In response to the devastating NSW floods, Climate Council has issued this statement. The following may be attributed to Climate Council CEO Amanda McKenzie:
The Mid-North Coast of NSW is currently experiencing record breaking flooding, after experiencing back to back extreme weather events in the last few years.
It is critical that we understand that such disasters are no longer simply "natural". Extreme rainfall events have become more frequent and intense in Australia, and communities are suffering the consequences. Again and again.
It is vital that emergency services, media, governments and communities understand why these events are occurring with increasing frequency and ferocity to ensure that we can both tackle the root cause - pollution from coal, oil and gas - as well as prepare for more destructive disasters into the future.
There are at least three ways that climate change is influencing the intensity of these floods:
1. More water in the atmosphere leads to more heavy downpours.
As the climate heats the global atmosphere holds more moisture. The total amount of water vapour in the atmosphere reached a record value in 2024, at about 5% above the 1991–2020 average. With the atmosphere laden with more moisture extreme downpours have become more common.
The latest research for Australia shows that more rain is falling during extreme events. We are experiencing:
- 7 - 28% more rain for shorter duration rainfall events - the type of events associated with flash flooding.
- 2 - 15% more rain for longer duration events.
This range is much higher than the 5% figures that are used in existing flood planning standards used by the likes of policy makers, engineers and urban planners.
2. More energy for storms.
A hotter, wetter and more energetic climate also means there is more energy to fuel storms that generate heavy rainfall. Since July 2024, sea surface temperatures in Australia have been the warmest or second warmest on record for each respective month. That means the energy available to power storms has also increased – largely due to rising ocean temperatures from the burning of fossil fuels.
3. Changing "atmospheric rivers"
A near-stationary high pressure system
