Australian Climate Expert Urges Immediate Action to Mitigate Climate Change Effects
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Synopsis
A top Australian climate expert urges immediate action to combat climate change after record temperatures in 2024. Mark Howden emphasizes the need for significant emissions reductions and highlights the changing behavior of crocodiles due to rising temperatures.
Key Takeaways
- Australia must reduce greenhouse gas emissions promptly.
- 2024 marked a record high in global temperatures.
- Climate extremes are intensifying due to global warming.
- Crocodiles are exhibiting behavioral changes linked to rising body temperatures.
- Australia has the potential to lead in renewable energy.
Sydney, Feb 13 (NationPress) Australia and other nations with high emissions levels need to take significant actions against climate change following an unprecedented year in 2024, according to a top global authority. Mark Howden, who leads the Institute for Climate, Energy and Disaster Solutions (ICEDS) at the Australian National University (ANU), stated on Thursday that global greenhouse gas emissions must be significantly reduced to avert irreversible consequences from climate change.
In remarks shared prior to his final annual State of the Climate address, Howden, who is set to conclude his role as ICEDS director in 2025 after a decade, noted that Australia is well-equipped with natural resources and capabilities to emerge as a leader in renewable energy and climate resilience, as reported by Xinhua.
He emphasized that the world is now experiencing the ramifications of escalating climate change impacts, with average global temperatures surpassing 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels for the first time in 2024.
“Not only was 2024 the hottest year on record, but the last decade represents the hottest ten years in history—this change is relentless,” Howden, who also serves as vice-chair of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), remarked.
“Record heat is profoundly altering global water distribution, speeding up the water cycle and intensifying climate extremes.”
Howden stated that the world has entered “uncharted territory,” bringing forth new and heightened risks from climate extremes. He criticized Australia for not fully utilizing its options to adapt to climate change and mitigate risks.
Moreover, recent research indicates that the behavior of Australia's crocodiles is shifting due to rising body temperatures linked to global warming. The study, released on Thursday by the University of Queensland (UQ), examined 15 years of data from sensors and trackers on 203 wild saltwater crocodiles in rivers within the Cape York Peninsula, the northernmost region of Australia.
Researchers discovered that crocodiles are spending increased time at or near their critical thermal threshold of 32-33 degrees Celsius, which affects their diving and swimming abilities. Since 2008, temperature peaks for these crocodiles have risen by 0.5 degrees Celsius, and their median body temperature has increased by 0.11 degrees Celsius.
Of the crocodiles studied, 45 individuals reached body temperatures exceeding 34 degrees Celsius at least once.
Being cold-blooded, crocodiles cannot self-regulate their body temperature and depend on external environmental conditions. Kaitlin Barham, a co-author of the study from UQ’s School of the Environment, explained that the warming climate compels crocodiles to engage in more cooling behaviors.
“If their time and energy are consumed by the need to cool down, it reduces their ability to hunt, evade predators, or reproduce,” she stated on Thursday.
Co-author Craig Franklin noted that hotter crocodiles spend less time submerged, which could hinder their ambush tactics for catching prey. The next phase for researchers is to investigate how these behavioral changes affect the overall health of the crocodile population.
