Climate change making Australian drought conditions worse

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limate change is making drought conditions in southwest and southeast Australia worse, with serious ramifications for people’s health and the agriculture industry, a new paper has warned.

The Climate Council report states that since the mid-1990s, southeast Australia has experienced a 15 percent drop in rainfall during late autumn and early winter, with a 25 percent slump in average rainfall in April and May.

The Climate Central story - “Climate Change Makes Droughts in Australia Worse” – says that severe droughts were linked to a drop in agricultural productivity and a 15 percent increase in suicide risk for rural males aged between 30 and 49.