"Rain bomb."

Those were the words used to describe the weather in BrisbaneThe third-largest city in Australia, situated on the east coast. on Sunday. Four inches of rain fell, causing flash floods. Roads were cut and train services halted; 2,145 homes and 2,356 businesses were left underwater. Almost 1,000 schools were unable to open.   

"No one has seen this amount of rain in such a short period of time," said the prime minister of QueenslandOne of the six states which make up Australia., Annastacia Palaszczuk.

Brisbane suffered floods in 2011. They were called a "once in a century event". We now know they were not.

The news will come as no surprise to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). It published its latest reportOn average the IPCC issues a report every four years. yesterday.

The report focuses on climate change. It warned that global warming could reach 1.5C above pre-industrial levels within 20 years.

At that point, up to 14% of land-based species would face extinction. Those that live on coasts or are dependent on rivers are most at risk, with their habitats threatened by rises in sea levels and droughts.

Other dangers include heatwaves, the spread of disease and a fall in food production.

The report examines whether people can adapt to cope with these problems. Forty per cent of humans are considered "highly vulnerable". According to one of the authors, we need "transformational changes... everything from our food to our energy to transportation, but also our politics and our society".

The UNUnited Nations. An intergovernmental organisation based in New York that aims to maintain international peace and security. has set a targetIt was set in the UN's Convention on Biodiversity. of making at least 30% of the world's land, ocean and freshwater into conservation areas. At present, the figures for each are just 15%, 8% and 21% respectively.

The suggestions for dealing with extreme weather include developing early warning systems and building seawalls and river barriers. Particular emphasis is put on "nature-based" solutions.

Tree-planting is an example. As well as absorbing CO2, trees help protect land from flooding and prevent landslips. MangroveA tree that grows in warm coastal water. swamps act as natural seawalls.

Developing these defences is predicted to cost half as much as building artificial ones. It could save up to £180bn a year.

There are other advantages. Nature-based solutions create jobs, help combat pollution and restore wildlife habitats. Mangrove swamps increase fish stocks - around a third of them have been damaged in recent decades. Restoring them would be hugely beneficial.

Yes: If nature were left to its own devices, climate change would not be a problem. Natural forces always find a way of balancing themselves. Human interference only makes things worse.

No: If climate change is to be halted, it will have to be through our own efforts. Trying to harness nature is a waste of time. We need drastic solutions. They can only be provided by human science.

Or... Science should study how nature works and take it further. Only by accelerating natural processes with the help of technology can we solve the problem quickly enough to survive.