The rising tide of fear for a planet in peril

The global climate is changing and so is Australia. During the last decade has seen more severe droughts, bushfires are more intense seasons, increased monsoon rains and record heat waves, all consistent with climate change projections due to increased emissions greenhouse gases.

The seriousness of the devastating Black Friday fires exceeded all previous experiences came during a record heat wave. Off-season forest fires were burning in the north and south of Sydney during the winter of this year.

Climate extremes previously thought that once in a generation event occurs every ten years or sometimes less. Heatwave breaks records almost routinely in southeastern Australia, Adelaide and Melbourne which particularly affected. Drinking water supply in Perth has fallen since the 1970s to the point where desalination plants is considered essential.

However, the Australians are accustomed to a harsh climate, so that what has been different in recent decades? The difference in the severity of these events, the return period of the worst of these extreme climatic events and attribution of climate trends underlying human-induced climate change.