The world is on track for around 2.5–3°C of warming. 4C is likely by 2100 if there are no changes. Scientists tell us large parts of the planet be will uninhabitable. The parts that aren’t uninhabitable will be more unpleasant and dangerous.
Australia will see:
| * the complete destruction of the Great Barrier Reef, |
| * constant flooding of south-east Queensland and northern NSW, |
| * cyclones as far south as Coffs Harbour, |
| * frequent bushfires everywhere else, |
| * and a massive refugee flood as Bangladesh and Pacific Islands go underwater. |
Apart from the refugees, preparing is a matter of building infrastructure and insurance.
In south-east Queensland, 70% of houses are from before the 1970s. All are in Region B of the National Construction Code (NCC). This means they are not built to withstand a category 2 cyclone.
If Cyclone Alfred had stayed a cyclone before hitting the Queensland coast. Thousands of families would have been financially ruined. Their uninsured houses would have lost their roofs or collapsed. About 25 per cent of Queensland households are currently uninsured. As premiums rise, that number will increase. The next cyclone, or the one after that, will likely remain as Category 2.