We know heatwaves and drought can turn bushfires into infernos, but the reasons why were poorly understood in science.
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Articles on Drought
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Trees may be more resilient to future dry spells than scientists first thought.
The projected loss of water storage on land as global temperatures rise is especially alarming in the Southern Hemisphere – and in parts of the US.
Many storms, heatwaves, fires and droughts slipped under the radar this year.
Artificially dimming the sun, by injecting reflective particles into the upper atmosphere, could reduce the risk of Day Zero level droughts in Cape Town by more than 90% in the future.
From heatwaves to droughts to storms, climate change poses one of the biggest health threats to Australians. Yet the federal government makes no mention of it in its strategic health planning.
A major new report presents the latest data on the health impacts in a warming world. It found there were 296,000 heat-related deaths in people over 65 years in 2018.
An invisible crisis is brewing in US farm country as the overpumped Ogallala-High Plains Aquifer drains. The key drivers are federal farm subsidies and the tax code.
For rural people, these stresses are cumulative and contribute to higher levels of trauma, mental ill-health and in some cases, suicidal behaviour.
The 2020 wildfire season shattered records across the West. It’s part of a trend that’s headed in a dangerous direction.
Soil loss in South Africa can have a negative impact on air quality and food security.
The threats of climate change to plants, animals and people in Africa mean that the continent is an excellent place for biometeorological research.
Trends across the different rainfall zones can be linked to changes recorded for large-scale climate systems.
To fully understand why droughts begin, persist and end, we need to answer the question: where does Australia’s rainfall come from? It may seem basic, but the answer isn’t so simple.
The report by the World Meteorological Organisation shows that with large and rapid emissions cuts, we can still avoid the most severe climate change. But worryingly, we also have time to make it far worse.
Climate change has boosted the likelihood of heavy rainfall, hailstorms, flooding and drought seen in some parts of the world. What does the future hold?
The Trump administration is rolling back a regulation that requires showerheads to conserve water, which saved owners an average of US$70 and nearly 3,000 gallons of water yearly per showerhead.
Researchers have collated measurements made by satellites, field sensors and people, to get a picture of the nature’s recovery while we’ve been in lockdown.
Persistent heat waves and dry lightning are part of the problem. For firefighters, the erratic behavior gets dangerous quickly.
Downpours in eastern Australia this year have been good for crops and some dams. But when it comes to drought, Australia is not out of the woods yet.
Top contributors
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Professor, Water and Landscape Dynamics, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University
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Senior Lecturer in Climate Science, The University of Melbourne
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Head of Operational Climate Services, Australian Bureau of Meteorology
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Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra
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Regents Professor Emeritus and Morris K. Udall Professor of Law & Public Policy Emeritus, University of Arizona
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Climate Scientist, Australian Bureau of Meteorology
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Climate Scientist, Australian Bureau of Meteorology
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Climate scientist, Australian Bureau of Meteorology
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Professor of Physical Geography, University of the Witwatersrand
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Lecturer, Monash University
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Visiting Adjunct Professor, School of Governance, University of the Witwatersrand
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Senior Climatologist, Australian Bureau of Meteorology
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Senior Research Associate, UNSW Sydney
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Associate Professor in Environmental Science, Western Sydney University
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Chief Research Scientist, Oceans and Atmosphere, CSIRO, CSIRO
