Will 2025 be the canary in the climate coalmine?

April 30, 2025

Our planet is heating more rapidly than expected, with 2024 proving, contrary to most expectations, warmer than the El Nino-powered 2023. There will be many reasons why this is happening, including ever-increasing carbon pollution, reduced sulphate cooling and the shrinking global icecaps.

If, as David Spratt predicts, 2025 is warmer again, then this will portend a dangerous trend accelerating our environmental deterioration. Urgent action would be required on a global scale.

In that case, COP31, in 2026, will hold critical significance. Should Australia, with the Pacific Islands, win the right to host this event we will have the opportunity to lead the world in what could be the most significant conference since Paris in 2015.

Achieving this will require powerful, sustained diplomacy to achieve the early, substantial and sustained emission reductions that the planet will need to retain a habitable environment.

We need to elect a strong government now which is committed to effective climate action and which will confront these challenges with courage and determination.