Impacts of global warming
Hotter days
2015 was the hottest year on record, the previous record was broken in 2014, and 2016 is expected to set a new record for the third year in a row. In the past few years records have being broken for longest heatwaves and the Bureau of Meteorology has added purple and magenta to the forecast map for temperatures up to 54°C.
Rising sea levels
Increased ocean temperatures are melting glaciers and ice caps all over the world. Melted ice increases the volume of water in our oceans. Warmer temperatures also result in the expansion of the water’s mass, which causes sea levels to rise, threatening low-lying islands and coastal cities.
More frequent and intense extreme weather events
Extreme weather events like bushfires, cyclones, droughts and floods are becoming more frequent and more intense as a result of global warming.
Oceans are warming and acidifying
The oceans have absorbed most of extra heat and carbon dioxide (CO2) so far – more than the air – making the seas both warmer and more acidic. Warming waters are bleaching coral reefs and driving stronger storms. Rising ocean acidity threatens shellfish, including the tiny crustaceans without which marine food chains would collapse.