“A lack of rainfall is often referred to as a ‘drought’, yet droughts are by their nature transient, and in the areas under discussion there is no prospect that the rain will return. Instead what has occurred is a rapid shift to a new, drier climate.”

Tim Flannery
The Weather Makers (p. 124)

Australia faces a future with little or no water unless we move to a zero carbon emissions economy. After eleven years of inaction by the federal government to reduce emissions, Australia is beginning to feel the devastating effects of climate change.

"We are on the brink of running out of water. It is a national crisis and John Howard and his government hold substantial responsibility" said Matthew Wright, lead campaigner for Beyond Zero Emissions. "Refusing to sign Kyoto or to rein in the coal industry rogues has created a nation with the highest per capita greenhouse gas emissions on the planet. It is no wonder Australia is suffering such a severe water crisis.

Australia's average temperature has increased by 0.83C since pre-industrial levels. This has not only resulted in a significant drop in national rainfall (over 50 mm reductions along the eastern seaboard), but led to widespread evaporation and drying across the continent. This is a direct result of the phenomenal levels of greenhouse gases being emitted into the atmosphere, increasing the frequency and severity of weather patterns such as El Nino.

The Australian Government should immediately legislate zero carbon emission targets by 2020. Beyond Zero Emissions has produced a series of scoping documents to explain how this can be done with readily available technology right now.

"It is time Howard and his government snap out of climate change denial and go zero emissions for the good of our nation and the world," said Mr. Wright. "We need urgent action and a vision from our leaders. Otherwise we will lose our water, our forests and our animals, causing a disastrous rise in food prices and destroying our quality of life."

"The Murray-Darling Basin's $10 billion agricultural output is already on the verge of collapse. The $5 billion tourist industry in the Great Barrier Reef is also in critical danger," said Mr. Wright. "With the phase out of $10 billion worth of petroleum imports and a moratorium on our myopic addiction to $25 billion worth of coal exports, we can balance the economy and potentially save the treasures of the nation.

"John Howard is not a climate change expert. Thousands of scientists around the world, including NASA's Goddard Institute, the UK Met Office and Australia's own CSIRO, say that our planet cannot take any more greenhouse gas. There is too much carbon in the atmosphere right now and we need to take immediate actions.

"The federal government's refusal to act on climate change is a direct threat to the future of Australia."

Australian of the Year Tim Flannery calls for ban on fossil fuel imports by 2020

Howard denies link between carbon emissions and the drought

Priest claims praying pointless- it won’t solve water crisis

CSIRO: “Changes in intensity or frequency of extreme climatic events.”

CSIRO: “Surface warming for the end of the 21st century is between 1.0 and 6.3 degrees Celsius. Warming over Australia will be similar to the global rate."

CSIRO's roll in contributing to the IPCC report

Federal Government’s solution to global warming- Australian scientists silenced on climate change

“Driving a market for Plug-in Hybrids”
How to revert to a near zero emissions private transport sector

References
Tim Flannery. The Weather Makers. Text Publishing, Melbourne, 2005.
Colour plate #5: Australian trend in rainfall 1950-2003.