According to the Bureau of Meteorology’s temperature records, Australia’s climate has experienced a 1.5-degree Celsius increase since 1910.

The bureau’s annual climate statement disclosed that 2023 was the eighth warmest year on record for Australia, with the national temperature being 0.98C higher than the average from 1961 to 1990.

Nations worldwide have made a commitment to “make attempts” to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. However, this target temperature is commonly understood to be measured in relation to the time period between 1850 and 1900, before the Industrial Revolution, and includes temperatures from both land and sea across the entire planet.

The bureau stated that the continent’s temperature has risen by 1.5C with a margin of error of plus or minus 0.23C. However, this measurement only considers land temperatures and does not align with the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5C.

According to Dr. Simon Grainger, a top climatologist at the bureau, the temperature of Australia’s land surface has increased from 1.48C to 1.5C after incorporating another year’s worth of data.

He stated that the increase in temperature in Australia aligns with the overall trend of a warming global climate, with the year 2023 being documented as the warmest on record worldwide.

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The primary cause of global warming is the burning of fossil fuels and land clearing, which has led to a 50% increase in the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere since the 18th century.

According to Dr. Andrew King, a climate expert from the University of Melbourne, it is no surprise that Australia’s land has reached a temperature of 1.5C, as it is already experiencing above-average warming compared to the rest of the world.

According to him, it is a known fact that the land is experiencing a faster rate of warming compared to the ocean, and there are several areas where the warming is occurring at a faster pace than the overall global average.

Last year, a research report utilized Australia’s official data along with previous temperature data to determine that the land has experienced a warming of approximately 1.6C compared to the time period of 1850-1900. The study also noted that Australia’s land surface has warmed at a rate of 1.4 times higher than the global average of 1.1C.

According to Dr. Linden Ashcroft, a climate scientist from the University of Melbourne, even the slightest increase in temperature is significant. While reaching a 1.5 degree Celsius increase may hold symbolic meaning, it is still a frightening reality. It can be seen as a sudden and alarming wake-up call.

The bureau reported that numerous large cities had record-breaking maximum temperatures, placing them in the top 10 for all years since records were first kept.

In 1858, Sydney experienced its second highest year on record for maximum temperatures.

The cities of Canberra, Hobart, Brisbane, Perth, and Darwin all had maximum temperatures that were among the top 10 for all years.

The bureau reported that the sea surface temperatures surrounding the continent were the seventh highest on record, with a difference of 0.54C from the average temperature between 1961 and 1990. Since 1995, the Australian region has consistently experienced higher than average sea surface temperatures.

According to the statement, the ocean waters surrounding Australia have increased in temperature by 1.05C since 1900. Additionally, nine out of the top 10 warmest years on record since 1900 have taken place after 2010.

In 2023, Australia’s climate was marked by a weakening La Niña pattern in the Pacific Ocean at the beginning of the year, which transitioned to the typically hotter and drier El Niño phase towards the end of the year.

In 2023, the winter season was the hottest ever documented. Additionally, the stretch of time from August to October was the driest it has been in any three-month period since 1900. According to reports, September was the second driest month on record, only surpassed by April 1902.

According to Grainger, the recent heatwaves in Australia are not limited to just the summer season. In fact, in 2023, Australia experienced its warmest winter on record and the warmest period from June to November.

Climate change is not only causing extreme weather in the summer, but it is also leading to warm days and nights throughout the entire year.

Source: theguardian.com