The Sun. Credit: NASA
By Rich Bowden:
New research has shown both Australia and New Zealand have just experienced their hottest decade since temperatures were first recorded.
The decade between 2000 to 2009 was the warmest followed by that of the 1980s, then the 1970s and the 1990s according to research released by New Zealand’s National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) and Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology (BOM).
Both NIWA and BOM said their research indicated a definite upward trend with the BOM website saying each decade since the 1940s has been warmer than that preceding:
2009 ends Australia’s warmest decade on record, with a decadal mean temperature anomaly of +0.48°C (above the 1961-90 average). In Australia, each decade since the 1940s has been warmer than the preceding decade. In contrast, decadal temperature variations during the first few decades of Australia’s climate record do not display any specific trend. This suggests an apparent shift in Australia’s climate from one characterised by natural variability to one increasingly characterised by a trend to warmer temperatures.
Meanwhile NIWA Principal Scientist Dr James Renwick confirmed the warming trend saying: “This result is caused by a combination of natural variability and a background warming trend.”
The release of the figures has reignited debate in Australia over the need for an emissions trading scheme which was rejected by the Liberal/National Coalition in the Senate after a dramatic leadership change in December.
The Government has put pressure on the Opposition to agree to pass the legislation however Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has rejected the suggestion, accusing the Government of “playing politics” with natural disasters such as floods and bushfires.
The data will be added to other temperature research compiled by the World Meteorological Organisation which has already forecast that the decade 2000 – 2009 would be the warmest on record for the entire planet.
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