Pacific climate change could drive Australian droughts

ABC News (Australia): Climate scientists are concerned a rise in temperature in the Pacific region due to climate change, could increase droughts in Australia. New research, published today in Nature Geoscience, has found the region will have significant temperature changes, which will affect the natural El Nino - La Nina weather cycle.

One of the report's authors Scott Power says the cycle and temperatures in the Pacific have a direct link to drought conditions in Australia. But Dr Power says current modelling is not advanced enough to predict the extent of the impact.

"It's really important that we understand how global warming is going to impact that natural cycle," he said. "But also the impact that that natural cycle is going to have on place like Australia and our Pacific neighbours."…