24/01/2006 - Thousands of Australians may die each year from heat-related diseases, the frequency of bushfires is likely to more than double and Australia’s most treasured natural icons will almost certainly be lost under the Howard Government’s ‘business as usual’ energy path, according to a review of scientific forecasts by WWF. The Australian Government is trying to lull the community into a false sense of security while leading the world down a dangerous path towards catastrophic climate change under its preferred energy scenario outlined in Sydney last week at the meeting of the Asia Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate.

The Government’s plan to bank on a regional partnership will result in more than a 100% increase in global greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 compared to current levels.

This dramatic increase in global greenhouse gas emissions, as envisaged under the new Partnership plan, would set the world on a path towards at least 4ºC rise in average global surface temperatures, with most of this increase to occur in this century.

According to leading Australian scientists, a 4ºC rise in average global surface temperatures would result in the deaths of up to 15,000 Australians each year from heat related diseases, a 148% increase in bushfires, a 650% increase in building damage from severe wind storms, and would have severe detrimental effects on our farmers as rainfall patterns change and tropical pests move further south.

It will also mean the loss of our natural icons such as Kakadu, Australia’s Tropical Wetlands, the Great Barrier Reef and the Australian alps. This in turn will result in mass extinctions of mammals, birds, insects and flora unprecedented in recent history.

“Australians need to ask themselves whether this is an acceptable outcome and whether the Prime Minister is truly exercising his duty of care as the leader of this country by consciously taking Australians, and the rest of the world, down a very dangerous path,” says WWF-Australia CEO Greg Bourne.

“The Australian Government is willing to sacrifice public health and safety, the lifestyles of millions of Australians and our most treasured natural icons to pursue a business as usual energy path. But under climate change there is no business as usual, no sector of the economy will be left unscathed if we accept runaway climate change.

“It is imperative that we have this debate now rather than 10 year’s time because by then it will be too late to implement the solutions, which we know are at hand today.”