Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsAustralia on Fire: Record-Shattering Heat, Wildfires Engulf World’s Largest Exporter of Coal
from Democracy Now!:
AMY GOODMAN: While Australia is suffering from record-shattering heat, here in the United States the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced 2012 was by far the hottest year on record for the continental 48 states, the average temperature 55.3 degrees, one degree above the previous record and 3.2 degrees more than the 20th-century average.
Well, for more, right now were going to Sydney, Australia, where were joined via Democracy Now! videostream by Anna Rose. She is the co-founder and chair of Australian Youth Climate Coalition, as well as the author of Madlands: A Journey to Change the Mind of a Climate Sceptic.
Anna Rose, welcome to Democracy Now! Whats happening in your country, this record-shattering heat, its being described as a dome of heat, your country literally on fire. For people around the world who are not following this, just describe whats happening in Australia.
ANNA ROSE: Well, right now in Australia, were having record-breaking heat waves. There are fires burning in almost every single Australian state and territory. People have been evacuated. Some people have lost their homes; theyve lost everything. Our Bureau of Meteorology has come out and said that these are the kind of heat wave conditions that are absolutely unprecedented in our history in terms of the duration, the ferocity. And its expected to continue into the weekend and to get worse.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: Anna Rose, can you say something about how these fires follow on all that happened, in climate terms, in 2012 in Australia? There were extreme floods; much of Queensland was submerged. Can you talk a little about that?
ANNA ROSE: The last two years have been really rough in terms of extreme weather events in Australia. In Queensland, we had big floods that covered an area bigger than the size of France and Germany combined. We had entire towns that were really destroyed by this flooding. But we alsoI come from a farming background, and were starting to see the impacts in agriculture all over the country. And when you talk to farmers, theyll tell you that it rains less often, but when it does rain, it all comes down at once, because, essentially, what were doing to our climate system is were messing with the water cycle. And so, when we know that warmer air holds more water vapor, which means theres less vapor in the soil, when it does come down, it all comes down at once. .................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://www.democracynow.org/2013/1/9/australia_on_fire_record_shattering_heat
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
2 replies, 842 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (13)
ReplyReply to this post
2 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Australia on Fire: Record-Shattering Heat, Wildfires Engulf World’s Largest Exporter of Coal (Original Post)
marmar
Jan 2013
OP
eppur_se_muova
(36,227 posts)1. Now THAT'S some quality headline writing right there. nt
nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)2. This is the second or third year in a row.