Climate change driving many trends in BOM report

28.10.16 By
This content is more than 7 years old

New data released by the Bureau of Meteorology has the fingerprints of climate change all over it, the Climate Council said today.

The State of the Climate report reveals Australia’s mean surface air temperature and surrounding sea surface temperature have both warmed by around 1°C since 1910.

The report finds extreme heat events have become longer, hotter and more frequent since the 1970s.

Large parts of Australia have also recorded increases in extreme fire danger weather and longer fire seasons.

The report also found:

Climate Councillor Professor Lesley Hughes said climate change was driving many of the trends noted in the State of the Climate report.

“Australia’s emissions reduction target of 26-28% on 2005 levels by 2030 is not sufficient to protect Australians from worsening heatwaves, bushfires and other extreme weather events,” she said.

“Australia must reduce its emissions rapidly and deeply to join global efforts to stabilise the world’s climate and to reduce the risk of exposure to extreme events.”

For media enquiries, please contact Head of Communications Jessica Craven on 0400 424 559 or jess@climatecouncil.org.au