Related New sea level future rises
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FROM Kinghorne Street Nowra to the corridors of power in Canberra - the opinions on climate change continue to create much debate.
The release of the Finkel Report, a recent Adani mine protest in Nowra and updated mapping from Coastal Risk Australia have all brought the climate change debate home to the Shoalhaven.
Alan Finkel, Australia's chief scientist, recently released his review of Australia's energy market
The review will provide governments with a blueprint for energy security across the grid.
Its release resulted in a the Federal Coalition holding a special party room meeting this week where things got interesting.
Federal Member for Gilmore Ann Ann Sudmalis attended meeting where it was alleged “climate-change policy has ignited tensions within the federal government”.
Mrs Sudmalis said she does not comment on matters that arise in party room meetings.
She did speak directly with the Treasurer Scott Morrison on matter.
“I continue to believe the government needs to seriously address this issue; as doing nothing will see electricity prices increase,” she said.
“However, there is absolutely no need to rush towards a position on emissions or the related recommendations from the Finkel Report.
“It is an issue that needs serious consideration, because we are not just dealing with a solution for tomorrow and the next day, but a decision that affects our energy resources, usage and power generation for many years to come.”
Convener of the Stop Adani Shoalhaven group, Jeremy Aitken, said climate change was an important local issue.
“You might ask what does it mean for the Shoalhaven ? Where we are standing right now may well likely be the shoreline - the corner of Junction Street and Kinghorne Streets outside Nowra’s Commonwealth Bank in future years,” he said.
“It may not necessarily affect the old guard like me but will affect our children and our children’s children.
“They (future generations) will respect us for the decision we make today or curse us recoundly.”
He said some people were not interested in their protest, aimed at getting the Commonwealth Bank to make a fossil free fuel investment, but others stopped and collected literature.
Meanwhile, updated mapping from Coastal Risk Australia has estimated the effect of plausible sea level rises on the coast by 2100.
South Coast residents and holidaymakers at the end of this century could find the villas and waterfront homes below the high tide line.
Further north, the Shoalhaven River would claim much of the low-lying farmland between Nowra and the ocean, stranding Shoalhaven Heads, Greenwell Point and Culburra Beach.
The canal properties that front Sussex Inlet would go underwater, while the Princes Highway would be cut at Dolphin Point and on either side of Moruya.
Shoalhaven and Eurobodalla councils developed a south coast regional sea level rise policy in 2014.
Shoalhaven council adopted a projected 36 centimetre sea level rise by 2100 in 2015, but agreed to conduct revised projections every seven years.