Lethal Fires, DroughtFocus Australian Action on Climate

With the death toll from Australia’s wildfires surpassing 170, climate scientists and environmentalists are urging the government to recognize the link between the blazes and climate change and to act more forcefully to curb greenhouse gas emissions.The recent fires in southern Victoria, caused in part by years of prolonged drought and a record heat wave, have prompted green groups to call on Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to vow to cut the country’s greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by 2020; Rudd has set a target of CO2 emissions cuts of 5 percent by 2020, with possible reductions of 15 percent if a global climate change agreement is reached. Leading climate scientist Kevin Hennessy said that should temperatures in Australia continue to rise — some researchers have predicted that parts of the country could see increases of 3 C (5.4 F) by 2050 — the rich agricultural land of southern Australia will experience even more severe drought. The Green Party’s Christine Milne said Australia must prepare to adapt to a hotter world, adding, “Over the last few days, we Australians have looked our own future in the face.”