Australia’s climate has warmed by 1.5C since 1910, BoM temperature records show

illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Guardian or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Australia's climate has officially warmed by 1.5°C since 1910, marking a significant milestone in the country's climate history
• The Bureau of Meteorology's annual climate statement for 2023 revealed this year as Australia's joint-eighth warmest year on record, with temperatures 0.98°C above the 1961-1990 average

🔭 The context: This warming is part of a global trend attributed mainly to the burning of fossil fuels and land clearing, which has increased atmospheric CO2 levels by about 50% since the 18th century
• Australia's land surface warming aligns with the global climate trajectory, emphasizing the urgency of addressing climate change

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: The milestone is particularly concerning as Australia's warming exceeds the global average, with land warming faster than oceans 
• This has profound implications for weather patterns, ecosystems, and water availability, making the fight against global warming more critical than ever

⏭️ What's next: The continued warming trend underscores the need for robust climate action, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to unavoidable climate impact
• The shift from La Niña to El Niño conditions in 2023, contributing to record warmth and dryness, further highlights the volatility of Australia's climate in a warming world

💬 One quote: "Every hundredth of a degree of warming matters. [Hitting 1.5°C] might be symbolic, but it does not make it any less scary. It’s a jolt," (Dr. Linden Ashcroft, University of Melbourne)

📈 One stat: Sea surface temperatures around Australia were the seventh-warmest on record in 2023, at 0.54°C above the 1961-1990 average

Click for more news covering the latest on climate change