[Greens-Media] Government’s precious roads will be underwater soon, will they act on climate change now?

[Walker, Nadine]

Government’s precious roads will be underwater soon, will they act on climate change now?
Media statement, Tuesday, 25 February 2014. 

The State Government continues to “bury its head in the sand” about the very real, and very expensive impacts of climate change on essential state infrastructure, said Greens MLC Lynn MacLaren today in response to revelations that 11km of the Kwinana Freeway could be swallowed up by rising sea levels.

While responsible governments the world over have taken a proactive stance by completing vulnerability assessments, the Barnett government seems to have accomplished little to prepare our state for the changes as evidenced by the report from Main Roads.

“Main Roads have revealed that by 2031 we are going to have major hotspots including between the Narrows and Mt Henry Bridge under water. 121km of WA highways and State roads are at risk. If the Government is not concerned about climate change they should at least be concerned about their commitment to reduce congestion, this will send traffic haywire. 

Ms MacLaren last year tabled a Bill including a comprehensive planning framework to prepare for climate change impacts in the coastal zone. My Bill would ‘address the well documented issue of sea level rise related to climate change that MPs can no longer ignore’. 

“80% of our population dwell on the coast, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has found sea levels will rise a metre by the end of the century. This worrying combination demands more direct action”.