How Climate Change is Affecting Australia in 2022

Climate change is currently one of the most pressing issues faced by our world. This problem has seen rising temperatures and global warming due to the use of fossil fuels like coal, greenhouse gases, deforestation and carbon emissions.

As one of the warmest countries on the planet, Australia is particularly vulnerable to the effects of this issue – but there is hope, as adopting sustainable energy with solar panels in Melbourne can help to limit your impact on the environment. And Solar Run can show you how.

5 Ways Climate Change Impacts Australia

Here we look at some of the ways that climate change is impacting us here Down Under.

Extreme weather

We’ve all noticed the increase in extreme weather events over the last few years – with increased flooding, cyclones and devastating storms affecting our communities. On average, our weather has also grown warmer – which is no mean feat here in Australia, where we’re already used to dry, hot summers and heatwaves that have reached temperatures of 45°C or more.

Drought

Drought is an ongoing concern in our country, with high temperatures and dry summers prolonging these conditions. With less and less rainfall predicted, this will only spur on what we’re facing and make it harder for farmers to keep livestock and grow their crops. Droughts will become more severe, setting the stage for worse bushfire seasons.

Bushfire season

The bushfires at the start of 2020 were unprecedented and particularly devastating for our rural communities across Victoria and New South Wales, burning more than 83 million acres and killing more than 1 billion Australian animals. This followed the Black Saturday fires in Victoria back in 2009. Many people had their homes destroyed, along with their livelihoods.

A study published in March 2020 found that climate change has boosted the risk of bushfires in Australia by at least 30 per cent. This could be set to increase if nothing changes.

Coral reefs

Climate change continues to have dire consequences for our Great Barrier Reef. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site for its pristine beauty, biodiversity and abundance of marine life, in recent years the reef has suffered as a result of coral bleaching. Bleaching is triggered by rising water temperatures and abnormal environmental conditions – which causes the coral to lose its colour and die.

Rising sea levels

Our sea levels continue to rise, and this is spurred on by higher temperatures in our oceans. For a country that is ‘girt by sea’, with many of our capital cities positioned along the coastline, this is of particular concern.

As the water gets warmer it expands – needing to take up more space. This will lead to erosion, flooding and extreme weather events along the coast, while also melting glaciers and icecaps in nearby Antarctica. Higher water temperatures also make it more difficult for our marine species to survive.

What can we do?

Every single one of us needs to do our bit to combat this problem and slow the effects of climate change while we still can. One of the easiest ways you can help to reduce your impact and emissions is to choose to adopt sustainable power for your home.

Installing solar panels in Melbourne is a great way to do this, as it provides you with a free source of power from the sun – and here in Australia, there is plenty of it to make use of. This not only reduces your environmental impact on the planet but also reduces your energy bills. The Victorian Government has also introduced the Solar Victoria rebate to make this even more affordable for Melbourne families – with a $1,850 rebate and interest-free loan available.