Adelaide has become the hottest city in the world with a temperature of 46 degrees Celsius caused by Australia's record-breaking heat wave. According to a report by the Climate Council, heat waves in the country will be hotter, longer and more frequent.

The Climate Council's full report is set to be released in February but the organisation revealed its findings based on a study of heat waves in Australia between 1971 and 2008. The council points to climate change as the main factor behind the rising temperatures in Australia.

South-eastern Australia has been sizzling in extremely hot weather with Melbourne residents experiencing 40C for four consecutive days, a trend not observed since 1908. Adelaide is now on its fifth consecutive day of over 40C temperatures. The Bureau of Meteorology has forecasted a 46C temperature in Adelaide, bringing the city closer to its highest temperature of 46.1C.

The privately-run Climate Council is composed of a group of climate scientists and economists from the now-defunct Climate Commission which was abolished by Prime Minister Tony Abbott. The council's interim report does not only reveal more frequent heat waves but extreme cold weather events. However, heat waves will outnumber record cold events three to one.

The report also states that greenhouse gases building up in the atmosphere from fossil fuels will increase the likelihood of extremely hot temperatures and longer heatwaves.

Climate change risks escalating

The Climate Council has warned Australia in December 2013 to prepare for more frequent and intense bushfires. The council, which was formerly funded by the Australian government before Prime Minister Tony Abbott scrapped the body, will release its report concerning the risks of bushfires.

The Climate Council's chief Tim Flannery said that although bushfires in Australia are nothing new, there was a growing possibility that more will happen in the future. Mr Flannery said climate change will increase the risk of frequent bushfires.

He said many people have lost their lives. Property and infrastructure have been damaged because of bushfires. According to the Climate Council's report, people need to understand the risks of climate change to prepare for the future.

After the Bureau of Meteorology has announced 2013 as the hottest year in Australia, the spotlight shines on Prime Minister Tony Abbott as critics seized an opportunity to call for a climate policy change.

Political opponents of Mr Abbott have more reason to compel him abandon the scrapping of carbon pricing laws. The Australian Labour Party and the Greens used the Annual Climate Statement of the weather bureau to call on the Abbott government to reassess its current climate change policies.

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