State of the Climate - 2010
Australia's two lead climate science agencies – the CSIRO and Bureau of Meteorology - have produced a snapshot of the state of the climate to update Australians about how their climate has changed and what it means.
- 5 July 2010 | Updated 14 October 2011
Overview
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This snapshot provides observations and analysis of Australia’s climate and the factors that influence it. Two organisations, CSIRO and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology have combined to present this current picture of Australia’s climate.
The Bureau of Meteorology has been observing and reporting on weather in Australia for over 100 years, and CSIRO has been conducting atmospheric and marine research for over 60 years.
The snapshot is sourced from peer reviewed data on temperature, rainfall, sea level, ocean acidification, and carbon dioxide and methane levels in the atmosphere.
CSIRO and Bureau of Meteorology use scientific modelling based on the laws of physics and thoroughly tested against recorded observations. Models make assumptions about future events such as CO2 emissions, and are designed to paint a picture of a series of possible future states based on known facts.
Because models are representations of the future based on a range of emission scenarios, they tend to produce a range of results, as opposed to observations which are accurate measures of an event that has already occurred. Models are based on an understanding of fundamental science and increased computer capacity allows us to make projections with increased accuracy.
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Fast facts
- Australia will be hotter in coming decades
- Much of Australia will be drier in coming decades
- It is very likely that human activities have caused most of the global warming observed since 1950
- Climate change is real
