Heatwaves are one of the most important climate-related risks for Australians. The extreme heat in Melbourne that plagued the 2014 Australian Open Tennis Tournament and the record-breaking heat in large areas of Queensland this summer reminded us of the risks that heatwaves pose. Coming on the heels of a record-breaking summer of 2012/2013, this summer’s...

Introduction: Through the period 2 – 8 January, the country experienced seven consecutive days of area-averaged maximum temperature over 39°C. In 102 years of weather records, Australia has experienced only 21 such days, and eight of them occurred in 2013. January 2013 was Australia’s hottest January on record. The sea surface temperatures in the region...

Coastal Urban Climate Futures in South East Australia from Wollongong to Lakes Entrance is an investigation into possible coastal urban futures to 2030 and beyond. The study focus is on coastal adaptation in the context of climate change. It is broad in its scope by considering environmental, social and economic change in the south east...

Victoria's climate is already changing and is likely to change further in the future, posing significant risks to the state. Many types of climate-related extreme events are expected to increase in frequency and intensity in the future. The heatwaves, drought and bushfires of the past decade provide Victorians with a window into that future. The...

This paper summarises recent scientific work on abrupt change, with selected examples of apparent sudden shifts in environmental variables.