The Australian defies the evidence on the climate again

“Sea level fall defied climate warnings”. (here)

Using as headline designed to confuse and deny, if not to join the yellow press and sell more copies of the paper, the editors have used words that contradict the graph immediately under it and the substance of the article.

The rise in sea level has been measured as temporarily reversing. The trend has returned to the projection from 1992 to 2010, but for a period flooding relocated enough water from the ocean to the land to make a measurably difference using satellite and land data.

The focus should have been on the phenomenon where, sufficient volumes were relocated to reverse sea level rise.

It should be worrying in itself. When was the last time such volumes were so moved?.

However, such a phenomenon is in line with the modelled projections and actual measurements for changes in the water cycle.

More water is being held in the atmosphere, adding to warming, and the volumes of rainfall in certain locations and periods are increasing.

One would think with the weather damage to the coal mines in Queensland and Victoria, The Australian would show more concern about the impact of the fossil fuel industry on itself as well as on Australia, its rural industries and communities and others.

This temporary blip in sea level rise, currently unpredictable in its frequency, stand against a prediction of an 80cm sea level rise, according to the latest projections of the IPCC. Some sources project greater rises.

Even 80cm will see many coastal communities affected by erosion, tidal flooding and permanent inundation, costing in terms of infrastructure changes needed and salt damage as the sea water lens extends inland.

The sand bar that Manly, NSW, sits on is an outstanding example; with insufficient freshwater hydraulic pressure to restrain the sea water some buildings are already being damaged.

Its beaches are defined by retaining walls and esplanades. These become more exposed to damage from the greater storms predicted as the energy balances in the atmosphere change with the increased volumes of water vapour and changes in temperature as sea level increases.

Abbott, whose electorate includes Manly, remains tied to a severely limited response that fails the tests of timely, adequate or comprehensive action, resulting in increased costs for younger and future generations.

This year the Arctic Sea Ice was at its greatest minimum since measurements began in the 1970’s. Retreats of this magnitude have been followed by freezing winters in Europe as the atmospheric circulation patterns change with a warmer open ocean in the Arctic during autumn.

What is it?.

With dinosaurs one can understand their failure to recognize the end time for their dominance. But with a supposedly intelligent species, when the evidence is in, denial and delay to protect the dated, dangerous fossil fuel industries, when the need to transition the energy sector in a timely way is clear, is passing the costs and endangers all human activity to date.

Even the IAEA now recognizes the need to move away from fossil fuels. Only a venal vested interest protected by the hold dated ideas can have on society benefits from denial and delay.

The Australian should embrace the evidence and the need to transition and work to change community opinion, so the disruption dislocation to the economy by climate instability is limited by timely, adequate and comprehensive action by a community that understands the evidence.

Instead, attempting to pull a curtain over what will be an ever confusing reality the longer they leave it will endanger their relevance, when the changes to come overrun further their restricted narrative.