Climate Report Warns Over a Million Australians at Risk from Rising Seas by 2050

A landmark national climate risk assessment has warned that climate change will put more than a million Australians in danger of losing their homes and livelihoods by 2050, as heat-related deaths are also projected to surge. The report, released Monday ahead of Canberra’s new emissions reduction targets, highlighted that rising temperatures will create “cascading, compounding and concurrent” impacts across the nation.

Prepared independently for the government, the study found that about 1.5 million people living in coastal areas could be affected by sea level rise and flooding by 2050, increasing to three million by 2090. The Torres Strait Islands are particularly vulnerable, with Indigenous communities facing the loss of homes, traditions, and cultural ties if urgent action is not taken.

The report also warned that property value losses could reach A$611 billion (US$406 billion) by mid-century, rising to A$770 billion by 2090. In Sydney, a temperature rise of 3°C could lead to a 400 percent increase in heat-related deaths. Australia’s biodiversity also faces grave risks, with many species forced to adapt, relocate, or face extinction.

Climate advocates have called for stronger action, with experts urging Australia to legislate ambitious 2035 climate targets and halt new fossil fuel projects. While the Labour government has expanded renewable energy initiatives, it continues to approve major gas ventures, sparking criticism from environmental and Indigenous groups. Climate Minister Chris Bowen admitted the transition would be “complex,” but stressed that Australia holds an advantage with some of the best renewable energy resources in the world.