Record flooding in Australia driven by La Niña and climate change
New ScientistSep 21, 2021
The Facts
Australia's east coast has faced severe flooding, after several days of unrelenting rainfall.
Up to 8 people are thought to have died in the country's third-most populous city, Brisbane.
The Spin
Narrative A
This same region has already been hit by ruinous wildfires. Predictions that climate change will precipitate in more extreme weather events are coming true and more must be done to fight it.
Narrative B
It's easy to dismiss any extreme weather event as a consequence of climate change, but in reality they're usually influenced by a myriad of factors that have nothing to do with it. More research is needed before we can establish any direct causal link between the two.