Australia: 'Angry Summer' made worse by climate change: Commission

[Matilda]

Source: Australian Broadcasting Corporation

[IMG][/IMG]

The latest report from the Federal Government's Climate Commission says the weather extremes experienced around the country this summer were made worse by climate change.

The report - The Angry Summer - says the extreme heat, floods and bushfires experienced around country were all aggravated by a shifting climate, and it warns the trend is likely to continue

Climate Commission chief Professor Tim Flannery says that while Australia may have always been a land of drought and flooding rains, the nation is now experiencing a "climate on steroids".



Read more: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-03-04/climate-commission-says-summer-extremes-made-worse-by-climate/4550894

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Australia isn't alone in this, although the extremes are possibly more evident here at the moment.

It's now officially autumn (fall), and we have flooding in the north-east of the country, bushfires in the south-east, and here in Sydney we're experiencing unseasonable heavy rainfalls accompanied by wild winds that are normally seen only in late-winter to early spring (August).

And polling suggests that Australians are poised to elect as leader a man who doesn't believe in climate change and has promised to repeal the Gillard government's climate change legislation, weak though it is.

What will it take for people to sit up and take notice?

[Kolesar]

1. I gather that the "jet stream" shifted and moved storms away from the Australian mountains

...where the snow usually falls to produce an adequate snow pack to store water for the population centers in the south east of the country. The ski season has been screwed for years.

[harkonen]

2. Does Santa STILL Surf Ashore There for XMESS?

Last edited Mon Mar 4, 2013, 02:44 PM - Edit history (3)

That tells me EVERYTHING I might EVER continue to be curious about concerning Australia and its culture. Remember, humans are the ONLY primate that survives primarily by culture. That said, you might want to work on yours a bit to get those dole bludgers out there on Bondi Beach to sit up and take notice. Otherwise, you're going to end up like we are here in the States; a consumer colony of China. If 2016 rolls around and the Earth's atmosphere's CO2 ppm isn't reduced to at least 350ppm (currently at around 392ppm), we're doomed anyway. The Earth will persist, but the human species will begin to witness its own extinction beginning around 2030. Tell that one to those dole bludgers sitting out there on Bondi Beach in the middle of the fucking day on a goddamn Monday! Tell that one to CSIRO and DSTO. Talk to the ex lead singer of Midnight Oil; Peter Garrett. He's a member of your Parliament, and should be have an attentive ear for this topic. Good on you for trying. Apathy won't cut it anymore. Sorry to be so harsh. Australia is the Planet's Climate Change Canary in the Coal Mine. The "Lucky Country" is not so much these days it seems because it has become a resource colony for China...among other things.
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[longship]

4. Yup.

3... 2... 1...

[Warpy]

3. Not until millions die in China from heat and suffocating coal smoke

will governments bother to do much of anything about it. I'm predicting China because, while they're pouring money into clean energy research, they're committed to using the filthiest form of coal to heat their houses and cook their food.

Even Mexico City has managed to improve their air quality by 40%. So far, China has done nothing but bring more coal fired electric plants on line.

There will have to be a major human catastrophe before politicians will be motivated to do their damned jobs.

[Matilda]

5. And Australia sells China the coal that it needs.

We only have climate change laws in place because it was forced through by the Greens. The government isn't really serious, and Tony Abbott is only good for dog-whistling.

And when the human catastophe hits, it will already be too late.

[KamaAina]

6. And China exports (dumps) its green technology to the U.S.

That, not the government loan, was the downfall of Solyndra: the Chinese dumped their flat solar panels on us and drove Solyndra and its more advanced technology out of business.

Then, for all I know, they bought it up at the ensuing fire sale.

And if they wanted to, being a centrally planned economy, they could direct suburban growth along rail lines leading into Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong/Shenzhen. But they haven't.

[Berlum]

7. "Snerdly, cook me up a fresh batch of lies." - Rush 'DraftDodger' Limbaugh (R)

"Our old Republican lies on climate change are just not good enough to sucker people any more. We need more more more fresh new Republican lies, and we need them now."

- Rush 'DraftDodger' Limbaugh (R)

[roxy1234]

8. And here Topher demonstrates

How the Australian govt itself is contributing to climate change with their horrible mismanagement of water and environmental management. Please watch Tophers videos on this issue.