Queensland Conservation 166 Ann St, Brisbane, QLD 4000
ABN: 89 717 887 219
Ph: 07 3221 0188
Fax: 07 3229 7992
reception@qccqld.org.au
For Immediate Release 27 October 2009
House of Reps Coastal Report Blows the Whistle on State Coastal Plan
According to Queensland Conservation (QCC), the release of the House of Representatives report
Managing our Coastal zone in a changing Climate has revealed flaws in the draft QLD Coastal Plan
2009-currently out for comment.
‘The draft plan has projected coastal sea level rise at 0.8 metres by 2100, but the more likely rise is 1.5
metres, putting many developments in the vulnerable category,’ said Toby Hutcheon, Executive
Director of QCC
‘The State Government needs to immediately change this projection to reflect the latest science and
prohibit development in vulnerable places.’
The Queensland Coastal Plan 2009 uses the 4th Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Report
(IPCC) to justify its projection. The IPCC report quite clearly states that if GHG had been stabilised by
2000, thermal expansion (of oceans) would lead to sea level rises between 0.3-0.8 metres.
However, GHG were not stabilised by 2000 and these projections specifically do not take account of
Antarctic and polar ice sheets melting. As a result, these are very conservative and incomplete figures.
The House of Reps report states that current models may have underestimated sea level rises due to
polar ice cap melts. Prof Will Steffen from ANU has stated that (August 2008)
We may be nearing a point of no return for Greenland (7 mts sea level rise).....in the 21st
century sea
level rise of at least 0.5 mts is a certainty. A rise of 1 to 1.5 mts is more likely.
‘If the State Government fails to address these issues and allows development on vulnerable lands
they are exposing home owners to unacceptable risk, and the very real possibility that the public will
have to pick up the costs of any future litigation,’ said Hutcheon
For more information: Toby Hutcheon: 07 3221 0188/0419 664 503
Media Release
NEWS 
