There is no capacity of Byron Bay to survive. There is now no actual capacity to limit greenhouse gas emissions from causing a 1.5 degrees temperature increase.
This coming 1.5 degrees increase is associated, by a rule of thumb, with a three-metre sea level rise. With Byron largely developed from 2.5 metres above sea level, when the powers that be acknowledge that we won’t meet the restriction to a 1.5 degrees temperature rise (on the way to a now projected >4 degrees increase), they will also be acknowledging that Byron Bay (and much of our other developed coastline) will eventually and unavoidably be completely inundated by the ocean.
Australia has the world’s largest glacier in our Antarctic territory, which scientists identify is melting now and won’t stop. This glacier on its own will contribute approximately 1.5 metres of sea level rise. The powers that be have sold us out, and continue to sabotage meaningful action.
Don’t panic, while chunks of coastline will be gouged out from storms as the sea level rises, it may be next century before the entire loss of towns like Byron Bay. It’s the laws of physics; of putting excess carbon dioxide and other gases into our atmosphere. And while some may feel like ignoring the inevitable – people can move – but our vegetation and wildlife can’t move without our help, and that is where our focus must go, to give the best chance to the living systems, that also provide us humans with the basic needs for our survival.
There is no orderly transition period, that potential has gone. We are now in a disorderly transition period. Yet even still, all levels of government refuse to acknowledge that the laws of physics don’t bend to their made up politically neutered climate change positions. Byron Bay, Brunswick etc will join the Pacific Nations, under the same threat, of being land that will no longer exist, wiped off the map, and permanently under the sea. Interesting times.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
