Through the heatwave haze, the hypocrisy of Australia’s fossil fuel policy shines bright

Analysis suggests the heatwave that blanketed much of Australia in early January was five times more likely to occur now than before human-caused global heating changed the climate. Photograph: Sopa Images/LightRocket/Getty Images

On Tuesday, Australia’s second-largest city baked through one of its hottest days since modern instrumental records began in 1910. Several Melbourne suburbs topped 45C. The country’s fifth-largest city, Adelaide, reached that temperature on Monday. Its residents then suffered through their hottest night ever, with a minimum of about 34C.

Remote communities were even harder hit. It was 48.9C in Hopetoun and Walpeup in Victoria’s north-west, and 49.6C in Renmark, over the South Australian border. An out-of-control bushfire burned in the Otways region, south-west of Melbourne, near areas that just two weeks ago faced flash flooding.