Summer Scorcher On The Cards

29.11.18 By
This content is more than 5 years old

AUSTRALIA LOOKS SET to experience another angry summer, with the Bureau of Meteorology’s latest outlook indicating the next three months are likely to be hotter than normal.

“Unfortunately, what’s considered ‘normal’ is being turned upside down as a result of climate change,” said the Climate Council’s acting CEO, Dr Martin Rice.

“Climate change is cranking up the intensity of extreme weather events and Australia is particularly vulnerable. We know climate change is making the current drought worse,” he said.

“Many Australians are asking about the link between the catastrophic bushfires currently burning in Queensland and climate change. We know climate change is increasing the incidence of extreme heat and making heatwaves longer and more frequent, leading to a higher bushfire risk in Queensland,” said Dr Rice.

“This creates many challenges for us. We are going to need more resources to fight and manage fires,” said Dr Rice.

Today’s outlook from the Bureau of Meteorology finds the chance of an El Niño forming is 70 percent, roughly triple the normal risk.  An El Niño typically brings drier and warmer conditions to eastern Australia.

“Australia’s greenhouse gas pollution levels have been consistently rising for three years, while the Federal Government had failed to roll out any credible climate policy. This needs to change in order to reduce our risk of exposure to extreme weather events” said Dr Rice.  

“We still have a window of opportunity to act, but it’s rapidly closing.”


For more information please contact Senior Communications Advisor Lisa Upton on 0438 972 260.

The Climate Council is Australia’s leading climate change communications organisation. We provide authoritative, expert and evidence-based advice on climate change to journalists, policymakers, and the wider Australian community.

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