July 12, 2012 2:19 pm
Climate Skepticism Could Wipe Out Whole Towns in Australia
A Farm in New South Whales, Australia. Photo: JIGGS Images
Still don’t believe in climate change? Stubborn climate skeptic hold-outs now face more than just the rest of the world’s scorn: Their towns might not be on the map in a few years. At least this was the conclusion drawn by a new report studying inland Australian townships reluctant to acknowledge or adapt to the threat of impending climate change.
Australia’s ABC News reports on the story:
The report studied 1,600 bush towns and found the ones with low education rates are least likely to make the decisions needed to adapt to a hotter future.
But in many regional areas there is resistance to change because of lingering skepticism about climate change.
Author Professor Andrew Beer says climate change and market forces will de-populate entire towns.
Even if researchers come up with strategies to help the towns adapt, experts are afraid that the skeptical residents may be resistant to changing their ways before it’s too late. Though a precise estimate of climate change’s future impacts on the towns is impossible to project, the coming years do not look bright:
“It’s impossible to predict because between now and 2050 is a very long time,” he told The World Today.
“But you could easily see the loss of 10 per cent. So 160 country towns across Australia could be gone within 20 years and a further 10 per cent by 2050 – simply because of climate change and the failure to adapt to it.
“So, many people living in a small place right now will discover that their town won’t be there in 40 years’ time.”
An Australian farmer quoted in the story says that he “takes on board” that some scientists do not believe in climate change, and claims that, regardless, local farmers are already adapting their ways for future climate shifts.
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6 Comments »
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What a bunch of BS.
Comment by Bruce — July 12, 2012 @ 4:50 pm
What a lot load of tripe. Carbon-Communism is what will destroy towns and nations.
Comment by TheBThing — July 12, 2012 @ 4:52 pm
You must be joking. The warmists have been dumping crap on Tony Abbott for saying Whyalla will go.
Still, I guess its different when you are a believer in fairy tales.
Comment by Rob — July 12, 2012 @ 5:37 pm
The wheel goes round and round and the people who come up with these ideas have not had a long lifestyle. The heat now is taking the moisture higher and higher causing rain, then hail, then sleet and then snow and is continually moving north. Are we in for another Ice Age as we were told when we were children? or are we just going to have the new cycle from the 1940′s. New research is only for some supposedly scientist, like one who said a 30m tidal wave would hit Sydney and then bought a mansion at the mouth of the Hawkesbury River or those who said Queensland was drying out and everyone would have to move south and flooding occurred, Get Real.
Comment by Les — July 12, 2012 @ 7:57 pm
It is sad to see how Australia has been taken in by the climate alarmism. If you would like to have your comments added to those we are gathering to submit to PM Gillard (we’ll also share them with the Australian Opposition, the media and the public), please see our breakdown of what she told the Australian public in a Q&A session at the Herald Sun a few days back:
http://tinyurl.com/82txknc
Sincerely,
Tom Harris
Executive Director
International Climate Science Coalition (ICSC)
Comment by Tom Harris — July 13, 2012 @ 12:54 am
Just to let people know, we have just uploaded a far more user friendly way to give your comments on Gillard’s statements – please see:
http://climatescienceinternational.org/index.php?option=com_rsform&formId=38
Hope people can try out the form and let us know if this is easier.
;>)
Tom Harris
Executive Director
International Climate Science Coalition
Ottawa, Canada
Comment by Tom Harris — July 18, 2012 @ 8:07 pm