We’ve hit a warming tsunami

IT is getting hotter because human kind is burning fossil fuels.

Some studies say many plant and animal species will be unable to adapt because of the relatively rapid changes in temperatures which are occurring.

I know that for many people saying this is annoying.

In fact some people simply refuse to accept it.

This week we had a letter published claiming the science of climate change is a fraud.

There were also articles poking fun at lunatics who had claimed a decade ago that soon it will no longer snow.

Hmm. Funny. But the intent was nasty.

Then, on Wednesday the Bureau of Meteorology released its annual climate statement.

People might like to poke some fun at these findings.

The year 2017 was Australia’s thirdwarmest year on record – at least since the national observational dataset commenced in 1910.

Australia’s area- averaged mean temperature for 2017 was 0.95C above the 1961- 1990 average.

According to BOM, background warming associated with anthropogenic climate change has seen Australian annual mean temperature increase by about 1.1C since 1910. Most of this warming has occurred since 1950.

The estimated global mean temperature for 2017 was 0.77 plus or minus 0.09C above the 1961- 1990 average, and it is likely 2017 will be the second or third warmest year on record since 1850.

The warmest two years currently are 2016 (+ 0.87C) and 2015 (+ 0.76C), records that were assisted by a strong El Nino.

The exceptional warmth of 2017 has occurred in the absence of an El Nino.

Global temperatures have increased by just over one degree since the preindustrial period, and all of the 10 warmest years on record have occurred between 1998 and the present. So much for the pause. Scientists can show the warming has been caused by burning fossil fuels.

Perhaps of more concern is what happens next.

People who say climate change will do more good than harm are being very silly or they are just having some fun at our expense.