The Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Greg Combet, today welcomed the release of the Climate Commission’s report The Critical Decade: Climate science, risks and responses.

The first major report from the independent Commission is a comprehensive synthesis of the most recent climate change science with a focus on the Australian context.

“The report makes clear that there is no doubt the climate is changing, we are already seeing impacts and human activities are triggering these changes,” Mr Combet said.

Some of the key impacts already being observed are highlighted in the report:

• In the last 50 years the number of record hot days in Australia has more than doubled. This has increased the risk of heatwaves and associated deaths, as well as extreme bush fire weather in South Eastern and South Western Australia.
• Sea level has risen by 20 cm globally since the late 1800s, impacting many coastal communities.  Another 20 cm increase by 2050, which is likely at current projections, would more than double the risk of coastal flooding.
• The Great Barrier Reef has suffered from nine bleaching events in the past 31 years. This iconic natural ecosystem, and the economy that depends upon it, face serious risks from climate change

The report concludes that the longer we wait to act on climate change, the more it will cost.  This is why the next decade is critical for getting the global economy on a less carbon intensive pathway. 

“Bringing down carbon pollution levels is critically important to our children’s future – it is about ensuring they have a healthy environment to live in, and new high skill jobs for their work,” Mr Combet said.

“Taking action on climate change is the right thing to do. It is the right thing for our economy, for jobs and for the environment.”

The report was written by internationally renowned climate scientist, Commissioner Professor Will Steffen. The report was critically reviewed by the Science Advisory Panel of the Climate Commission, whose members include climate science experts from Australian universities, the CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology.