Brisbane a ‘difficult place to live’

Brisbane a ‘difficult place to live’

Temperature rises will make Brisbane a 'difficult place to live' within 30 years, report finds

Posted on 24.06.2019

An alarming report has found temperature increases from climate change and urban growth will make Brisbane “a difficult place to live” within the next 30 years, and more people will be at risk of dying from extreme heat.

The long-term climate modelling also found the number of hot days and nights will double in Australia’s third largest city by 2050, and people will need to avoid outdoor activities throughout most of summer.

The peer-reviewed study, which was published recently in the International Journal of Climatology, investigated the impact of urban growth and climate change on heat stress during summer in Brisbane, from the present day to 2050.

Dr Sarah Chapman’s four-year study found the number of hot days and nights doubled with climate change.

“When we included urban growth, the number of hot nights increased even further,” Dr Chapman said.

“With a doubling of hot nights, more people will be at risk of illness and death.

“The definition of ‘hot nights’ that we use has been linked to an increase in mortality of 20 per cent in elderly people.”


Key points

  • A report by a former Queensland researcher warns Brisbane could become “unbearably hot” in 30 years time
  • Dr Sarah Chapman says outdoor activities during summer could become nearly impossible
  • The researcher says there’s still time to do something about it, and is calling on politicians to step in

 

The report also found that two-thirds of summer nights would become unbearably hot.

“It’s going to be unpleasantly hot most nights in summer,” she said.

“What we’d consider unusually hot in the present-day becomes normal in the future. This isn’t a path we want to be on”

Source
Shelley Lloyd
ABC News

 

Share

FacebookTwitter

Have a story to tell or news to share?

Let us know by Submitting a News Story

Discover Queensland

Explore all of Queensland’s adventures.

Start Exploring

What's On

Apr

17

Empowering inclusive communication webinar


Read more

Latest News

Play Our Way

Read more
Gambling Community Benefit Fund 2024

Round 121 now OPEN

Read more
Mountain bikers push space limits in regional towns

while others cash in on tourism opportunities

Read more

Become a member

We welcome membership applications from outdoor organisations and individuals

Learn More