State of the Climate
The State of the Climate series is a biennial joint publication between Australia’s two leading climate science agencies — CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology.
The series draws on the latest climate research, encompassing observations, analyses and projections to describe year-to-year variability and longer-term changes in Australia’s climate. The 2020 report is a synthesis of our current understanding of climate in Australia and includes new information about Australia’s climate of the past, present and future.
[A map outline of Australia with an illustration of a parent and child standing on a hill looking over the Australian landscape.]
Our climate shapes the lives of all Australians.
[The map expands revealing more of the scene with the text reading State of the Climate 2020]
So how is our climate changing and why?
Despite some slowdown during COVID-19,
[The scene changes to a graph displaying the carbon emissions rates labelled CO2 parts per million and dating back to 800,000 years ago. Text on the left-hand side of the screen reads Global CO2 concentrations are now higher than any time in the last 2 million years]
global carbon dioxide concentrations are now higher than any time in the last 2 million years.
[The graph shifts to one side and a magnifying glass comes onto the screen magnifying the sharp increase in emissions since 1500 AD]
The enhanced greenhouse effect is a major driver of our changing climate.
[Text on screen reads The enhanced greenhouse effect is a major drive of our changing climate]
[The screen shifts to a graph showing temperature changes over time, text on the right-hand reading Australia's temperatures continue to rise with a graph illustrating an upward trend since 1900]
Australia's temperatures continue to rise, with more frequent and intense heatwaves. These trends are projected to continue.
[An illustration of a tropical forest with the text increased dangerous fire weather days comes on screen]
The number of dangerous fire weather days is increasing,
[Animated fire comes on screen]
with longer fire seasons for the east and south of the country.
[The camera pans across onto animated plains showing the grasslands burning]
Over time, long-term rainfall patterns have shifted.
[Text comes on the bottom of the screen overlaid into the animation reading the southern half of Australia is becoming drier]
The southern half of Australia is becoming drier during the cooler months,
[The grass in the animation wilts and falls away]
and combined with warming temperatures, there will be more time spent in severe drought.
[The scene shifts to an overview of the animated rainforest with rain pouring down and text reading Wet season rainfall over central and northern parts has increased]
In contrast, wet season rainfall over central and northern parts has increased.
[The scene changes to an animated ocean with arrows darting into the water]
[Text comes on screen reading our oceans are acidifying with multiple down arrows next to PH to symbolize the increased acidity of the oceans]
The oceans are absorbing some of the additional carbon emitted by humans.
As this happens they are acidifying.
Ocean temperatures continue to increase,
[The animation shows us a view over a clear ocean with the text ocean temperatures continue to increase]
and marine heatwaves are becoming more frequent and severe.
[An animation of fish swimming in the depths of the ocean with the text beside it reading Marine heatwaves are becoming more frequent and severe]
As a result of the warming oceans, sea levels are rising and the rate of increase is accelerating.
[An animated graph shows the rising sea levels since 1880 and the text above reads sea levels are rising]
Looking ahead, all these trends are projected to continue, though reducing global emissions
[An animated man and woman stand on a hillside locking across to a city in the distance]
will lead to less warming and impacts.
[The scene shrinks being the image within an outline of the map of Australia]
With better science than ever before, State of the Climate can help Australians better plan and adapt for our changing climate.
[Text on screen State of the Climate 2020 above the Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology logo, bom.gov.au and to the right the CSIRO logo, csiro.au]
Understanding our climate
Low emissions technologies to help reach net zero
Flexible solar: Providing solar for everyone, everywhere
Thin, flexible solar panels are gaining attention worldwide as an exciting energy source, particularly because of their potential integration into a variety of materials.
Find out more about our printed solar film.
[Music plays and image shows three blue boxes appearing between the walls of tall city buildings. Text appears: Imagine Solar Energy Everywhere, for everyone]
[image shows two model houses with solar panels and text appears: Solar Energy is a huge source of clean, sustainable power. Even a fraction of the sun’s energy could power the world]
[Image shows a purple flexible printed solar film scrolling around a rod, then a black flexible printed solar film scrolling]
[Image shows a machine parts and text appears: We’re developing new materials and processes to produce thin, lightweight and flexible solar cells based on printable ‘solar inks’]
[Image shows a man wearing a lab coat and safety goggles inspecting a machine with the scrolling films]
[Image shows flexible printed solar film and text appears: These inks are developed onto flexible plastic films using roll-to-roll processes]
[Image shows film scrolling through the machine, then the man’s face]
[Image shows the printer head printing onto the film]
[Image shows a tent covered with printed solar film and text appears: Our lightweight, flexible printed solar film can be integrated into fabric to make tents or awnings]
[Image shows a mailing tube with a rolled film in front of large tents covered with vertical parallel rows of flexible printed solar film and text appears: supply energy relief power]
[Image shows a sailing boat with horizontal rows of flexible printed solar film and text appears: or used in boat sails to name a few applications]
[Images shows a garden with a canopy of flexible printed solar film and text appears: We have made a ‘canopy’ of printed solar film to create a beautiful shade structure]
[Image shows a green dispenser with white flexible material scrolling out and text appears: and we recently attached our flexible printed solar to roofing panels that can’t support the weight of conventional solar panels]
[Image shows corrugated roofing material with flexible printed solar film moving over rollers]
[Image shows flexible printed solar films scrolling through rods, then a man examining the printing process, and text appears: By developing new materials and processes, we have achieved power conversion efficiencies of around 20 per cent on small devices]
[Image shows flexible printed solar film on a rod and text appears: But it’s not over yet. Thanks to funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) We have partnered with Monash University, University of Cambridge and UNSW to work on an exciting group of next generation solar materials called perovskites]
[Image shows flexible printed solar film scrolling through the printer and text appears: These perovskite solar cells have achieved performances approaching that of conventional silicon solar cells]
[Image shows the printing machine and text appears: Roll-to-roll solar cell manufacturing has a much lower barrier to entry and energy cost than conventional solar cell manufacturing]
[Image shows flexible printed solar film scrolling through the printer and text appears: These solar cells have the potential to create new opportunities for Australian manufacturing and to add value to existing industries]
[Image shows a woman holding a strip of flexible printed solar film up to the sunlight and text appears: It’s another example of how CSIRO is solving the greatest challenges through innovation and technology]
[Music plays and CSIRO logo appears]
Building resilience across Australia and our region
Drought Resilience Mission
The goal of the Mission is to reduce the impacts of Australian droughts by 30 per cent this decade.
Implementing drought resilience will result in a regional Australia that can endure deeper, longer droughts, and recover from them sooner.
This will allow our food and agribusinesses to boost national farm income, increase food security, and protect the regional jobs that rely on agriculture. It will increase the resilience of rural and regional communities that depend on agriculture and improve environmental outcomes.
[Image appears of a split circle appears with photos in each half of the circle flashing through of various CSIRO activities and the circle then morphs into the CSIRO logo]
[Images change to show a farmer and some sheep walking across a paddock]
The Drought Resilience Mission has a goal to reduce the worst impacts of droughts in Australia.
[Images change to show the earth from space]
Droughts are predicted to become more frequent and severe, requiring new solutions.
[Images change to show dry and cracked dirt]
Our mission is to reduce the impacts caused by droughts in three key areas.
[Images change to show sheep walking in a dry paddock and a tractor]
Firstly, we’ll strengthen our agricultural industries to reduce variability in farm incomes.
[Images change to show a crop being harvested then show a crop being harvested]
Secondly, we’ll develop new ways to improve the resilience of our regional communities.
[Images change to show a country town from the air and then show two people walking through a crop]
Thirdly, we’ll improve environmental outcomes, such as reducing soil loss from erosion.
[Images change to show a landscape with fast moving clouds and then change to show a landscape with rain in the distance]
We’re collaborating with industry, government and research organisations to overcome drought.
[Images change to show a landscape with trees and crops and then change to show cows]
Together the Drought Resilience Mission will build a stronger regional Australia against times of drought.
[Images change to show a farmers’ market with people buying fresh fruit and vegetables then change to show a farmer in a field at sunset]
[Image changes to show the CSIRO logo on the screen and text appears: CSIRO, Australia’s National Science Agency]