Have you heard the news?
Probably not, because mainstream media continues to fail us catastrophically when it comes to reporting what truly matters. But now, you’ve heard it from Centre for Climate Safety:
• Global temperature has hit a record 13.23°C – a staggering 1.75°C above pre-industrial levels.
• 18 of the last 19 months have exceeded the 1.5°C threshold.
• Arctic sea ice extent for January hit a record low, 6% below the historical average.
• Global weather extremes continue – above-average precipitation and flooding in Alaska, Canada, Russia, and Australia, contrasted by severe droughts in northern Africa and southwestern USA.
If this graph didn’t make you pause, look again:
This is the trajectory we’re on. This is not just about another heatwave or some flash flooding. This is about the fundamental reshaping of our planet’s climate systems, and the consequences will reach into every corner of our lives.
What does 1.75°C really mean?
For years, scientists and policymakers have warned about the importance of limiting global warming to 1.5°C to prevent catastrophic climate disruptions. We are now well beyond that threshold for an alarming stretch of time.
Here’s what that translates to in the real world:
• More extreme storms and flooding: Warmer oceans fuel more intense hurricanes, cyclones, and floods, leading to widespread destruction and displacement.
• More deadly heatwaves: Regions already struggling with extreme temperatures will face even more frequent and intense heatwaves, pushing some places to the limits of human survivability.
• Food and water insecurity: Droughts will worsen, crop yields will decline, and access to fresh water will become increasingly strained, affecting millions of people globally.
• Ecosystem collapse: Coral reefs, rainforests, and Arctic habitats are being pushed past their tipping points. Species extinction rates are accelerating as habitats disappear.
• Rising sea levels and coastal destruction: Higher global temperatures mean accelerating ice melt, leading to rising sea levels that threaten coastal cities and island nations.
This isn’t speculation. It is already happening.
So, what can we do?
It’s easy to feel powerless in the face of such overwhelming data. But we are not powerless. Here’s where your actions matter:
1. Vote like your future depends on it – because it does
No individual action compares to systemic change. And systemic change happens through policy.
Studies have shown that one of the most impactful things an individual can do for the climate is to vote for leaders and policies that prioritise action on climate change. Research by Yale and the UN confirms that countries with stronger environmental policies see tangible improvements in emissions reductions and renewable energy adoption.
With elections coming up in Australia, this is not the time for apathy. It’s time to:
✅ Demand bold climate action from your local candidates.
For instance, ask if they have endorsed the Climate Rescue Accord, and if not, whether they will consider it.
✅ Hold re-election candidates accountable for their climate records.
Find out how they voted during their time in Parliament.
✅ Vote for leaders who are committed to real change, not greenwashing, or trick-distractions such as nuclear
✅ Watch out for candidates of the major parties who will tell your all about their love for climate action, because if they get elected, they will be voting as they are instructed to vote by their parties, regardless of what their community wants.
2. Reduce your carbon footprint – but don’t stop there
Yes, individual changes – like reducing waste, using clean energy, and cutting back on high-emission activities– matter. But they are not enough on their own.
The biggest polluters – fossil fuel companies and industries resistant to change – need to be confronted. This means supporting legislation that enforces emissions reductions, renewable energy investments, and corporate accountability.
3. Join and support climate movements
From grassroots activism to national organizations, people power drives change. Voices of Corangamite and similar groups around Australia are proving that independent candidates focused on climate action can make a difference in elections. The more pressure we apply, the harder it becomes for governments to ignore the climate crisis.
In the Corangamite electorate (Surf Coast, Bellarine and Geelong), for instance, you could start by joining Voices of Corangamite as a volunteer. Or support the Greens’ candidate Mitch Pope, or the Animal Justice Party.
The bottom line
We are now regularly breaching the 1.5°C threshold and edging closer to irreversible climate tipping points. If this trend continues, we are looking at a world shaped by crisis, conflict, and suffering on an unimaginable scale.
This is not a drill.
This is not a future problem.
This is now.
Don’t listen to Trump. That man is deliberately lying. Unfortunately for Australia, the Opposition’s leader Mr Dutton admires Trump and calls him a ‘big thinker’, which does tell you one thing or another about Mr Dutton’s moral values.
The federal election of 2025 is here. The time to act is not tomorrow. It’s today.
Source: Copernicus Climate Change Service: Surface Air Temperature January 2025
Copernicus Climate Change Service is run by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) on behalf of the European Commission.
Extreme heat reshaping childhood itself
As climate change brings more heatwaves to Australia, new research shows 85% of Australian parents worry about their children’s health in extreme heat and 254 Victorian schools – close to 10% – were closed last summer during heatwaves.
January has now officially been recorded as the warmest on record, with air temperatures 1.7°C above pre-industrial levels. Yet the worries Australian parents have about excessively hot weather and heatwaves are just the tip of the (rapidly melting) iceberg. With 85% of parents, grandparents, and caregivers concerned about the impact of extreme heat on kids’ health and safety, it is clear that keeping cool is becoming a much bigger challenge than simply finding a shady spot at the park.
Extreme heat is reshaping childhood itself. Over half (56%) of caregivers think their own childhood summers were more enjoyable than their kids’ summers are now, due to extreme heat. For many families, that means fewer carefree days outside, more time indoors with the AC blasting, and a whole new level of “I’m bored!” The climate crisis is destroying the idyllic Aussie summer, the places, wildlife and way of life we love.
Schools and childcare centers are also feeling the heat, with disruptions and unplanned closures causing headaches for parents and, in some cases, lost income.
A fast and fair transition from burning coal and gas to renewables can drive down costs, ensure a safer future for our kids and help protect our iconic summers. It’s time for courage and commitment from our elected leaders. It’s time to put our children and nature first—stop the climate wreckers—and commit to rapidly cutting climate pollution.
To learn more, read the report:
→ ACF – 4 February 2025:
Extreme heat, fuelled by the worsening climate crisis, is reshaping children’s lives in Australia