The Earth 'sizzled' in March, and there's worse to come

An infrared image of the category-5 strength
Tropical Cyclone Fantala, described as the
 most powerful storm recorded in the Indian Ocean

The Earth sizzled in March with the most unusually warm month in recorded history as average land surface temperatures easily exceeded levels deemed by scientists to constitute dangerous climate change.

The abnormal weather has continued into April as the most powerful tropical cyclone ever recorded in the Indian Ocean dumped rain at rates reaching 300 mm an hour, and Australian scientists declared the worst coral bleaching event ever on the Great Barrier Reef.

Combined global land and sea-surface temperatures in March were 1.22 degrees above the 20th-century average, beating the previous record for the month - set just a year earlier - by almost one-third of a degree, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said. Each of the past 11 months have now broken global temperature records, the longest such streak in the agency's 137 years of data collection.

Read Peter Hannam’s story in today’s Melbourne Age - “'Worse things in store': Steaming hot world sets more temperature records.”

Professor Karoly wants us to understand the risks of climate change

Professor David Karoly.

Every day, we make decisions based on risk assessments. When we get into a car, we put on a safety belt. We take out insurance to avoid the possible costs of our home burning down. What chances would you accept that our society and our planet will experience dangerous climate change?

When we make life or death decisions for our family members, we seek to minimise the risk. Would you put your children onto a plane if you were told there was a one in a hundred chance that it was going to crash? What chances do you want our government to take that will expose you and your family, or other people around the world, to dangerous climate change?

“Australia has the highest emissions of greenhouse gases per person of any developed country so it is making a disproportionately large contribution to global warming.”

Governments from 195 countries are meeting this week in Paris to reach a new global agreement to avoid dangerous climate change. They know the science and they're are trying to agree on targets and processes for reducing emissions of greenhouse gases from our activities that are causing global warming. They are also trying to manage the unavoidable impacts of climate change that have already occurred or are locked in place.

Read the comment in today’s Melbourne Age by University of Melbourne Atmospheric Scientist and member of the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists, Professor David Karoly - “Global warming: what level of risk would you accept?”

G20 governments back fossil fuel companies, undermine climate change efforts

G

20 country governments are providing $452 billion a year in subsidies for the production of fossil fuels.

Their continued support for fossil fuel production marries bad economics with potentially disastrous consequences for the climate.

In effect, governments are propping up the production of oil, gas and coal, most of which can never be used if the world is to avoid dangerous climate change.

It is tantamount to G20 governments allowing fossil fuel producers to undermine national climate commitments, while paying them for the privilege.

Read the Oil Change International story - “Empty promises: G20 subsidies to oil, gas and coal production.”