The government of New South Wales (NSW) has declared a state of emergency in the southeastern Australian state after the country endured its hottest day on record - just 24 hours after the previous record was smashed.
On Tuesday, the mercury soared to a national average of 40.9°C, beating the previous record of 40.3C set in 2013. And temperatures continued to climb on Wednesday, hitting an average maximum of 41.9°C.
The extreme heatwave comes as firefighters in drought-stricken NSW battle to contain around 100 wildfires that have been burning for weeks across the region, blanketing Sydney in a toxic layer of smoke.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
As the crisis grows, Australia is facing criticism “for what have been described as inadequate climate policies, including the role of federal officials in thwarting negotiations at a recent UN summit on climate change”, says NBC News.
What is the current situation?
Temperatures are expected to continue rising to near 50°C in parts of South Australia and to peak at 45°C in the western suburbs of Sydney, “while turbulent winds of up to 60mph are expected to fan bushfires burning ever closer to the city”, says The Telegraph.
The blast of extreme heat follows weeks of above-average temperatures that have left NSW authorities struggling to tackle an unprecedented number of blazes since this year’s bushfire season began early in September.
Announcing a seven-day state of emergency on Thursday, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said: “The biggest concern over the next few days is the unpredictability, with extreme wind conditions [and] extremely hot temperatures.”
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced take on the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Why is the government facing criticism?
The Australian government has long been lambasted for its perceived inaction over climate change. Australia scored zero out of 100 on policy in the latest international 2020 Climate Change Performance Index, and came 56th out of 61 countries overall.
“Experts note that the new government is an increasingly regressive force in negotiations and has been criticised for its lack of ambition,” according to a report from the environmental think-tanks behind the index.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has also been criticised personally for refusing requests to meet with former fire chiefs to discuss the bushfires and rejecting calls to professionalise the largely volunteer bush fire services.
Australia has also been blamed for resisting pressure to ramp up efforts legislation on climate change at a “disappointing” UN summit in Madrid this week, reports Sydney-based site News.com.au. The UN Climate Change Conference, known as COP25, saw Australia, Brazil and the US blocking progress on Article Six of the Paris Climate Accord, which would have allowed countries to pay each other for projects that reduce emissions.
Climate activists are hitting the streets of Sydney and other Australian cities to protest against Morrison’s focus on protecting the country’s lucrative coal export industry rather than tackling climate change.
-
No Kings rally: What did it achieve?Feature The latest ‘No Kings’ march has become the largest protest in U.S. history
-
Bolton indictment: Retribution or justice?Feature Trump’s former national security adviser turned critic, John Bolton, was indicted for mishandling classified information after publishing his ‘tell-all’ memoir
-
Chicago: Scenes from a city under siegeFeature Chicago is descending into chaos as masked federal agents target people in public spaces and threaten anyone who tries to document the arrests
-
How climate change poses a national security threatThe explainer A global problem causing more global problems
-
The Earth is getting darkerUnder the radar The planet’s reflectivity is out of whack
-
Scientists want to use enhanced rock weathering to cool the EarthUnder the radar Rock dust could trap atmospheric carbon
-
Icarus programme – the ‘internet of animals’The Explainer Researchers aim to monitor 100,000 animals worldwide with GPS trackers, using data to understand climate change and help predict disasters and pandemics
-
China vows first emissions cut, sidelining USSpeed Read The US, the world’s No. 2 emitter, did not attend the New York summit
-
How clean-air efforts may have exacerbated global warmingUnder the Radar Air pollution artificially cooled the Earth, ‘masking’ extent of temperature increase
-
Earth's seasons are out of whackUnder the radar The seasons' unfixed nature in different regions of the planet may have impacted biodiversity and evolution
-
When does autumn begin?The Explainer The UK is experiencing a 'false autumn', as climate change shifts seasonal weather patterns
