Scientists say climate change link to bushfires demands action ABC News Mon 21 Oct 2013,With claims that current climate policies would lead to more bushfires, Deputy Greens Leader Adam Bandt was accused of politicising the a natural disaster, but scientists say the link between global warming and fires is established and demands action.
JOHN CONNOR, CEO, THE CLIMATE INSTITUTE: Carbon pollution is a heat-trapping greenhouse gas that is like putting the weather on steroids. It drives the greater extremes. It’s not just warmer weather, it’s wilder weather.
ADAM BANDT, GREENS DEPUTY LEADER: It’s October and we’re having a tragic bushfire, and meanwhile, Tony Abbott and his ministers have been out every day this week saying that they’re going to take Australia backwards when it comes to combatting global warming……
TRACY BOWDEN: Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt has been reluctant to discuss any link between climate change and the current bushfires.
GREG HUNT, ENVIRONMENT MINISTER: There are 2,000-odd firefighters in the field as we speak. There have been over 200 homes lost and of course a terrible tragedy on the Central Coast. No-one, no-one should be politicising these bushfires and I would say that respectfully to the gentleman in question.
DON HENRY, AUSTRALIAN CONSERVATION FOUNDATION: Well I actually don’t think it should be political that we have to get on with the job of cutting our pollution that’s driving climate extremes.
TRACY BOWDEN: The recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned of exactly the kind of conditions which struck last week: more extreme heat in Australia and more bushfires.
ANDY PITMAN, CENTRE FOR EXCELLENCE FOR CLIMATE SYSTEM SCIENCE: We have had fires historically this early before, but I think the difference this time is that we’ve just gone through a winter that is unprecedentedly warm.
TRACY BOWDEN: Climate scientist Andy Pitman says the science is becoming clearer.
ANDY PITMAN: It’s not about the day or the day before the bushfire. It’s about the three or four months of winter that were enormously warm in part due to global warming leading to an environment particularly conducive to fire.
TRACY BOWDEN: Does that mean this is a sign of things to come?
ANDY PITMAN: If we continue to emit nine or 9.5 billion tonnes of CO2 as a species into the atmosphere each year, it is inevitable that temperature extremes will continue to rise and mean temperatures will continue to rise.
DON HENRY: We should be asking our Parliament and all parliamentarians to have strong laws in place to cut pollution.
TRACY BOWDEN: Despite the science, there have been cutbacks at national and state levels in resources to research and prepare for the impact of climate change……http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-21/scientists-say-climate-change-link-to-bushfires/5036554
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