The latest “State of the Climate Report 2024” has revealed concerning trends in Australia’s climate, including more extreme heat events, lengthening fire seasons, intensified heavy rainfall, and rising sea levels. Released jointly by the CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology, the biennial report brings together the newest data from national and international climate research, monitoring, and projections.
Key findings indicate that ocean temperatures around Australia are escalating, causing oceans to become more acidic, especially to the south of the continent. Dr Jaci Brown, CSIRO Research Manager, highlighted the severe repercussions this has had on marine environments. “Warming of the ocean has contributed to longer and more frequent marine heatwaves, with the highest average sea surface temperature on record occurring in 2022,” Dr Brown stated. She noted that the Great Barrier Reef experienced significant coral bleaching events this year due to these temperature rises.
The report notes that global mean sea levels have shown a dramatic increase, with a rise of approximately 22 centimetres since 1900, half of which has occurred since 1970. According to Dr Brown, “Rising sea levels around Australia are increasing the risk of inundation and damage to coastal infrastructure and communities.”
Dr Karl Braganza, Climate Services Manager at the Bureau of Meteorology, added insights into the changing patterns of weather affecting the continent. “Australia is continuing to warm, with eight of the nine warmest years on record occurring since 2013,” he remarked. This warming trend has resulted in increased extreme fire weather and extended fire seasons across large parts of the country.
Dr Braganza also pointed to a shift towards drier conditions between April and October in the southwest and southeast of Australia, with southwest Australia now experiencing what appears to be a permanent reduction in rainfall. “The lower rainfall in the cooler months is leading to lower average streamflow in those regions, which can impact soil moisture and water storage levels and increase the risk of drought. Droughts this century have been significantly hotter than those in the past,” he explained.
Despite these challenges, there have been increases of around 10% or more in the intensity of heavy rainfall events in some regions. “The largest increases are in the north of the country, with seven of the ten wettest wet seasons since 1998 occurring in northern Australia,” Dr Braganza stated.
Despite a decrease in emissions since 2005, Australia faces the challenge of accelerating its rate of emissions reduction to achieve the 2030 targets. The ongoing trend of rising temperatures is expected to bring more extremely hot days and fewer extremely cool days in future decades.
The “State of the Climate 2024” report highlights the critical need for continued monitoring and actions to manage and mitigate climate risks. The full report is accessible on both the CSIRO and Bureau of Meteorology websites, providing detailed information that supports efforts in climate risk management and adaptation strategies.
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