Australia's politicians procrastinate as Europe swelters

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ustralia’s politicians continue to procrastinate about whether or not global warming is human induced as Europe swelters in a record breaking heatwave that scientists are “nearly certain” is worsened by climate change.

Those who see growth and profit through business as usual have latched onto that infinitesimally small segment of doubt that sits between “nearly certain” and “certain” to call for a “do-nothing” approach, or “let’s wait until the real evidence is in” before we act.

Meanwhile Germany and Spain sweated and London sweltered through its hottest July day on record this week, scientists said it is "virtually certain" that climate change is increasing the likelihood of such heat waves in Europe.

In real-time data analysis released on Friday, a team of international climate scientists from universities, meteorological services and research organisations said the kind of heat waves hitting Europe this week - defined as three-day periods of excessive heat - are becoming much more frequent in the region.

In De Bilt in the Netherlands, for example, a heat wave like the one forecast for the next few days would have been a roughly 1-in-30-years event in the 1900s, according to the scientists.  It is now likely to happen every three and a half years, they said.

Read the Sydney Morning Herald story - “Scientists convinced European heat waves made more likely by climate change”.