Australia Pacific LNG Project Volume 3: Gas Pipeline Chapter 4: Climate and Climate Change Adaptation
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Australia Pacific LNG Project Volume 3: Gas Pipeline Chapter 4: Climate and Climate Change Adaptation Volume 3: Gas Pipeline Chapter 4: Climate and Climate Change Adaptation Contents 4 Climate and climate change adaptation............................................................................. 1 4.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 1 4.2 Climate ............................................................................................................................... 1 4.2.1 Climate over the pipeline area .............................................................................. 1 4.2.2 Wind speed and direction...................................................................................... 2 4.2.3 Temperature and solar radiation ........................................................................... 3 4.2.4 Rainfall .................................................................................................................. 3 4.2.5 Relative humidity................................................................................................... 4 4.2.6 Surface pressure................................................................................................... 4 4.2.7 Climate extremes .................................................................................................. 4 4.2.8 Impacts of weather patterns and extremes of climate on project ......................... 7 4.3 Climate change ..................................................................................................................7 4.3.1 Methodology.......................................................................................................... 8 4.3.2 Climate projections................................................................................................ 8 4.3.3 Climate change adaptation ................................................................................. 15 4.3.4 Cooperative approach to climate change adaptation.......................................... 18 4.4 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 18 4.4.1 Assessment outcomes ........................................................................................ 18 4.4.2 Commitments ...................................................................................................... 23 References ...................................................................................................................................... 24 Figures Figure 4.1 Tropical cyclones within 200km of Roma (1906–2006) (BOM 2009d) ................................. 5 Figure 4.2 Storm tide height above highest astronomical tide (metres) – Queensland east coast locations................................................................................................................................................... 6 Figure 4.3 Cities for which climate change predictions are presented by CSIRO ............................... 10 Figure 4.4 Estimated increases in high sea-level events (0.1m and 0.5m)(DCC 2009) ...................... 12 Figure 4.5 Storm tide, wave setup, wave run-up (Queensland Government 2001)............................. 13 Australia Pacific LNG Project EIS Page ii March 2010 Volume 3: Gas Pipeline Chapter 4: Climate and Climate Change Adaptation Tables Table 4.1 Summary of Bureau of Meteorology monitoring stations and parameters............................. 2 Table 4.2 Project gas fields and gas pipeline areas – annual average thunder days, total lightning flash density and cloud-to-ground flash density ...................................................................................... 7 Table 4.3 Mean degrees temperature change for St George and Rockhampton (°C)1 ....................... 11 Table 4.4 Mean rainfall change for St George and Rockhampton (%)1 ............................................... 11 Table 4.5 Global average sea rise scenarios (metres) ........................................................................ 12 Table 4.6 Storm tide ARI for Gladstone (DNRM 2004) ........................................................................ 13 Table 4.7 Total storm tide water level estimate.................................................................................... 14 Table 4.8 Percentage of relative humidity change (CSIRO 2009) ....................................................... 14 Table 4.9 Percentile change in fire risk from average 1974-2007 levels in Charleville ....................... 15 Table 4.10 Percentile change in fire risk from average 1974-2007 levels in Rockhampton ................ 15 Table 4.11 Summary of environmental values, sustainability principles, potential impacts and mitigation measures .............................................................................................................................. 20 Australia Pacific LNG Project EIS Page iii March 2010 Volume 3: Gas Pipeline Chapter 4: Climate and Climate Change Adaptation 4 Climate and climate change adaptation 4.1 Introduction This chapter provides information on the existing climate of the south central Queensland region and explores predictions of climate change in the region of the Australia Pacific LNG Project's gas pipeline. The gas pipeline route spans from Curtis Island on the coast, to south central Queensland near Roma. It describes the potential impacts of climate change on the gas pipeline and associated works based on current knowledge. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, their impacts and mitigation strategies specific to the gas pipeline are discussed in detail in Volume 3 Chapter 14. This chapter addresses 3.1.1 Climate and 3.1.2 Climate Change Adaptation of the environmental impact statement (EIS) terms of reference in Sections 4.2 and 4.3. Throughout the life of the Australia Pacific LNG Project (the Project), including site preparation, construction, operation, decommissioning and rehabilitation, the Project will be influenced by the climate. The Australia Pacific LNG's sustainability principles will be applied to developing strategies for the gas pipeline to ensure that climate induced impacts do not cause conditions which adversely impact the Project or the environment. Of Australia Pacific LNG's 12 sustainability principles, as discussed in the sustainability chapter Volume 1 Chapter 3, the relevant sustainability principles for climate over the pipeline are as follows: • Minimising adverse environmental impacts and enhancing environmental benefits associated with Australia Pacific LNG's activities, products or services; conserving, protecting, and enhancing where the opportunity exists, the biodiversity values and water resources in its operational areas • Identifying, assessing, managing, monitoring and reviewing risks to Australia Pacific LNG's workforce, its property, the environment and the communities affected by its activities. Under these principles, climate and climate change values are reflected by identifying and assessing climate change risks, and developing climate change adaptation strategies to mitigate its impact on project assets and activities. 4.2 Climate 4.2.1 Climate over the pipeline area Information in this section relates to climate in the south central region of Queensland. Meteorological data from the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) monitoring stations at Taroom near the middle of the gas pipeline and Thangool, near the north of the gas pipeline and just south of Biloela (BOM 2009a), have been used to characterise the climate in the region along the Australia Pacific LNG gas pipeline route. The Taroom and Thangool monitoring stations have been selected for their close proximity to the proposed gas pipeline and the availability of data. The meteorological parameters measured at the Taroom and Thangool monitoring stations include long-term temperature, solar radiation, atmospheric pressure, rainfall and relative humidity. The parameters used from each site are summarised in Table 4.1. Refer to Volume 5 Attachment 30 for more details. Australia Pacific LNG Project EIS Page 1 March 2010 Volume 3: Gas Pipeline Chapter 4: Climate and Climate Change Adaptation The gas pipeline traverses from the gas fields region to the coastal LNG facility. Information from BOM stations located at Roma, Miles and Dalby for the gas fields, and Gladstone airport and Radar Hill for the Gladstone area, are provided in Volume 2 Chapter 4 and Volume 4 Chapter 4 respectively. Table 4.1 Summary of Bureau of Meteorology monitoring stations and parameters Region Location Latitude/longitude Record Parameters period Taroom Post 25.64 °S 1870 – 2009 Temperature, solar exposure, relative humidity, Office rainfall and surface pressure 149.80 °E Thangool Airport 24.49 °S 1929 – 2009 Temperature, solar exposure, relative humidity, rainfall and surface pressure 150.57 °E Of the climatic conditions presented in this section the main element raised is that construction be done during the 'dry season', where practicable, for elements such as the construction of gas pipeline creek crossings. The more extreme weather events include big storms, floods, heat waves and bushfires which may result in impacts such as sedimentation, erosion, stormwater management, containment of waste in bunding and tailings dams, health and safety risks to personnel and interruption to transportation. These impacts are discussed further in Volume