Mongabay · Climate & nature

Australian Coastal Economic Losses from Sea Level Rise Estimated at $855 Billion

Rising sea levels could cause Australia $855 billion in economic losses by 2100, impacting hundreds of thousands of properties and millions of hectares of land, according to a new study.

Researchers mapped vulnerable coastal areas using sea level rise and storm surge projections, estimating the value of affected properties and land.

Under moderate emissions, damage to 268,000 properties and 2 million hectares is projected, costing $855.1 billion.

A high-emissions scenario could damage 720,000 properties and 3.7 million hectares, with losses up to $1.91 trillion.

Most Australians live near the coast, making them vulnerable. All regions are expected to see damage.

Queensland has the most at-risk properties (93,000+), followed by NSW and WA. The Gold Coast faces $84.4 billion in potential losses.

Extreme sea levels could occur monthly by 2090. A 1cm sea level rise can cause 1m horizontal land loss.

Avoiding high-risk construction and restoring coastlines are suggested to reduce future risks.

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