Climate change is fuelling “super-charged storms” and Australia is failing to combat the trend, according to a Climate Council report.

The annual frequency of potentially severe thunderstorms is likely to rise by 30% for Sydney, 22% for Melbourne and 14% for Brisbane by 2100, it says.

The risk of coastal flooding is increasing due to intensified storms and rising sea levels – projected to increase by up to one metre by 2100.

Tropical cyclones, east coast lows and extreme rainfall are produced in an atmosphere “packed” with more energy and moisture than in the 1950s, the report says.

Extreme rainfall events are projected to become more intense across the continent, except in southwest WA, while tropical cyclones will become less frequent but more intense.

East coast lows are expected to reduce in frequency by a third, but achieve greater intensity.

In June SA suffered one of its worse storms in 50 years, with 80,000 lightning strikes and golf ball-sized hailstones. About 1.7 million people experienced power cuts.

Parts of NSW are still reeling from the east coast low in July.

“Without strong action on climate change, storms and other extreme weather events will continue to become more intense and more damaging,” the report says.

The council says Australia is on course to miss its “very weak” target of a 26-28% reduction in emissions by 2030, leaving us “lagging well behind other OECD countries”.