Australia Facing Worst Drought for 1000 Years
The irony continues as those who shun action on climate change are suffering the most from climate change.
Along with the United States, Australia has suffered a major drought this year, “the worst for 1000 years.” Australia and the U.S. are the only two industrialized countries that have not ratified the Kyoto Protocol to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
Australia already has an arid climate, but the recent drought is having a devastating effect on water resources. It has also taken its toll on the economy, significantly slowing Australia’s growth since so much of the country’s GDP relies on agriculture.
Hopefully Australia will see the value and urgency in taking climate action before the last puddle dries up, since unrestrained greenhouse gas emissions are projected to accelerate drought and desertification.
December 19th, 2006 at 4:31 pm
Australia has had droughts forever. There’s absolutely no evidence that this particular drought is due to global warming, and you’re wrong to attribute it so. One can only make statistical arguments related to global warming, not a direct attribute.
December 19th, 2006 at 6:06 pm
Go to the final link in the post. Climate change increases the severity and frequency of droughts.
December 20th, 2006 at 12:54 am
Why is there so strong a need to believe it isn’t global warming first, Keith? Which blogger, right-wing talk show host, or Republican oil-rich politician has got your ear? Is the SUV getting expensive to run? What causes such denial of the reality of melting ice caps and droughts? Why not take precautions at least? Wow, when you are old and proven wrong, will you ever think of apologizing? I doubt it.
December 20th, 2006 at 3:59 am
How about we stop thinking of slowing economies as a bad thing. If anything economic growth fuels the depletion of resources and contributes to climate change. Less is not just more, it’s likely to be better too
December 20th, 2006 at 11:26 am
I am not denying global warming, and no right-wing talk radio host has my ear, stupid. I recognize that global warming is taking place, and I recognize the signs. But no particular drought or hurricane can be directly attributed to global warming — droughts and hurricanes, even severe ones, have occurred throughout history, and will continue to occur even if there were no global warming. If you understood the science behind global warming you’d understand that it increases droughts and hurricanes in a statistical sense only — average over time.
Unless you have specific, detailed, particular cause-and-effect proof that the current Australian drought is caused by global warming. If so, present it. Otherwise, admit you’re wrong.
December 20th, 2006 at 7:33 pm
Global warming influences the statistical frequency of drought, but it also fuels the severity, which is what we’re seeing in Australia. What is notable about the current drought is that its intensity is unprecedented “in living memory”, to quote Australia’s Prime Minister. That means that this drought usurps Ausralia’s worst droughts since World War II, including ones related to El Nino. In the past four months, southeastern parts of Australia (usually the most temperate) have experienced rainfall deficiencies that are the lowest on record. At the end of November, the government released a Drought Statement with maps that can be found here: .
Australia is already arid to semi-arid, but that is exactly what makes it more vulnerable to the smallest changes in climate, and may be why we are seeing it among the first to react. A cause and effect relationship is difficult to show because climate change sets up the overall trends, and it is those trends’ conditions that spur drought. But it is also the case that global warming is a factor in the equation that cannot be taken out. That is why climate change mandates attention and action to address the part of the consequence it does influence.
Asking for cause and effect proof is not necessarily the best question to ask because the relationship is much more complex. The causes have causes, which have causes, and so on. But we do know that global warming impacts that cycle and alters its results, exemplified by this drought’s “uncharted territory” in Australian history.
December 20th, 2006 at 7:33 pm
http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/drought/drought.shtml
December 21st, 2006 at 11:28 pm
[…] More… […]
February 23rd, 2007 at 12:41 pm
[…] an ironic coincidence that severe droughts (and wildfires) have hit Oklahoma and Texas, Wyoming, Australia, and China–states and countries with political leaders (or former leaders) opposed to climate […]
March 19th, 2007 at 6:44 pm
[…] they have burned all over the globe, Australia has paid particular attention. For years, Australia has experienced severe drought that has forced them to rethink their water management and policies (or lack thereof) addressing […]
April 2nd, 2007 at 1:46 am
DEAR SIR,
I am a private researcher my name is Robert Jones currently living with my family in Queensland Australia.As you are aware,the devastating drought conditions throughout Australia are forecast to worsen in following years.I am a firm believer that actions speak much louder than words.I have spent many years researching rainfall stimulating technology that was extensively trialled in some of the driest regions on earth with astounding success.
I request only a modest amount of funding to cover material costs allowing me to fabricate a relatively simple piece of technology that will take no more than three months to build and will restore normal rainfall within 48 hours of application.Subsequent individual field trials were undertaken during mild to severe droughts in Florida,(2) Illinois,(2) Georgia/S.Carolina,(3) Arizona,(4) Washington State (4) and California (5) Results were very positive, with a restoration of natural rainfall episodes generally within 48 hours after operations commenced.”I have all the meteorological data and details of these trials”
Rain stimulation experiments have also proceeded in arid and semi-arid lands, in the Southwestern USA (6), Greece,(7) Cyprus,(7) Israel,(8) Namibia (9) and Eritrea (10). These latter cases often constituted more definitive case studies, given the drier desert conditions under which the apparatus was tested. Nevertheless, the results were also positive in these cases, sometimes far beyond our expectations, with the termination of drought conditions and development of significant rains over adjacent desert areas.
I must stress that the technology works and was trialled over more than two decades.The total cost of building the equipment is less than $10,000.00 the results are guaranteed.Please consider what the current droughts are costing the Australian Government sir and take immediate action.I propose that after the first successful operation that this technology can be used throughout the worse effected drought regions of Australia especially in water catchment and crop growing regions.
I am at this moment unemployed,this will create employment for me for a considerable duration and I will be providing a valuable service to the Australian Government and the primary producers of Australia.The restoration of normal rainfall will also lift the current serious water restrictions throughout our nation.I can be contacted on Ph (07) 41290429 office or Ph (07) 41294492 home (all hours) Please take my proposal seriously Sir,for only a modest investment you will see great results.Kind regards Robert Jones
April 2nd, 2007 at 9:26 pm
I think that Jeff really doesn’t know what he’s talking about. U GO KEITH!! Jeff’s in over his head. What Jeff didn’t tell you is that the warming of the globe fluctuates, if Jeff doesn’t know what this means I’ll tell him. A closer look at the issue reveals a surprising lack of evidence for a global crisis. It is true that carbon dioxide and methane levels have increased slightly, and that this increase may be due to man’s efforts, but predictions of global warming are based on theory alone, and most of these theories predict mild increases in average temperatures. All of the scientific evidence gathered indicates that there is no danger of global warming disaster. Earth’s average temperatures tend to fluctuate over long-term cycles Earth has been considerably warmer in the past than it is now. For example, from A.D. 900 to A.D. 1100, a period scientist’s refer too as the “Medieval Climate Optimum,” global temperatures were warmer on average than at present. SO Jeffy, you have nothing to be afraid of.
May 24th, 2007 at 12:36 pm
asds
July 17th, 2007 at 10:51 am
Sorry Cobber.
Here in the UK we have had one of the wettest June`s on record, we are swimming in the stuff.
Global warming, just a load of crap aimed at taxing you into the ground.
Rob.
September 10th, 2007 at 2:16 am
Well, the drought has broken but the theory of human induced global warming lives on. Supporters of the theory seem to rely wholly on anecdotal and emotive arguments, refusing to deal with the complexities this theory encompasses.
Here’s a tip - whenever a group supporting a theory regularly resort to abusing their opponents it is a sign that the theory lacks substance.
November 25th, 2007 at 11:37 pm
…… ha,
deny,,, and dry,…. until you die. too late to cry…
bye, bye.
December 23rd, 2007 at 9:02 pm
Records show a history of global warming, droughts, floods……. global cooling, more droughts more floods ……… now its man-made global warming, droughts, floods. I wonder when we will have man-made global cooling?
What is certain governments will use this as an excuse to ramp up our energy bills whether conditions are hot or cool, wet or dry.
December 23rd, 2007 at 9:08 pm
Records show a history of global warming, droughts, floods……. global cooling, more droughts more floods ……… now its man-made global warming, droughts, floods. I wonder when we will have man-made global cooling?
What is certain, governments will use this as an excuse to ramp up our energy bills whether conditions are hot or cool, wet or dry.