If there's a silver lining in the clouds of smoke it's that this could be a tipping point | Michael Mann

Australia's horrific bushfires could be the catalyst that pushes the world to a mass recognition that it's time to act

As a climate scientist on sabbatical in Australia, I've had plenty of conversations about the climate crisis lately as bushfires have burned their way to the front of everyone's mind. Although the Murdoch media make it seem as if there's plenty of debate, the reality is that most Australians I talk to get it.

And why shouldn't they? More carbon pollution means warmer temperatures which dry out the landscape, making it easier for fires to spread. The fact that the bushfires tore through Australia as we ended the hottest decade ever recorded is no coincidence.