Australia has been warned: it鈥檚 time to adapt to a changed climate. The extreme weather that has rocked the country over the last couple of years is a result of human-induced climate change, and will only get worse without immediate drastic action, according to the , an independent advisory body set up by the Australian government.
鈥淐limate change is making many extreme events worse in terms of their impacts on people, property, communities and the environment,鈥� says climate commissioner Will Steffen. 鈥淲e are very concerned that the risk of more frequent and more severe extreme weather events is increasing as we continue to emit more and more greenhouse gases.鈥�
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The report, , warns that emergency services, health authorities and communities must prepare for increasingly common bouts of extreme heat, bush-fire conditions, heavy rainfall and drought. It pinpoints the southeastern parts of Australia, containing some of the country鈥檚 most densely populated areas 鈥� including Sydney and Melbourne 鈥� 鈥渁s being at increased risk from many extreme weather events 鈥� heatwaves, bushfires, heavy rainfall and sea-level rise.鈥�
This comes just weeks after another independent group set up by the recommending that, because of climate change, the military 鈥渟tart planning for responding to scenarios such as a devastating bushfire at home at the same time that a storm surge hits the Pacific鈥�.
When Australia officially emerged from a decade-long drought recently, far from being a cue for relief, the announcement came amid devastating floods, storms and the worst heatwaves on record.
Record-breaking summer
The summer that just ended , including hottest summer and hottest day, as well as 26 daily rainfall records at different locations around the country.
鈥淩ecords are broken from time to time, but record-breaking weather is becoming more common as the climate shifts,鈥� says Tim Flannery, the chief climate commissioner.
The report projects that by the end of the century, Darwin, in Australia鈥檚 north, will experience 312 days of weather above 35聽掳C each year 鈥� up from just eight in 2008. Associated with such extended extreme weather will be a rise in infectious diseases, mental health problems and deaths among people with compromised health.
While the extreme rain events are likely to be more common in some areas, droughts are also predicted to become more frequent across some of the country鈥檚 major food-growing areas.
鈥淪tabilising the climate is like turning around a battleship 鈥� it cannot be done immediately given its momentum,鈥� the report warns. 鈥淲hen danger is ahead you must start turning the wheel now. Any delay means that it is more and more difficult to avert the future danger.鈥�
