Impacts Of Climate Change in Austria
Many changes are happening to the environment, and more Australians might have to decide if they want to move or stay where they are.
Places in the north where it’s hot and humid are losing people. Floods keep happening along the east coast, making people wonder if they should stay. Some places are at higher risk of bushfires, and people have to think about moving.
But not everyone can decide the same way. Things like how much money someone has and how attached they are to where they live affect if they move or not, where they go, and how they feel about the new place.
Our research with Edith Cowan University and Curtin University looks at why people choose to stay or go, and what that means for their communities. It seems like those who leave might make things harder for those who stay.
Climate change makes disasters happen more often and more severely. Heatwaves, fires, storms, and floods are getting worse. The environment is also changing, like the soil getting worse and losing plants and animals.
These changes affect where we live, work, and have fun. But the government hasn’t done much to help us deal with climate change.
In some places like Lismore, New South Wales, and northern Victoria, living there might get too expensive because of insurance or because it’s not safe.
Other places might have different problems that make people leave, like if their job is in danger because of climate change, or if they can’t deal with the new weather. Some might worry about another disaster happening.
But not everyone can move to a safer place. Some people are more at risk because they don’t have much money or because of other reasons. This includes kids, women, older people, people with disabilities, and Indigenous peoples.
And houses in dangerous places are cheaper, so people with less money might have to stay there, even if it’s not safe.
For Indigenous peoples, their connection to the land is very important. Climate change, colonization, and moving away from their land all affect them, making it harder to decide if they should move.
People feel connected to where they live, but climate change can change that. It can make the place they love different or even gone. This can make people sad and want to leave.
We found in our research that thinking about losing the things people love about where they live makes them more likely to want to move. Things like nature, the weather, and being able to go outside.
But people also stay because they like their friends and how they live. And those who feel connected to where they live are more likely to want to protect it, like by protesting bad environmental policies. But those people might also leave, making the community weaker.
Planning for climate change needs to happen now. It affects everyone and causes a lot of problems. Some places might become impossible to live in. People might have to move, but not everyone can. And moving has problems too, like hurting people’s feelings and making it hard for communities to stay strong.
We need to plan carefully so that when people move because of climate change, it’s fair and good for everyone.
Recentclimate – Impacts Of Climate Change in Austria