Scientists warn of 'critical gaps' in Australia's climate science capability

Exclusive: Australia needs the expertise to predict changes which have a major impact across the country, a review finds

A government-backed review of Australia's climate science capability has identified "critical gaps" in the nation's ability to understand the processes that underpin climate change, with atmospheric modelling lagging other countries.

It found Australia was in danger of losing "critical expertise" needed to predict changes in major climate patterns, such as El Nino and the Indian Ocean Dipole, that have a major impact across the continent.