Climate change has pushed the world's oceans to record temperatures - Science News - ABC News. The world's oceans were warmer in 2019 than at any time in recorded history, a new analysis confirms.
Key points: The Earth's oceans absorbed the equivalent of about 394 million Hiroshima atomic bombs of extra energy last yearOcean warming is contributing to extreme weather events including bushfiresThe rate of ocean warming has increased by 450 per cent in the last 30 years compared to the previous 30-year period The past five years all set records for the highest average annual ocean temperatures, with last year continuing the trend upwards. The authors of the report, published in Advances in Atmospheric Science on Tuesday, said climate change is unequivocally to blame for the consistent ocean temperature increase. "This measured ocean warming is irrefutable and is further proof of global warming," lead author Lijing Cheng from the Chinese Academy of Sciences said.
The single year increase in stored energy between 2018 and 2019 was equivalent to around 394 million Hiroshima bombs. Government pledges $50m for wildlife impacted by bushfires as koalas may become endangered. Updated 39 minutes agoMon 13 Jan 2020, 6:09am The Federal Environment Minister is concerned koalas could now be endangered in some areas as the Government establishes a $50 million emergency fund to address the devastating loss of wildlife this bushfire season.
Key points: The $50 million in funding will be split between an expert advisory panel and community groupsKoalas will be a focus for restoration efforts, with as much as 30 per cent of koala habitat destroyedWildlife specialists describe "the bodies of charred animals as far as the eye can see" in bushfire-ravaged areas The "initial contribution" funding comes from the $2 billion bushfire relief fund announced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison last week.
"This has been an ecological disaster, a disaster that is still unfolding," Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said. "We know that our native flora and fauna have been very badly damaged. " Kangaroo Island wildlife still being found alive in charred national park, as livestock loss revealed. Posted 27 minutes agoSun 12 Jan 2020, 5:27am Kangaroo Island koalas, kangaroos and pademelons are still being found alive in the charred Flinders Chase National Park and timber plantations more than a week after bushfires devastated the area.
Key points: More than 32,000 livestock animals were lost in the Kangaroo Island blazeThe Humane Society International has deployed a team to help recover injured wildlifeMayor Michael Pengilly has backed the proposed royal commission into the fire disaster But animal welfare agencies hold grave concerns for their ongoing survival as starvation becomes a threat for those that made it through the bushfires. It comes as the State Government today released the number of livestock that was lost on Kangaroo Island. More than 32,000 livestock animals, mostly sheep, perished in the blazes. Primary Industries and Regional SA (PIRSA) also stated 830 hives and 115 nucleus hives were destroyed.
Indigenous fire practices have been used to quell bushfires for thousands of years, experts say. Posted about 4 hours agoWed 8 Jan 2020, 8:01pm As Australia's bushfire emergency rages on, discussion over fire authorities' potential use of Indigenous and cultural fire practices has come under the spotlight.
But what are these practices? Where can they be implemented? And how can they help? Coral in the Gulf of Aqaba is thriving despite rising sea temperatures and scientists want to know why. Updated about 2 hours agoFri 27 Dec 2019, 10:38pm The Red Sea could be the last place in the world where coral reefs will survive.
Key points: Australian scientists are working with counterparts in Israel and Jordan to find out why coral in the Gulf of Aqaba is thriving despite rising temperaturesScientists believe it is genetically disposed to withstand warmer waterUp to half of the Great Barrier Reef has been affected by bleaching Unlike corals in the Great Barrier Reef and elsewhere, the corals in the northern part of the Red Sea are not bleaching and dying when the sea temperature rises. Instead, they are thriving. Dire predictions for future Kimberley heatwaves, but climate scientists warn against 'crying wolf' Posted about 4 hours agoSun 15 Dec 2019, 8:28pm Climate scientists have cautioned against "crying wolf" on the unfolding impacts of climate change, as new research suggests a dramatic upswing in heatwaves across northern Australia.
Key points: The Australia Institute predicts Broome will have 195 days a year above 35C by 2050, and 286 days a year by 2090A respected climate scientist is wary of the research and cautious about overstating forecasts, believing people "will stop listening"A CSIRO researcher, whose data was used in the report, says while some predictions are high others "seem reasonable" Released by think tank The Australia Institute this week, the Kimberley HeatWatch report pointed to an unprecedented rise in hot weather across the West Australia's Kimberley by the end of the century.
"Extreme heat days in Broome are projected to increase from an average of 81 days above 35 degrees, to up to 195 days by 2050 and potentially up to 286 days by 2090," the report said. Is fragile masculinity the biggest obstacle to climate action? Opinion By Megan MacKenzie Posted 14 Dec 2019, 7:00pmSat 14 Dec 2019, 7:00pm Growing up in Moose Jaw, Canada, it never occurred to me that some people didn't know what truck nuts were.
For all you city-slickers, truck nuts (or truck nutz, depending on your preferred provider) are crafted testicles designed to hang from the back of your truck. Tharwa residents are digging in mud to access water as bushfire anxiety grows. Updated about 2 hours agoFri 13 Dec 2019, 10:56pm With five kids under one roof, shower time at Veronica Versanyi's home happens under a strict schedule.
"If we have got the kids visiting friends or [if they] have sleepovers in town we encourage them to wash their hair while they're there, just so we can save water," she said. Just 45 minutes from Canberra's city centre, Ms Versanyi is one of the many Tharwa residents struggling with a limited and unreliable water supply. And now there are growing concerns about bushfire risk as they try to find a solution to the water supply problem.
Donald Trump mocked Greta Thunberg over Time's Person of the Year announcement — so the teen climate activist fired back. Posted about 3 hours agoThu 12 Dec 2019, 9:47pm Teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg has taken aim at Donald Trump in a tongue-in-cheek jibe on social media, after the US President said her selection as Time's Person of the Year was "so ridiculous".
Key points: US President Donald Trump tweeted that Greta Thunberg needed to "chill"Mr Trump is the second world leader to take aim at Ms Thunberg this week after Brazil's President called her a "brat"Ms Thunberg responded by mocking Mr Trump's comments in her Twitter biography Ms Thunberg won the magazine's annual honorific on Wednesday, for her work inspiring millions of young people to take action against climate change. The Swedish teenager has become a symbol of a growing movement of young climate activists after leading weekly school strikes in her country that inspired similar actions in about 100 cities worldwide. NSW bushfires could cripple forests' ability to reabsorb carbon dioxide, climate scientists say. Updated 57 minutes agoWed 11 Dec 2019, 11:55pm Australia's bushfires have been so devastating, the country's forests may not be able to reabsorb the toxic carbon dioxide produced by the blazes, climate scientists say.
At least 2.7 million hectares of NSW land, including "exceptionally carbon-dense" forests, have been burnt this bushfire seasonDrought and intense blazes have disrupted vegetation's bushfire recovery processOne academic has compared the crisis to the Amazon fires. Threatened sharks and rays continue to decline in Australia despite being listed under environmental protection laws - Science News - ABC News. A number of sharks and rays in Australia are creeping towards extinction, a new report has found. Key points: 11 species of threatened sharks or rays have failed to recover and some have declined further, according to a new reportCommercial fishing, habitat degradation and climate change pose the greatest threat to sharks in AustraliaThe scalloped hammerhead has been upgraded to critically endangered None of the sharks and rays listed as endangered under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act have shown any sign of recovery, and some have continued to decline, according to a new report.
The report from the Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) and Humane Society International looked at how well Australia's national environment laws were functioning to protect and recover threatened species, said Tooni Mahto from AMCS. "None of the listed species have shown any sign of recovery," Ms Mahto said. I'm a critical thinking expert. This is how you win any climate change debate like Greta Thunberg. Analysis Posted about 3 hours agoWed 11 Dec 2019, 5:59am As bushfires rage and our cities lie shrouded in smoke, climate change is shaping as a likely topic of conversation at the family dinner table this Christmas.
Such discussions can be fraught if family members hold differing views. You may not all agree on the urgency of dealing with climate change — or indeed whether it is happening at all. When I teach the art of argumentation — a core skill of critical thinking — I tell my students about the concept of "point at issue". These illustrations show Sydney's smoke like you've never seen it before.
Relocating fish by hand from drying watering holes has teenager braving barbs and saving 100 native fish. Updated about 7 hours agoSun 8 Dec 2019, 9:39pm A teenage boy from drought-ravaged Tenterfield is so worried about the health of the fish in his farm's river he has taken matters into his own hands to save them — one at a time. Stuart Moodie has managed to rescue more than 100 native fish on the Mole River, in far northern New South Wales, by catching the fish by hand in muddy water and moving them into larger waterholes.
"I've been going down early every day after school and catching the catfish and cod and taking them out and putting them in a dam, keeping them alive as much as I can," he said. The 13-year-old said a neighbour taught him how to hand-catch fish and he has since then refined his technique, relying on the sense of touch. Smoke and bushfires are the new norm, so how do we beat the 'airpocalypse'? Updated 10 Dec 2019, 12:35amTue 10 Dec 2019, 12:35am While towns along the east coast battle the blazes threatening to devour their homes, Sydney is fighting a different enemy: the pall of smoke that's choking the city. The air quality is already three times worse than at any moment in the past five years — and it's not showing signs of slowing down.
Cue the familiar jibes about something not being taken seriously until it reaches Sydney. But fire ecologist Professor David Bowman says the city's woes are a sign of the state's bigger problem. "The classic disaster narrative is disaster, [and then] disaster ends," he says. See how climate change has impacted the world since your childhood. Greta Thunberg 'energised' as she heads to COP25 climate talks after three-week voyage across Atlantic Ocean. Updated about an hour agoTue 3 Dec 2019, 10:19pm Climate activist Greta Thunberg has arrived by catamaran in the port of Lisbon after a three-week voyage across the Atlantic Ocean from the United States.
Key words: Greta Thunberg arrived in the port of Lisbon before heading to neighbouring city MadridMs Thunberg was on track to attend the climate negotiations in Santiago until the meetings were movedThe activist broke the news of her late arrival to the conference on Monday The Swedish teen arrived with her father in the port of the Portuguese capital on Tuesday [local time] and was sailing toward the quay, before heading to neighbouring Spain to attend the COP 25 UN Climate Change Conference taking place in Madrid. Ms Thunberg told dozens of reporters and activists she felt "energised" after the journey and plans to keep pressing political leaders to make climate change their top priority.
"People are underestimating the force of angry kids," she said. Could climate change become a security issue — and threaten democracy? Grandmother dumps burnt remains of home at Parliament House in climate change protest. Saltmarshes vital to keep coastal ecosystems healthy and blue carbon storage in place. Posted about 3 hours agoThu 28 Nov 2019, 9:02pm Often dismissed as hostile environments full of mosquitoes and swamps, saltmarshes play a vital role in keeping coastal ecosystems healthy. For some climate systems, the window to act may have already closed, scientists say, urging immediate action - Science News - ABC News. In protests around the world this year, kids on strike from school have been setting the agenda on climate change.
Global fossil fuel output set to swamp Paris climate goals, UN report warns. These two Western Sydney streets are completely different temperatures — here's why. Arctic Circle burns as heatwaves plague Europe and the US. Posted 25 Jul 2019, 6:58amThu 25 Jul 2019, 6:58am Scientists have released alarming new satellite images showing enormous wildfires spreading across the Arctic Circle, with potentially dire consequences for the environment. Climate change to be the focus as Scott Morrison attends Pacific Islands Forum.
Posted about 4 hours agoSat 10 Aug 2019, 9:09pm Scott Morrison's pledge to "step up" relations with the Pacific will be put to the test this coming week, with the Prime Minister heading to Tuvalu for talks with Pacific leaders. IPCC report encourages a move to plant-based diets, so how sustainable is Australian meat? IPCC climate change report calls for urgent overhaul of food production, land management - Science News - ABC News. We must urgently revolutionise what we eat, how we grow it and the way we use land if the world is to combat dangerous climate change, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report published on Thursday. Sea level rise began accelerating in the 1960s, researchers find - Science News - ABC News.
Extinction Rebellion ramps up civil disobedience to deliberately get in people's faces. Amazon deforestation leads to firing of scientist after President Jair Bolsonaro takes issue with data. King Island, in Bass Strait, generates 50 per cent of its energy from wind and solar power. Greta Thunberg, the teen behind climate strikes, hits back at Andrew Bolt column. Curious Climate: How the bushfire risk will change as Australian summers get drier and hotter. Australia's Emissions Reduction Fund fails to increase carbon abatement, data shows. How future-proofing forests could create hybrid trees impervious to climate change.
How much has Tasmania's climate changed in the 100 years to now? Climate change could drown Kiribati, but the nation looks for Noah's Ark. Researchers on international hunt for 'climate change-resilient' grains - ABC Rural - ABC News. Lionfish are invading Mediterranean waters and Cyprus is trying to eat its way out of the crisis. Are there really 54,000 people employed in thermal coal mining? - Fact Check. 'Hasn't climate change always happened?' Scientists address the big questions. Climate change protesters causing peak-hour delays in Brisbane. Strike for climate movement encouraging workers to down tools and demand emergency action. Drought and climate change blamed for the death of centuries-old sandalwood trees. Climate change could be paused by planting trees, researchers say, as they map out available land - Science News - ABC News. What fallen civilisations can teach us about avoiding our own 'social catastrophe'
A new team is working to predict the danger zones of Australia's deadliest heatwaves. Climate change and the European heatwave: It's complicated. Amazon fights emissions transparency in Australia, citing 'trade secrets' - Science News - ABC News. Fears northern Australian mangrove forests could 'drown' due to rising seas. Chennai's the latest city to have almost run out of water, and other cities could follow suit. Britain to use more clean power than fossil fuels for the first time in 2019. Businesses that ignore climate change could face 'Kodak moment', warns APRA. Temperature rises will make Brisbane a 'difficult place to live' within 30 years, report finds. Cold War spy satellite images show Himalayan glaciers are melting fast. Greenland's 'very unusual' early ice melt captured in dramatic image.
Himalayas environment change 'mind-boggling', leading scientist says. We still have time to act on climate change — but records will tumble for next 20 years regardless of emissions: study - Science News - ABC News. Lumholtz's tree kangaroo blindness mystifies experts, but toxic leaves could be to blame. Australia's Emissions Reduction Fund is failing to deliver, government data shows. Bitcoin's annual carbon footprint equal to Las Vegas, researchers say. Nearly a billion people facing high exposure to climate change effects, Global Peace Index finds. Billionaire Michael Bloomberg pledges $715 million to close US coal power plants.
Golden bowerbirds' building prowess helps scientists monitor climate change, and alarm bells are ringing. Carbon neutral livestock production — consumers want it and farmers say it is achievable - ABC Rural - ABC News. Australia's greenhouse gas emissions rise again, according to delayed Federal Government data. Water stations may help koalas survive ongoing drought and heat events, research finds. Is streaming music worse for the environment than buying CDs and records?
The Pentagon is defying Donald Trump to protect its bases from climate change. Tasmanian councils grapple with effects and price tag of climate change. Counting my carbs: What I learnt on my year-long low-carbon diet. Climate change has started to influence our language. Here's how. Humpback whales birthing off the Gold Coast 1,000km from traditional site. Australia's obsession with cheap solar is derailing the market, insiders say.
'Revenues not restoration': Scientists warn NSW tree-planting scheme does more harm than good. Climate change protesters flood Melbourne's CBD, block traffic in call to action. Yass residents call for water charge rebates on 'swamp-like tap water' Hobart Council row erupts as members stage a meeting walkout against climate change motion. Election 2019: Why Queensland turned its back on Labor and helped Scott Morrison to victory - Australia Votes - Federal Election 2019 - Politics. Election 2019: What happened to the climate change vote we heard about? - Australia Votes - Federal Election 2019 - Politics. Can northern Australia's mango industry handle the heat of a changing climate? - ABC Rural - ABC News.
Primatologist Jane Goodall calls on Australia's leaders to take greater action on climate change. UN Secretary-General meets Pacific leaders to discuss 'global catastrophe' of climate change. Federal election 2019: Labor, Coalition vow to cut emissions while supporting NT fracking. Is that possible? - Australia Votes - Federal Election 2019 - Politics.
Water deficiency triggers government intervention on WA's south coast amid animal welfare concerns - ABC Rural - ABC News. Federal election 2019: Vote Compass finds broad desire for more action on climate change - Australia Votes - Federal Election 2019 - Politics. UN chief Antonio Guterres hits out at climate change 'paradox' ahead of historic Pacific trip. Climate change could slash $571b from property values, study warns. Climate change is a federal election issue for voters, so how do the policies stack up? Federal election 2019: Major parties accused of neglecting a 'broken' National Landcare funding system - ABC Rural - ABC News. Tears outside PM's office as students skip school to demand climate action again - Australia Votes - Federal Election 2019 - Politics. Is giving up flying the best way to stop climate change? The history of the electric car is longer than you might think - RN.
Perth council hoping developers will build around trees to keep canopy green. Artificial grass debate heats up after City of Marion council turfs out ban on fake lawns. Climate change spurs Shannon Loughnane's 700km cross-country protest hike. Extinction Rebellion protests continue in London, police call for reinforcements as Heathrow braces for disruption. How the federal election will change Australia's response to climate change - Australia Votes - Federal Election 2019 - Politics.
Why the Coalition is misleading on meeting Australia's Kyoto 2020 carbon emissions target. Adani confident Labor will honour environmental approvals for its coal mine - Australia Votes - Federal Election 2019 - Politics.