Sydney Sees Red

Climate change is already high on the political agenda worldwide. But it was literally in your face if you live in Sydney.

Australia's largest city woke to an eerie alien landscape this morning as red dust from drought-ridden western New South Wales blew east and landed over south-east Queensland. While dust storms are part and parcel of life down under, this one was particularly intense and reported to be the worst in 70 years.

There's some debate as to whether climate change was to blame, but the BBC's Phil Mercer claims it comes on the back of 24-hours of earthquakes, hail storms and bush fires in Australia.

According to a report by news.com.au, the dust storm meant particle concentration in the air was three times what you might endure in a bushfire. Levels on a normal day are 10 micrograms of particles per cubic metre of air, while the dust storm took them to 15,400.

Emergency services have been swamped by usually healthy people suffering breathing problems, and one enterprising hardware store in the business district handed out around 600 face masks in 40 minutes.
Those who braved the commute by car faced gridlock, while cancelled harbour ferries -- which link business districts on the South and North Shore -- would've disrupted even the most determined employee's day.

International flights were cancelled or diverted, and domestic flights such as the busy Melbourne-Sydney run were pitched into chaos by poor visibility. A statement by local carrier Jetstar suggests the chaos will continue for at least a couple of days.

The cost to individual businesses is not yet known, but here's hoping it's less than the estimated price tag attached to the UK's freak snow -- around £1bn. I'd suggest some rose-tinted spectacles for employers, but I don't think they need them.