As an engineer I am finding the emotional, sometimes hysterical unsubstantiated claims about climate change very frustrating - and it is coming from both sides of politics. In many cases it is obvious someone is getting on the bandwagon, not giving a toss about climate change but just seeing it as a way of advancing their own agenda. This is to the detriment of those of us genuinely worried about the possible negative impact of our actions on the planet. We get tarred with the same hysteria brush. Over the years I have found some good sources to follow - even though they are on opposite ends of the political spectrum and one is clearly a lobbyist.
One reasonably reliable source is the CSIRO. They offer a really useful climate change explorer here:
In addition there climate change report makes for relatively unemotive reading.
Highlights are:
Australia's climate has warmed just over 1 °C since 1910 leading to an increase in the frequency of extreme heat events.
Oceans around Australia have warmed by around 1 °C since 1910, contributing to longer and more frequent marine heatwaves.
Sea levels are rising around Australia, increasing the risk of inundation.
The oceans around Australia are acidifying (the pH is decreasing).
April to October rainfall has decreased in the southwest of Australia. Across the same region May–July rainfall has seen the largest decrease, by around 20 per cent since 1970. There has been a decline of around 11 per cent in April–October rainfall in the southeast of Australia since the late 1990s.Rainfall has increased across parts of northern Australia since the 1970s.Streamflow has decreased across southern Australia. Streamflow has increased in northern Australia where rainfall has increased.
There has been a long-term increase in extreme fire weather, and in the length of the fire season across large parts of Australia.
Are implications negative ? Australia is projected to experience:
Further increases in sea and air temperatures, with more hot days and marine heatwaves, and fewer cool extremes.
Further sea level rise and ocean acidification.
Decreases in rainfall across southern Australia with more time in drought, but an increase in intense heavy rainfall throughout Australia.
