched data from the CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology.
The Australia Institute's Richie Merzian said the forecasts also paint a bleak future for those in regional areas.
He said children living in towns like Roma, about 500 kilometres west of Brisbane, could experience up to 185 days over 35 degrees within their lifetime.
He said this would severely impact lives and industries.
"Extreme heat days could jeopardise many of Queensland's major industries like tourism, agriculture, and mining, where it is unsafe to work in such extreme temperatures," he said.
However, the report states that if emissions are reduced, "relatively safe" conditions could be ensured for future generations.
The report says extreme heat could peak in most areas by 2070 if steps are taken.
"Rising extreme heat is not inevitable; our analysis shows that if Australia cuts its emissions, much of these impacts can be avoided," Mr Merzian said.

Links

• Australia Institute: Queensland facing more climate chaos
• Australia Institute: HeatWatch
• Climate change and human health Risks And Responses
• ‘It’s been extreme’: Australia’s summer smashes seasonal heat records
• Australia: Projections for Australia’s NRM Regions
• Queensland Health (2015) Heatwave Response Plan