[Nethra K Putti]

AUSTRALIA TO CREATE CROSS-CONTINENT CLIMATE CORRIDOR

Australia will create a wildlife corridor spanning the continent to allow animals & plants to flee the effects of global warming. The 2800-kilometer climate "spine", approved by state & national governments, will link the country's entire east coast, from the snow-capped Australian alps in south to the tropical north --- distance frm London to Romania.

A Lot of that forest & vegetation spine is already there. But there are still blockages. The effect of climate change wil likely to be less severe in systems that have some resilience & that we haven't gone in & buggered up.

The creation of the corridor was agreed by state & federal governments this year amid international warnings that the country -- already the world's driest inhabited continent -- is suffering from an accelerated Greenhouse effect. Climate scientists have predicted temperatures rising by up to 6.7 degrees celsius by 2080 in the country's vast outback to slash 1% from the $803 billion economy.

The corridor , under discussion since the 1990's as the argument in support of climate change strengthened, will link national parks, state forests & government land. It will help preserve scores of endangered species.