<
https://reneweconomy.com.au/ocean-heat-is-especially-bad-for-australia-buy-disaster-recovery-shares/>
"Global ocean heat content increased by approximately 23 zetajoules (ZJ) in
2025, roughly 40 times annual global primary energy consumption.
Waters off Australia’s east coast are among the fastest-warming globally due to
the intersection of expanding Hadley circulation, Pacific heat redistribution,
and the East Australian Current.
As oceans expert Matthew England discusses in the latest episode of
Renew
Economy’s
Energy Insiders podcast there are key consequences for Australia:
Intensified weather extremes: Warmer sea surface temperatures increase
moisture available to storms, producing heavier rainfall events when conditions
align. Conversely, when rain systems miss, ground dries faster, accelerating
drought onset and bushfire risk.
Ecosystem disruption: Marine heatwaves have caused kelp die-offs and
biological regime shifts, particularly off eastern Tasmania.
Ocean acidification: Surface waters are becoming more acidic (pH has dropped
0.1 globally, a 25% increase in acidity), affecting shell-forming organisms.
Sea level rise: Australian sea levels have risen approximately 20 cm over the
past century, with another 15 cm likely by 2050. This raises the baseline for
every high tide and storm surge, increases coastal flooding frequency,
accelerates beach erosion, and drives chronic infrastructure damage.
Economic implications: Disaster recovery has become a material component of
economic activity, with US climate-related costs reaching $7.7 trillion since
2000."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
