29/04/2025

Australia's Climate Crossroads: Gas, Nuclear, and a Nation Divided - Lethal Heating Editor BDA



In the final days before Australia's May 3 federal election, a fierce new front has opened in the country’s climate wars. 

Last week, the federal government granted final approval for Santos' controversial Barossa offshore gas project—described by environmental groups as a “climate bomb” poised to seriously undermine Australia’s climate commitments.

Located in the Timor Sea, north of Darwin, the Barossa gas field is notorious for its extraordinarily high carbon dioxide content. Analysts estimate that burning the extracted gas overseas could release more than 270 million tonnes of CO₂1

Critics argue this would erase much of the progress Australia has made under its safeguard mechanism, designed to curb industrial emissions.

The approval has sparked outrage from environmentalists, Indigenous leaders, and climate policy experts alike, highlighting the contradictions embedded in Australia's energy strategy.

Election Season and the Energy Debate

As Australians prepare to vote, energy policy has become one of the defining issues of the campaign.

The ruling Labor Party boasts record investments in solar, wind, and green hydrogen projects. Yet their continued support for fossil fuel ventures like Barossa has drawn criticism from climate advocates who argue Australia must sever its reliance on high-emissions industries.

Meanwhile, the opposition Coalition, led by Peter Dutton, has proposed building seven nuclear power plants across the country if elected 2. It’s a dramatic shift that has reignited Australia's long-standing fears about nuclear energy.

Nuclear Power: Risk or Opportunity?

Dutton’s nuclear plan has been met with swift backlash. A coalition of 41 groups—including trade unions, environmentalists, and First Nations representatives—warns that nuclear power is too expensive, too slow to deploy, and fraught with risks around safety and waste disposal2.

Their concerns appear to reflect broader public sentiment. A recent national survey found nearly 55% of Australians would be highly concerned if a nuclear power station were built near their home 3. In contrast, over 80% said they would support a local wind or solar project.

Despite the promises of clean, baseload power, experts caution that nuclear reactors could take more than 15 years to come online and cost many billions. Renewable energy, they argue, can be deployed faster, cheaper, and without the accompanying environmental risks.

The Fossil Fuel Dilemma

While the nuclear debate rages, the approval of the Barossa project underlines another hard truth: Australia remains heavily tied to fossil fuel exports.

Environmental lawyers warn that reliance on carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies—often cited as a solution for projects like Barossa—is unproven at commercial scale and could amount to greenwashing. As one lawyer put it, “You can’t just wish away 270 million tonnes of emissions.”

 Australia's Climate Identity Crisis

The deeper question this election season is whether Australia can truly transition away from its resource-dependent economic model toward a cleaner future.

For decades, debates over coal and gas exports have divided the nation. Now, with a legal net-zero target in place, Australia faces a critical choice: will it embrace rapid, renewable-driven transformation, or continue to be pulled backward by fossil fuel interests?

Whichever path it chooses, the consequences will resonate far beyond this election—and far beyond Australia's shores. In a land increasingly battered by drought, floods, and bushfires, the stakes could not be higher.

Footnotes
  1. Santos wins final approval for Barossa gas project as environment advocates condemn 'climate bomb'The Guardian, April 22, 2025

  2. Trade unionists, conservationists and church groups unite against Dutton's nuclear planThe Guardian, April 23, 2025 2

  3. Most Australians would be concerned about nuclear power station built nearby, survey showsThe Guardian, April 24, 2025

28/04/2025

The Climate's Breaking Point: Coral Bleaching, Heatwaves, and a Warming World - Lethal Heating Editor BDA



The world’s climate is entering a more dangerous and less predictable phase. 

Three powerful and interconnected issues—an unprecedented global coral bleaching event, alarming new research on abrupt temperature swings, and record-shattering heatwaves across South Asia—have captured the world's attention, each revealing the intensifying effects of human-driven climate change.

First, Earth's coral reefs are enduring what scientists are calling the most extensive bleaching event in recorded history. Between 2023 and 2025, around 84% of coral reef ecosystems have suffered significant bleaching, according to new data1

Fueled by higher-than-normal ocean temperatures, this crisis is decimating critical marine ecosystems that support biodiversity, coastal protection, and millions of livelihoods. 

Coral bleaching occurs when stressed corals expel the algae that provide them with energy and colour, leaving them ghostly white and vulnerable to death. While bleaching events have happened before, the scale, duration, and severity of this episode mark a terrifying new chapter.

Abrupt temperature swings

Meanwhile, a groundbreaking study published this week in Nature Communications has revealed that abrupt temperature swings—where conditions flip dramatically from extreme heat to extreme cold—have been happening far more often and are projected to worsen as the planet continues to warm2

Analyzing six decades of weather records, researchers found that more than 60% of the Earth's surface has experienced increased volatility between 1961 and 2023. 

Factors such as the waviness of the jet stream, intensified evaporation, and changing soil moisture levels are making temperature transitions sharper and less predictable. These violent swings are particularly threatening for agriculture, public health, and infrastructure, as populations have less time to adapt to the sudden changes.

Growing climate instability

This theory of growing climate instability has a tragic, real-world manifestation: the brutal April 2025 heatwave that scorched India and Pakistan. 

Temperatures in Pakistan's Sindh province neared 49°C (120°F), while New Delhi sweltered under a relentless 40°C (104°F) heat3. A recent analysis from the ClimaMeter group concluded that this particular heatwave was made up to 4°C hotter than similar events would have been before 1987, attributing the majority of this intensification to human-caused global warming. 

Natural variability, the study found, played only a minor role. For millions living across South Asia—where limited access to air conditioning and clean water is a daily reality—the difference between a survivable heatwave and a deadly one is measured in single degrees.

What ties these stories together is not just their extremity, but their speed. 

The climate is lurching

The climate is not simply changing—it's lurching. From coral reefs dying en masse to farmers watching crops fail in days rather than weeks, the rhythms of the natural world are accelerating toward disruption faster than models predicted.

And yet, amid the chaos, there are signs of hope. 

New energy solutions are scaling up. Global emissions, though still dangerously high, have begun to flatten in some regions4. Climate movements are winning stronger environmental protections. 

Feedback loops

However, scientists warn that without rapid and sustained action—especially by the world's largest economies—the tipping points we are now seeing could cascade into feedback loops too large to control.

April 2025 may be remembered not just as another grim month of climate news, but as a call to confront a stark choice: intensify our mitigation efforts or prepare for a world increasingly shaped by irreversible extremes.

Footnotes
  1. "2023–2025 global coral bleaching event" - Wikipedia
  2. "Sudden flips from hot to cold temperature come with climate change, says study" - Financial Times
  3. "Climate change largely responsible for April 2025 heatwave in India and Pakistan, study finds" - Climate Fact Checks
  4. "5 ways we're making progress on climate change" - Vox

27/04/2025

The Climate Pope: How Francis Became a Global Voice for the Planet - Lethal Heating Editor BDA



When Pope Francis stepped onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica in 2013, few could have predicted that this Argentinian Jesuit would become one of the world’s most influential voices on climate change. 

But over the past decade, Francis had done exactly that—positioning the Catholic Church not only as a spiritual authority but as a force for environmental justice.

📜 Laudato Si’ — A Wake-Up Call to the World

In 2015, the pope released a groundbreaking encyclical called Laudato Si’, or “Praise Be to You". It was more than a religious document—it was a bold and beautifully written plea to humanity to care for “our common home”.

Francis didn’t mince words: environmental destruction is a moral crisis, and the poor—who contribute least to climate change—are suffering the most because of it.

“The destruction of the environment is an offense against God, a sin that endangers all human beings, especially the most vulnerable.”
Source: Laudato Si’ Action Platform
🌐 Influence Beyond the Church

Francis’s message struck a chord beyond Catholic circles. His voice carried into United Nations halls and global climate conferences. Some analysts believe his leadership helped sway public and political opinion in favour of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement.

He even invited oil executives to the Vatican, urging them to transition toward sustainable energy. In 2023, he addressed the COP28 climate summit and reminded world leaders that the clock is ticking:

“The future of us all depends on the present that we now choose.”
Source: Vatican News
🔄 Laudate Deum: A Follow-Up with Urgency

Eight years after Laudato Si’, Pope Francis doubled down with another powerful statement: Laudate Deum, released in 2023. This time, he focused even more directly on human-caused climate change and the systemic barriers that prevent real action.

He called out the failures of international summits and demanded real accountability—not just more words:

“We are in the same boat… but some of us are steering it, and others are bailing water.”
Source: Vatican.va
🙏 A Legacy Rooted in Care

What makes Pope Francis’s approach unique is how he connects the dots between faith, science, social justice, and environmental responsibility. He’s not just saying “plant trees”—he’s saying our spiritual health is tied to the health of the Earth and its people.

As climate threats grow more urgent, Pope Francis has become a rare voice of moral clarity. And even as questions about his eventual successor loom, his message is clear: caring for the planet isn’t optional—it’s sacred.

Links

26/04/2025

The Heat Is On: How Climate Change Is Stealing Australia’s Endangered Wildlife - Lethal Heating Editor BDA




A koala clings to a charred gum tree. Smoke lingers in the air. Below, the forest floor is blackened and bare.

It’s not a memory — it’s the new normal.

🔥 Climate Change Is No Longer a Future Threat

Australia’s unique wildlife is under siege. Climate change is no longer a distant danger. It’s the top threat facing our endangered species today.

From koalas to coral reefs, animals across the country are battling extreme heat, rising seas, megafires, and shifting seasons. Many are losing.

More than 1,800 Australian species are officially listed as threatened. According to the State of the Environment Report 2021, climate change now impacts every ecosystem.

🐨 Koalas Are Burning

Once considered safe, koalas are now endangered in Queensland, New South Wales, and the ACT.

Their forests are drying out. Bushfires are becoming more intense. Food trees are dying from drought or heat stress. And koalas, slow to adapt or move, are being left behind.

“Climate change amplifies every existing threat,” says Dr. Sarah Bekessy of RMIT University. “It’s the firestarter, the floodgate, the heatwave.”

🪸 The Great Barrier Reef Is Dying Fast

In the oceans, rising temperatures are wreaking havoc.

Marine heatwaves have killed off half the Great Barrier Reef’s corals since the mid-1990s. Mass bleaching events in 2016, 2017, and 2020 turned huge sections ghost white.

Corals rely on algae for nutrients and colour. When waters heat up, corals expel this algae — and often die within weeks.

“The reef is the rainforest of the sea,” says Professor Terry Hughes of James Cook University. “When it dies, everything suffers.”

Thousands of marine species depend on reefs. From clownfish to sea turtles, extinction risk ripples outward.

🐸 Frogs, Birds, and Wetlands on the Edge

It’s not just iconic animals in trouble. Entire ecosystems are fraying.

The critically endangered northern corroboree frog, native to the alpine bogs of southeastern Australia, needs cold, wet winters to breed. But snow is melting earlier. Bogs are drying. Eggs are dying.

The eastern curlew, a migratory shorebird, is losing its feeding grounds. Rising sea levels and coastal development are wiping out its wetlands.

In the Kakadu wetlands, saltwater intrusion is killing freshwater plants. Saltwater crocodiles are thriving — but fish, birds, and turtles are disappearing.

Science Is Clear — And the Clock Is Ticking

A 2020 study in Nature Climate Change found that one in six species could vanish worldwide if global temperatures rise beyond 2°C.

Australia is especially vulnerable. Our ecosystems are isolated and often fragile. Even small shifts in temperature or rainfall can cause population collapse.

💸 Action Is Possible — But Underfunded

Despite the urgency, funding remains patchy.

The Australian Conservation Foundation revealed that recovery funding for threatened species fell by 39% between 2013 and 2018.

Only 39 of Australia’s top 100 endangered species have fully funded recovery plans.

“You can’t save species without tackling climate change,” says Darren Grover of WWF Australia. “We need emissions cuts and on-the-ground recovery — fast.”

🌿 Hope Is Not Lost

There are signs of progress.

  • Bushfire recovery grants have helped restore habitats.

  • Wildlife corridors are reconnecting fragmented forests.

  • Indigenous land management is reintroducing traditional burning and conservation methods.

  • Grassroots communities are planting native trees and cleaning up coasts.

The federal government has even pledged “zero extinctions” in national parks — a bold goal, if backed by action.

🌏 We Have the Knowledge. We Need the Will.

Climate change is not tomorrow’s threat. It’s today’s reality.

Every delay costs more species. More forests. More reef. More future.

If we act now — and act boldly — we can still protect what makes Australia wild and wonderful.

But the window is closing. Fast.

Links

25/04/2025

What would change your mind about climate change? We asked 5,000 Australians – here’s what they told us

LOOKSLIKEPHOTO/Shutterstock

The Conversation - Kelly Kirkland  Abby Robinson  Amy S G Lee  Samantha Stanley  Zoe Leviston

AUTHORS
Kelly Kirkland
  Research Fellow in Psychology
  The University of Queensland
Abby Robinson
  PhD candidate in Social Psychology
  The University of Melbourne
Amy S G Lee
  PhD Candidate in Social Psychology
  The University of Melbourne
Samantha Stanley
  Research Fellow in Social Psychology
  UNSW Sydney
Zoe Leviston
  Research Fellow in Social Psychology
  Australian National University
Australia just sweltered through one of its hottest summers on record, and heat has pushed well into autumn. 
 
Once-in-a-generation floods are now striking with alarming regularity. 

As disasters escalate, insurers are warning some properties may soon be uninsurable. Yet, despite these escalating disasters — and a federal election looming — conversation around climate change remains deeply polarising.

But are people’s minds really made up? Or are they still open to change?

In research out today, we asked more than 5,000 Australians a simple question: what would change your mind about climate change? Their answers reveal both a warning and an opportunity.

Recent floods in western Queensland devastated graziers and remote towns such as Thargomindah. Bulloo Shire Council/AAP
On climate, Australians fall into six groups

Almost two thirds (64%) of Australians are concerned about the impact of climate change, according to a recent survey.

But drill deeper, and we quickly find Australians hold quite different views on climate. In fact, research in 2022 showed Australians can be sorted into six distinct groups based on how concerned and engaged they are with the issue.

At one end was the Alarmed group – highly concerned people who are convinced of the science, and already taking action (25% of Australians). At the other end was the Dismissive group (7%) – strongly sceptical people who often view climate change as exaggerated or even a hoax. In between were the Concerned, Cautious, Disengaged and Doubtful – groups who varied in belief, awareness and willingness to engage.

In our nationally representative survey, we asked every participant what might change their opinion about climate change? We then looked at how the answers differed between the six groups.

For those already convinced climate change is real and human-caused, we wanted to know what might make them doubt it. For sceptical participants, we wanted to know what might persuade them otherwise. In short, we weren’t testing who was “right” or “wrong” – we were mapping how flexible their opinions were.

Our views aren’t set in stone

People at both extremes – Alarmed and Dismissive – were the most likely to say “nothing” would change their minds. Nearly half the Dismissive respondents flat-out rejected the premise. But these two groups together make up just one in three Australians.

What about everyone in the middle ground? The rest – the Concerned (28%), Cautious (23%), Disengaged (3%) and Doubtful (14%) – showed much more openness. They matter most, because they’re the majority — and they’re still listening.

People with dismissive views of climate science are a small minority. jon lyall/Shutterstock
What information would change minds?

What would it take for people to be convinced? We identified four major themes: evidence and information, trusted sources, action being undertaken, and nothing.

The most common response was a desire for better evidence and information. But not just any facts would do. Participants said they wanted clear, plain-English explanations rather than jargon. They wanted statistics they could trust, and science that didn’t feel politicised or agenda-driven. Some said they’d be more convinced if they saw the impacts with their own eyes.

Crucially, many in the Doubtful and Cautious groups didn’t outright reject climate change – they just didn’t feel confident enough to judge the evidence.

The trust gap

Many respondents didn’t know who to believe on climate change. Scientists and independent experts were the most commonly mentioned trusted sources – but trust in these sources wasn’t universal.

Some Australians, especially in the more sceptical segments, expressed deep distrust toward the media, governments and the scientific community. Others said they’d be more receptive if information came from unbiased or apolitical sources. For some respondents, family, friends and everyday people were seen as more credible than institutions.

In an age of widespread misinformation, this matters. If we want to build support for climate action, we need the right messengers as much as the right message.

What about action?

Many respondents said their views could shift if they saw real, meaningful action – especially from governments and big business. Some wanted proof that Australia is taking climate change seriously. Others said action would offer hope or reduce their anxiety.

Even some sceptical respondents said coordinated, global action might persuade them – though they were often cynical about Australia’s impact compared to larger emitters. Others called for a more respectful, depoliticised conversation around climate.

In other words, for many Australians, it’s not just what evidence and information is presented about climate change. It’s also how it’s said, who says it, and why it’s being said.

Of course, the responses we gathered reflect what people say would change their minds. That’s not necessarily what would actually change their minds.

What does concrete evidence of climate action look like? Piyaset/Shutterstock
Why does this matter?

As climate change intensifies, so does misinformation — especially online, where artificial intelligence and social media accelerate its spread.

Misinformation has a corrosive effect. Spreading doubt, lies and uncertainty can erode public support for climate action.

If we don’t understand what Australians actually need to hear about climate change – and who they need to hear it from – we risk losing ground to confusion and doubt.

After years of growth from 2012 to 2019, Australian backing for climate action is fluctuating and even dropping, according to Lowy Institute polling.

Climate change may not be the headline issue in this federal election campaign. But it’s on the ballot nonetheless, embedded in debates over how to power Australia, jobs and the cost of living. If we want public support for meaningful climate action, we can’t just shout louder. We have to speak smarter.

Links

24/04/2025

GLOBAL: Climate Change April Review - Lethal Heating Editor BDA

2025-04-23_1

Escalating Climate Impacts

India-Pakistan Heatwave: An unprecedented early-season heatwave has gripped the Indian subcontinent, with temperatures soaring to 46.4°C in Barmer, Rajasthan.
The extreme heat has led to power outages, agricultural disruptions, and at least 19 fatalities due to associated storms.
Experts warn that such events may become more frequent and severe due to climate change. ​Link

Intensifying Rainstorms in New Orleans: Recent data indicate that rainstorms in New Orleans are becoming more intense, exemplified by a recent event dumping over six inches of rain in parts of the metro area.
This trend is attributed to human-driven climate change, which leads to warmer air capable of holding more moisture, resulting in heavier precipitation events. Link

Climate Innovation & Controversy

UK Geoengineering Trials: UK scientists, backed by £50 million from the government-funded Advanced Research and Invention Agency (Aria), are initiating small-scale outdoor geoengineering experiments.
These trials aim to test solar radiation management technologies, such as cloud brightening, to temporarily cool the planet.
While controversial, proponents argue that such research is essential given the urgency of climate tipping points. Link

Air Source Heat Pump Viability: A recent study at Energy House 2.0, a climate simulation lab at the University of Salford, tested whether air source heat pumps can provide sufficient hot water for a typical family, even on cold days.
The findings suggest that, with proper installation, these systems can effectively replace gas boilers without sacrificing comfort. Link

Public Sentiment & Accountability

Global Support for Climate Action: A global study involving 130,000 people across 125 countries reveals that 89% of the world's population wants stronger governmental action to combat climate change.
However, many individuals incorrectly believe they are in the minority, creating a "spiral of silence" that hinders collective mobilisation. ​Link

Law Firms' Fossil Fuel Involvement: Major law firms in London, including the prestigious Magic Circle members, have come under fire for their involvement in fossil fuel transactions despite promoting climate sustainability.
Critics argue that this dual approach is hypocritical and has substantial environmental consequences. Link

Key Climate Events in 2025

COP30 in Brazil: The 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) is scheduled to take place from November 10-21 in Belém, Brazil.
The conference will focus on climate finance, mitigation, nature protection, climate justice, and plastic pollution. ​Link

GLF Forests 2025: Scheduled for April 24-25 in Bonn, Germany, and online, this event aims to define the next decade of action for forest conservation and climate resilience. ​Link

Australia: Climate Litigation & Extreme Weather

Australia's Climate Challenges: Australia continues to experience extreme heat, with Townsville Airport recording its wettest year on record.
Additionally, the country has emerged as a global hotspot for climate change litigation, reflecting growing public demand for accountability and action. Link

More Reading

23/04/2025

Fire tornadoes becoming routine due to climate change, analysts say

ABC Ballarat - Laura Mayers

John King captured this footage 50 metres from his back door during the Grampians bushfire. Supplied: John King

SUMMARY

Fire analysts say once-theoretical fire behaviour is now becoming routine, including fire tornadoes.

John King captured a 100-metre-tall fire column only 50 metres from his back door during the Grampians bushfire in December.

Unusual fire behaviour was also seen in the Los Angeles fires in January.
John King was ready for the 2024 bushfire season.

Living on the fringes of western Victoria's Gariwerd/Grampians National Park, the CFA volunteer knew the importance of having a fire plan in place, as well as hoses and water tanks.

But Mr King was not prepared for a fire column spearing 100 metres in the air, only 50m from his back door.

"We had these willy willies [whirlwinds] going four or five times the height of some of the trees," he said.

Mr King began filming the awesome sight as it spiralled through the hot air, picking up speed, the heat of the blaze gathering a swirling column before dissolving into smoke.

He described it as "magnificent, in a strange way".
"It wasn't coming towards us, so to be honest, at the time I just felt a bit awe-inspired by it," Mr King said.
"It was an incredible sight."

John King captured the flame tornado only 50 metres from his back door. ABC Ballarat: Laura Mayers

The unusual natural phenomenon was captured during the height of bushfires sparked by dry lightning in December 2024 that raged for months and burnt through more than 136,000 hectares of bushland.

Once a myth, now reality

Fire analysts say unusual fire behaviours like tornadoes were once considered a myth, but may start to become more commonplace. 

Mr King says he was lucky he didn't lose any structures after the fast-moving bushfire went through his property. Supplied: John King







University of Tasmania professor of pyrogeography and fire science David Bowman said fire tornadoes were the flame equivalent of a water spout or dust devil.

"There are examples ... where you can actually see fire trucks being thrown around in these intense systems," Professor Bowman said.

"In really humungous fires you can get true tornadoes where they even have an eye and extraordinarily powerful winds."

The bushfire claimed parts of Mr King's fenceline on the boundaries of his property. Supplied: John King







A fire tornado, sometimes called a fire whirl, is created during strong wildfires energised by powerful winds, dry fuel and intense heat.

In the Los Angeles fire in January, which claimed the lives of 30 people and destroyed more than 150 square kilometres of homes and bushland, the "perfect" conditions led to the unusual fire behaviour.

The fires tore through the Grampians National Park and Mount William and Redman Bluff after being sparked by dry lightning. Supplied: John King





Professor Bowman said higher temperatures and climate change were fuelling droughts that were in turn leading to incredibly fast-moving fires that released large amounts of energy.

Fire tornadoes were seen along the fire front at Bullsbrook in Perth's north in 2020. ABC News

"We're seeing now worldwide things that were sort of almost theoretical or all very unlikely to happen are now becoming more routine," he said.

"Not only are they happening more often, they're happening in places you would never expect them to happen, like the Arctic Circle.

"They're also happening in the middle of the night.

"That is telling us that, because of this atmospheric acidity, [landscapes are] much drier, and so when you have dry landscapes they are poised to express extremely volatile behaviour."

How to prepare for bushfires | Emergency Tips

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