The photos in this post belong to the Outback set of Georgie Sharp’s photostream on Flickr. They were taken between February 21 and May 3 of 2007.
The photos are a poignant reminder that what the Guardian last November called a 1,000-year drought is still going on in Australia. According to the Guardian article, Australia’s Murray-Darling river system - which receives 4% of that country’s water, but provides three-quarters of the water consumed in Australia - was already 54% below the previous record minimum.
There’s another more recent good article about Australia’s drought in last month’s Economist. According to it, the Australian government is paying out $1.7 million a day in drought-relief to farmers. “If mature vines and fruit trees die in the coming months through the lack of water, the economic fallout will be more serious and lasting,” according to the Economist.
Many are calling the situation in Australia grim. For example, the drought is already forcing up bills for power, according to an article yesterday in The Australian.
The Australian Bureau of Meteorology says that Australia is prone to drought.
But some - including the Economist article - are pointing to global warming as a possible cause of the ongoing extreme drought conditions on this southern continent, the smallest continent in the world.
No one can say whether global warming is causing this drought. But it’s something to think about, in a world who climate is changing.
The Economist article spends a lot of time in the article talking about the need for a change in infrastructure, to get the water where it needs to be. It reminds me of the interview that Eleanor did with Scott Doney a few years ago where he said,
… everything that we’ve constructed – our water supplies, our agriculture – are all based on the climate that we’ve seen for the last several hundred to several thousand years. We’re moving the planet into a totally new climate space where everything is going to change.
What am I trying to say here? Emergency? Disaster? Sound the alarm? No. Only that challenge and change may become operative words as climate change progresses throughout this century. Here in Texas, for example, although we were in serious drought conditions a year ago, this spring has been exceptionally wet and cool. If we had altered our infrastructure for drought, what would have happened when suddenly the rains began to fall again?
What will happen in Australia? A sudden shift to a wetter outback? More drought? Seriously difficult conditions? If emergency conditions do begin to prevail on Earth’s smallest continent, what will the rest of the world do? Are in this together or not?
See more recent photos of Australia in Georgie Sharp’s Outback set.
scientists have proven that the sahara desert was once verdant and lush and the drought there is still ongoing.you are correct that change is inevitable and that man cannot be pointed at as the catalyst.i love this article for so many reasons but the reason that stands out is that it asks us all to think about….inevitable change.a study of the earths climate and geology will show anyone that cares to look, that by mans hands, or mother earths,change can be counted on as a rule.
I think I’m trying to say that - on Earth, as in one’s own life - change is the rule … always change …
I do believe, however, that humans are causing Earth’s climate to change more rapidly than it would otherwise. And it’s the rapid pace of change that will make things difficult for plants, animals and human infrastructures.
Deborah:
I think a lot about those words of Scott Doney when I talk to people about climate change. People sometimes say, “So what if it’s warmer?” or “the climate has changed before in Earth’s history.” But we’ve got an extremely complicated, interrelated human world set up for this particular global climate - where we live, where we grow which crops, etc. It’s not a moral issue, that this climate is the “good” one. We are one of the most adaptable animals even to live on this Earth, and what we have to adapt to now is change.
Eleanor,
Absolutely. In fact, I almost titled this post “The operative word for the future is ‘change.’”
I guess the pace of change in both the human and natural worlds was slower 100 years ago … even 50 years ago … even just a few years ago. But now things seem to be moving at lightning speed. That makes sense, as we move into a century where, for the first time ever, Earth is dominated by humans. So many people makes for an interesting planet Earth!
Isn’t that a Chinese curse? “May you live in interesting times!”
Deborah
Drought becomes real when you live amidst its consequences. As a resident in Brisbane, Australia, we now are facing a VERY real situation where we will exhaust our city water supply by the end of this year. Our major dams now have less than 19% capacity and extreme water restrictions are now in place, yet our supply continues to dwindle, with no substantial rain for many years and a similar scenario for the future. AND this in a region that was once regarded as ‘SUBTROPICAL’. As an extensive world traveler, I am appalled at the level of pollution I regularly encounter in the northern hemishpere, yet the southern hemisphere will apparently be the first to suffer this MAD man-made rush to global warming.
However, our most pertinent ‘man-made’ pollution threat is human (over) population - and that is something we seem unable (and unwilling) to control!
Lesroo,
I can only imagine how difficult it must be. After all, water is life.
Please know that the situation in Australia is one that has captured my attention … and my heart. I know that many others throughout the northern hemisphere must feel the same. It’s a small thing to you all, I know, in light of what you’re facing … but our thoughts and hopes for some sort of relief soon are with you.
Deborah
i had to look it up again but, from 1931 thru 1938 there was a drought called the great dustbowl drought that devastated the midwestern us. nasa has found that it was higher pacific ocean temps which caused changes in the jet stream. i guess that if the current buzzword global warning had been as thrown around freely as it is today the public would have realised the dangers they faced at the time and that the earths ecology would be under immenint collapse. i wonder how the planet made it? i imagine if i did a little more reasearch i would find other disters of global warming thru our past. how can life exist,while man is on the scene?
Sam, thank you for commenting in this blog! I think from your comment you have the impression that I don’t believe in the idea of human-caused global warming. But I do. I believe humans and nature are linked in a way that’s very profound.
Nature has cycles. And we’re a part of nature. Right now, because the Earth has become dominated by humans (6.5 billion humans), our activities have begun to affect Earth’s climate. The climate change caused by humans would be superimposed on any other natural cycles.
At least, that’s my belief, based on decades of speaking with scientists about this subject.
Deborah
Geez, are we ever spoiled !! Long showers, lawn sprinklers and dishwashers - shame on us! We should hang our heads and pray for Australia and their REAL problems!
If there’s more people than the water can support, and they all die, that’s a natural cycle, too. Whether we’re causing the drought or not, there’s only so much fresh water in any given location, and there’s a bunch of people who all depend on it for life, so we should be paying attention (I’m looking at you, Phoenix and San Antonio) to how Australia handles this and what happens.
You never miss the water till the well runs dry.
The well is running dry,and very fast.
I believe that the world is over populated and those of us on the earth are wasting water, without any thought for the fact that the well will run dry.
Contraceptives should be made more readily available together with a massive educational campaign to limit child production.
I believe that governments are spending millions of Dollars promoting the spread of AIDS. This is a double edged sword, very sad that this is the case.
As was noted by another subscriber, we are brain washed into using dish washers, clothes washing machines, high powered showers, vehicle washers etc and no thought is given to the recycling of this water which is one of the most valuable commodities on earth. We just can’t live without it.
I hope we can be educated before it is too late.
If only as much funding could go to solving the drought problem as is spent on world military might.
I wish I could assist in finding a solution.
George
deborahbyrd,i certainly know that you believe global warming is upon us.i am just trying to add other facts to the articles which seem bent on convincing people that have no idea of… all..the facts,you are of the opinion that we are in a crisis, i am not.last night i watched a show on pbs about jamestown and the documentary stated that one of the first disasters was a drought from 1606 thru 1612. this is a fact it is also a fact that it was sudden. had it happened today people that are dogmatic that we are destroying the world seem to be able to either forget history or do not seem to want others to know they could be wrong.i simply want to add the other view.one thing in life i have learned which does not make any sense is,both arguments can be correct. i know it doesnt make sense but it is true.
George … it’s my belief that you are doing something to help find a solution when you comment in blogs such as this one … and help articulate the issues and challenges.
Sam … I see. Thank you for explaining. I’m hearing you say that you believe global warming is here, but that it will not be a crisis. I’m somewhat with you on that. One of the hard things about presenting the reality of the human role in global warming - in the past year or so - has been that the “controversy” has forced those who accept humanity’s role in climate change into suggesting that crises will occur. It seems to me - having watched this issue over decades - that scientists themselves have had to start speaking of crises in order to be heard.
But, like you, I don’t necessarily believe global warming will cause a crisis in the U.S. Maybe it will and maybe it won’t. Maybe it will be as simple as making a few adjustments to our lifestyles … planting less water-intensive lawns and gardens, for example. I pray that will be so easy. On the other hand, I surely do believe global warming will cause a crisis - on top of the crisis that already exists - in Africa and other developing countries. And I believe those who live there are our brothers and sisters … I care about them.
And I have to say I agree with Neil above … some places in the U.S. … like Phoenix … might have a serious problem.
And of course global warming doesn’t always mean drought. According to scientists, it will bring more climate extremes. More flooding and more drought. More flip-flopping back and forth between the two, in any given location - as the years pass and as the rate of climate change accelerates. The operative word is “change.”
A local climate that flips between extremes will be a tough climate for a different reason … it’ll be tough to build the human infrastructures we need to get water where it needs to go … and keep it from going where it shouldn’t.
CHANGE -In Hoima in Uganda, an American couple had a notice on the wall of their lavatory:
If it is yellow, let it mellow. If it is brown, flush it down.
That was very good advice as there was a great shortage of water at that time.
CHANGE -In Ramu,in Papua New Guinea, a camp for 400 workers was supplied with modern water toilet systems. I objected to this as my experience was that ‘long drop’ toilets were much more practical. Eventually, ‘long drop’ were constructed for obvious reasons.
Drinking water -The water supply was from a bore hole and carried by large tankers.
These tankers had a two and a half inch outlet. People put their containers under it and water overflowed in great quantities. They also bathed their children under it, again a great waste of valuable water.
I had the outlet pipe reduced to a one quarter inch hole and people were still able to fill their containers and bathe the children and much less water was needed.
There is a definite need for change. My experience shows that ‘nature’ has its own, very effective way of bringing about change.
I believe we must do what we can to assist.
George
I agree with you, George. We must do what we can.
You’re an engineer? It sounds as if you understand nature in a deep way.
If people reading this thread want to help in Africa, one way is to donate to the Millennium Villages project. It’s run by sustainability scientists at the Earth Institute at Columbia University, and I believe they are trying very hard to understand and help.
i recently read an updated book on the anasazi cliff dwellings, an indian culture existing in the southern midwest us. it claims that around 600 ad these dwellings and others like them were abandoned due to persistant drought.
hi im 12 years old and are doing a project on water restrictions in Australia and was wondering if you knew what other countries had water restrictions? it would help me heaps I absolutely love the way you quoted other comments in the past about climate change. SEE WE DO CARE ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OUR PLANET AND WELL BEING!! thanks again
Hi Tash,
Thank you for visting this blog. I’m not an expert on water restrictions in various countries, but a little googling turns up a recent article about restrictions right here in the U.S., in the state of Florida.
Here are two articles about water restrictions in Australia … first, in Melbourne … then also in the Murray and Murrumbidgee valleys.
Wish I knew more! I would try googling things like “water restrictions, worldwide” or “water restrictions, countries” or something like that …
Best of luck!
Deborah