Australia has just experienced some of the hottest months on record, according to the Bureau of Meteorology’s recent climate report.
A study conducted by the Bureau of Meteorology found the country’s average and minimum temperatures for March were among the highest in history. On 6 April, Sydney had its hottest April day on record, with a 34.2 degree celsius reading. This temperature beat a high of 33.9 degrees celsius that stood for 30 years.
According to experts, April has so far also produced higher than average temperatures.
“There will be changes in how hot it is, as weather patterns do change. However, the underlying trend continues to drive new records in upper temperature and there’s no reason to believe this is going to stop in the near future. It cannot stop in the short term,” University of Wollongong atmospheric chemist Prof. Stephen Wilson said.
Global statistics found while many countries were experiencing climate change, Australia is more affected than most because it is already hot and it is an island.
NASA revealed climate change could also be attributed to small variations in the Earth’s orbit. These variations change the amount of solar energy the planet receives, which causes temperatures to change. NASA research concluded the current warming trend is particularly significant, as humans probably cause most of it through the emission of greenhouse gases.
Prof. Wilson said climate change has the potential to create large problems for Australia. He said it could affect temperature, rain patterns and extreme weather events, such as cyclones.
“I think that the 20 years Australia has spent largely ignoring climate change means that economically we are more exposed to the risks of climate change than we should be,” he said.
“Nearly all life that we take note of is affected by the climate, and so will be impacted upon by climate change. It will benefit some species and be devastating for others. The question is: do we care about those things we lose?”
