Rising seas could cost Australia $850 billion by 2100, study finds
Australia faces more than $850 billion in damage from rising seas by 2100, a nationwide study found.
Climate change and rising seas threaten Australia's coastal economy this century. A nationwide study found more than 267,000 coastal properties and 2 million hectares will face flood damage by 2100 based on global carbon emissions peaking around 2040 and warming limited to about 2.7C.
Australia could face more than $850 billion in total damage costs: more than $274 billion in property losses and $580 billion in land-use damage. Queensland faces the biggest hit with 93,000 at-risk properties and an expected $214 billion damage bill; the Gold Coast alone could lose $84.4 billion.
Western Australia faces the largest total losses. The damage includes homes, businesses, farms, parks, beaches and recreational areas as melting ice and warmer seawater raise sea levels.
Professor Tom Kompas said the toll will worsen as fossil fuel emissions continue driving higher temperatures and more intense storms and king tides.
- 850 billion dollars
- Total damage by 2100
- 267,000 coastal properties
- At-risk properties
- 2 million hectares
- At-risk land
- 214 billion dollars
- Queensland damage bill
Why it mattersAustralia faces hard choices about who pays for coastal defence and whether entire neighbourhoods become uninsurable or abandoned as waters rise.
AustraliaCoastal property values, insurance costs, and government spending on defences will shift dramatically; homeowners face decisions about protecting or selling vulnerable properties.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 2 d ago
