Ext User(Australia Apocalypse NOW)
24-04-2007, 03:33 PM
http://news.sawf.org/Travel/36174.aspx
Australian water crisis could snowball on tourism
Posted on Saturday, April 21, 2007 (EST)
As Earth Day nears, the world seems to be waking up to the facts of
global warming. Australian tourism may be hit.
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Where the ... are you?
© AFP/Illustration
21 April 2007 (Sawf News) As Earth Day approaches on Sunday (April
22), the world seems to be waking up to the facts of global warming.
The first prosperous nation to be hit hard by global warming could
well be Australia, fear experts.
The climate change disasters seem to have been a product of carbon
emissions wreaked by the developed world, according to
environmentalist lobbies.
The Independent has cited that Australia has warned that it will have
to switch off the water supply to the continent's food bowl unless
heavy rains break an epic drought.
With a coastline of 36,735 kilometers, the island continent of
Australia is one long stretch of sand.
The Australian outback is famous for natural wonders, breathtaking
rock formations, and ancient culture.
The cities are all about great shopping, food, entertainment and
cosmopolitan fun.
The beaches, coasts and reefs are natural surroundings that lure all.
All of this is about to change as Australia struggles to meet the
basic needs of its citizens. Experts say that tourists will not be at
ease in such stressed circumstances.
This could well be the first climate change-driven disaster to strike
a developed nation.
The report further states that the Murray-Darling basin in south-
eastern Australia yields 40 per cent of the country's agricultural
produce could be in the throes of crisis.
The two rivers that feed the region are so pitifully low that there
will soon be only enough water for drinking supplies.
The kangaroo country is in the grip of its worst drought on record,
the victim of changing weather patterns attributed to global warming
and a government that is only just starting to wake up to the severity
of the position.
Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, a hardened climate-change
skeptic, delivered dire tidings to the nation's farmers on Friday.
Howard warned that unless there is significant rainfall in the next
six to eight weeks, irrigation will be banned in the principal
agricultural area.
If the threat is carried out, agriculturists say that crops such as
rice, cotton and wine grapes will fail, citrus, olive and almond trees
will die, along with livestock.
A ban on irrigation, which would remain in place until May next year,
spells possible ruin for thousands of farmers, already debt-laden and
in despair after six straight years of drought.
The causes of the current drought, which began in 2002 but has been
felt most acutely over the past six months, are complex.
Environmentalists however are undivided on the belief that climate
change due to global warming has made the Aussie continent hotter and
drier.
Former Vice president Al Gore had met with a refusal for a meeting by
the Australian ministers and premier when he was down under to promote
'An Inconvenient Truth'- the environmental concern film, says The
Independent.
Howard has softened his rhetoric of late, and says that he now broadly
accepts the science behind climate change. He has tried to regain the
political initiative, announcing measures including a plan to take
over regulatory control of the Murray-Darling river system from state
governments.
He has declared nuclear power the way forward, and is even considering
the merits of joining an international scheme to "trade" carbon
dioxide emissions - an idea he opposed in the past, states the
international daily.
A year ago, Australia had run an intensive campaign to lure
international tourists and had drawn as much flak as it attracted
attention.
The catch-phrase in the 180 million (132 million US) dollar television
and print campaign, which featured Australians drinking beer, on the
beach and relaxing in the outback, was: "Where the bloody hell are
you?"
Tourism Minister Fran Bailey had then rejected suggestions that
viewers would find the word offensive.
"Not at all," she had told reporters. "It's the great Australian
adjective. We all use it, it's part of our language."
The advert was part of a $100m campaign to lure more tourists to
Australia. Experts wonder if the expenditure was in correct economic
sense.
Australia attracted some 5.5 million tourists in the year last, an
increase of six percent. They spent some 17 billion (12.5 billion US)
dollars.
Australian water crisis could snowball on tourism
Posted on Saturday, April 21, 2007 (EST)
As Earth Day nears, the world seems to be waking up to the facts of
global warming. Australian tourism may be hit.
Email this page
American justice gone wild on 'Girls Gone Wild' founder Joe Francis?
Where the ... are you?
© AFP/Illustration
21 April 2007 (Sawf News) As Earth Day approaches on Sunday (April
22), the world seems to be waking up to the facts of global warming.
The first prosperous nation to be hit hard by global warming could
well be Australia, fear experts.
The climate change disasters seem to have been a product of carbon
emissions wreaked by the developed world, according to
environmentalist lobbies.
The Independent has cited that Australia has warned that it will have
to switch off the water supply to the continent's food bowl unless
heavy rains break an epic drought.
With a coastline of 36,735 kilometers, the island continent of
Australia is one long stretch of sand.
The Australian outback is famous for natural wonders, breathtaking
rock formations, and ancient culture.
The cities are all about great shopping, food, entertainment and
cosmopolitan fun.
The beaches, coasts and reefs are natural surroundings that lure all.
All of this is about to change as Australia struggles to meet the
basic needs of its citizens. Experts say that tourists will not be at
ease in such stressed circumstances.
This could well be the first climate change-driven disaster to strike
a developed nation.
The report further states that the Murray-Darling basin in south-
eastern Australia yields 40 per cent of the country's agricultural
produce could be in the throes of crisis.
The two rivers that feed the region are so pitifully low that there
will soon be only enough water for drinking supplies.
The kangaroo country is in the grip of its worst drought on record,
the victim of changing weather patterns attributed to global warming
and a government that is only just starting to wake up to the severity
of the position.
Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, a hardened climate-change
skeptic, delivered dire tidings to the nation's farmers on Friday.
Howard warned that unless there is significant rainfall in the next
six to eight weeks, irrigation will be banned in the principal
agricultural area.
If the threat is carried out, agriculturists say that crops such as
rice, cotton and wine grapes will fail, citrus, olive and almond trees
will die, along with livestock.
A ban on irrigation, which would remain in place until May next year,
spells possible ruin for thousands of farmers, already debt-laden and
in despair after six straight years of drought.
The causes of the current drought, which began in 2002 but has been
felt most acutely over the past six months, are complex.
Environmentalists however are undivided on the belief that climate
change due to global warming has made the Aussie continent hotter and
drier.
Former Vice president Al Gore had met with a refusal for a meeting by
the Australian ministers and premier when he was down under to promote
'An Inconvenient Truth'- the environmental concern film, says The
Independent.
Howard has softened his rhetoric of late, and says that he now broadly
accepts the science behind climate change. He has tried to regain the
political initiative, announcing measures including a plan to take
over regulatory control of the Murray-Darling river system from state
governments.
He has declared nuclear power the way forward, and is even considering
the merits of joining an international scheme to "trade" carbon
dioxide emissions - an idea he opposed in the past, states the
international daily.
A year ago, Australia had run an intensive campaign to lure
international tourists and had drawn as much flak as it attracted
attention.
The catch-phrase in the 180 million (132 million US) dollar television
and print campaign, which featured Australians drinking beer, on the
beach and relaxing in the outback, was: "Where the bloody hell are
you?"
Tourism Minister Fran Bailey had then rejected suggestions that
viewers would find the word offensive.
"Not at all," she had told reporters. "It's the great Australian
adjective. We all use it, it's part of our language."
The advert was part of a $100m campaign to lure more tourists to
Australia. Experts wonder if the expenditure was in correct economic
sense.
Australia attracted some 5.5 million tourists in the year last, an
increase of six percent. They spent some 17 billion (12.5 billion US)
dollars.