In recent years, Australia has experienced record drought, flooding, bushfires and heatwaves. Recent extremes triggered controversy about whether these events are linked to climate change. Australia has a naturally variable climate, but are extremes already being influenced by climate change?

In this talk, I will investigate human influences on observed extreme climate events, using examples from Australia occurring in recent years. Can we quantify the different factors that influence the risk of these extreme events occurring? Are recent extreme weather and climate events attributable to anthropogenic climate change?

About the speaker

I am currently an ARC DECRA Fellow in the Fenner School. Prior to this, I was a Research Fellow in the ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate System Science at RSES and at the University of Melbourne. My research focuses on climate change and variability. In particular, my recent research has aimed to understand the causes of recent extreme heat and rainfall in Australia.