Australia’s weather and climate has continued to change, with an increase in extreme heat events, longer fire seasons, more intense heavy rainfall, and sea level rise.  

This report draws on the latest national and international climate research, encompassing observations, analyses and future projections to describe year-to-year variability and longer-term changes in Australia’s climate. It is intended to inform economic, environmental and social decision-making by governments, industries and communities.

The report is a synthesis of the science that underpins our understanding of Australia’s climate. Scientists found the oceans around Australia are continuing to warm, with increases in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere leading to more acidic oceans, particularly south of Australia. 

Key findings

• Australia’s climate has warmed by an average of 1.51 ±0.23 °C since national records began in 1910.
• Sea surface temperatures have increased by an average of 1.08 °C since 1900.
• Oceans around Australia are becoming more acidic, with changes happening faster in recent decades.
• Sea levels are rising around Australia, including more frequent extreme high levels that increase the risk of inundation and damage to coastal infrastructure and communities.
• Concentrations of all major long-lived greenhouse gases in the atmosphere continue to increase. Global annual mean carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations reached 419.2 parts per million (ppm) in 2023 and the CO2 equivalent (CO2-e) of all greenhouse gases reached 524 ppm. These are the highest levels on Earth in at least 2 million years.
• In the coming decades, Australia will experience ongoing changes to its weather and climate, including continued decrease, on average, in cool season rainfall across many regions of southern and eastern Australia, which will likely lead to more time in drought.