Heatwaves are one of the most important climate-related risks for Australians. The extreme heat in Melbourne that plagued the 2014 Australian Open Tennis Tournament and the record-breaking heat in large areas of Queensland this summer reminded us of the risks that heatwaves pose. Coming on the heels of a record-breaking summer of 2012/2013, this summer’s...

Introduction: Through the period 2 – 8 January, the country experienced seven consecutive days of area-averaged maximum temperature over 39°C. In 102 years of weather records, Australia has experienced only 21 such days, and eight of them occurred in 2013. January 2013 was Australia’s hottest January on record. The sea surface temperatures in the region...

Two years ago the Climate Commission warned that 2011-2020 is the ‘Critical Decade’ for tackling climate change. In particular, this is the Critical Decade for turning around rising emissions of greenhouse gases and putting us on the pathway to stabilising the climate system. One quarter of the way through the Critical Decade, many consequences of...

This report presents an overview of progress in international action on climate change since August 2012, with a particular focus on China and the US. Key findings: 1. The energy giants China and the United States are accelerating action. China and the United States (US) are the world’s two largest economies and together produce approximately...

When extreme weather events occur the Climate Commission is consistently asked questions about the link to climate change. This report unpacks our current knowledge about different types of extreme weather events: extreme temperatures, rainfall, drought, bushfires, storm surges, cyclones and storms. Download key facts (37) from the report. Download summary table (35) of the report...