Andrew B. Watkins
@windjunky.bsky.social
1K followers 150 following 5.3K posts

Australian climate scientist rambling about climate drivers, variability, risks, trends & impacts. Once played goalie for Antarctica. Born @ 325ppm. https://www.linkedin.com/in/drandrewwatkins/

Environmental science 33%
Medicine 16%
Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

windjunky.bsky.social
Huh? The climate wars look an awful lot like they are peaking again... (the view from inside the trenches)

windjunky.bsky.social
This makes me very sad… especially as CSIRO’s Data61 has done some great work for the ACS. The move away from public good science is a sad one for Australia, right at the time we have never needed public good science more.
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
The mood is ominous at CSIRO as jobs disappear ‘by stealth’ – and staff are wondering who’s next
National scientific agency has been ‘reshaping its research portfolio’ to deal with an imminent funding cliff in 2024
www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Andrew Watkins

aunz.theconversation.com
The results challenge claims that the climate risk posed by an individual projects is negligible or cannot be quantified.

👉 theconversation.com/for-the...

windjunky.bsky.social
If we told you that almost 500 people will die as a result of a project, would you still give it the green light? This new paper shows it's possible to calculate deaths (and other impacts) that would result from each new fossil fuel project being approved.

windjunky.bsky.social
The Woodside response in your article is bizarre... its all about how CO2 efficient their processing plant is, not how much CO2 will enter the atmosphere as a direct result of their project. What's also bizarre is that its not actually Woodside's fault - its the fault of government giving approval.

windjunky.bsky.social
All up around 35 reports in total produced in under 2 years, with masses of intelligence from well over 2,500 experts, led by BoM, CSIRO, ABS, GA and University teams.
If you need to assess climate risk for any application, jump into both the workshop and technical reports for your relevant system.

windjunky.bsky.social
A reminder that the NCRA also did a global tipping points report, noting impacts upon Australia. The Antarctic and Greenland tipping points having particularly bad impacts upon sea level rise and our coastlines.
Report at: www.csiro.au/en/news/all/...

Reposted by Andrew Watkins

milliganreports.bsky.social
Watch reporter John Lyons’ story Chasing Trump’s Billions, on #4Corners ABC TV tonight 8.30 AEST & support public interest #journalism. Via YouTube for international viewers. This story famously led Donald #Trump to threaten John’s questions were “hurting Australia”.
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...
As Trump's wealth skyrockets, accusations of conflicts of interest mount
Donald Trump's wealth has skyrocketed since his return to the White House nine months ago, leading to accusations that he is profiting from the presidency.
www.abc.net.au

windjunky.bsky.social
The International Court of Justice says it is an ‘internationally wrongful act’ for States to not be taking all reasonable steps to mitigate emissions.
The mitigation, adaptation & physical science around our future global and Australian climate is clear, as are our international legal obligations.

windjunky.bsky.social
The approval of new coal and gas follows the UNFCCC “SSP5 - Fossil Fueled Development” scenario. which means *at least* 2.7°C, but more likely ~4°C by 2100
The government’s NCRA has made it clear that even 2°C, let alone 3°C, is disastrous for our environment, society and massively expensive
thesaturdaypaper.com.au
The Climate Council identifies another 38 new or expanded coal projects seeking federal government approval. Collectively, they would produce more than 5.7 billion tonnes of coal over their lifetimes, equivalent to more than 14 years of current production. satpa.pe/EC2PaCk
Labor’s slate for fossil fuel approvals
The Albanese government has already approved 31 fossil fuel projects, and more than that are waiting, even as renewables overtake coal as the top source of electricity.
satpa.pe

windjunky.bsky.social
NOAA has declared La Niña underway, though still right at their borderline. The BoM no longer has a La Niña warning system, as it fears misunderstanding and maladaption, but the old system would be at neutral.
NOAA www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/ana...

BoM www.bom.gov.au/climate/enso...
www.bom.gov.au

Reposted by Andrew Watkins

thesaturdaypaper.com.au
The Climate Council identifies another 38 new or expanded coal projects seeking federal government approval. Collectively, they would produce more than 5.7 billion tonnes of coal over their lifetimes, equivalent to more than 14 years of current production. satpa.pe/EC2PaCk
Labor’s slate for fossil fuel approvals
The Albanese government has already approved 31 fossil fuel projects, and more than that are waiting, even as renewables overtake coal as the top source of electricity.
satpa.pe

windjunky.bsky.social
The International Court of Justice 2025 determination in “Obligations of States in respect of climate change” notes that States are obliged to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, and to not do so is an internationally wrongful act.
www.icj-cij.org/sites/defaul...

Reposted by Andrew Watkins

michaelgrose.bsky.social
I will be helping give a webinar on the climate and hazard work underpinning the Australian National Climate Risk Assessment (NCRA), Monday 20 Oct - please register! events.teams.microsoft.com/event/b1585f...
Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams
Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams
events.teams.microsoft.com

windjunky.bsky.social
Western Brisbane is a place to watch, fire wise, this fire season IMHO. Stay dafe @gergyl.bsky.social

windjunky.bsky.social
No, negative SAM means westerlies over the land into eastern Australia, so dry and warm. Great paper by EunPa Lim et all. on 2019 SSW event.
doi.org/10.1175/BAMS...
Remember also other climate drivers in 2025 - neg IOD and possible La Nina. Its complex.

windjunky.bsky.social
Approving new coal mines assuming they will be profitable aligns Australia to IPCC's SSP5 'fossil fueled development' tajectory.
SSP5 means *at least* 2.7C global heating, likely 4C, by 2100.
The government's own National Climate Risk Assessment shows 3C is disasterous for every Australian.

windjunky.bsky.social
The importance of 'NOW' from IPCC...
"limiting {global} warming to around 1.5°C (2.7°F) requires global greenhouse gas emissions to peak before **2025** at the latest"
www.ipcc.ch/2022/04/04/i...

Reposted by Andrew Watkins

Reposted by Richard Denniss

windjunky.bsky.social
A climatologist, an economist and a social scientist walk into a Royal Society of Victoria lecture theatre.
A discussion about the future of our society in a climate changed world.
Myself, Dr Richard Dennis @richarddenniss.bsky.social and Prof. Lucas Walsh
podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/e...
Event: A trio of commentators at the Royal Society of Victoria tackles: 'What is Australia Risking? Future Impacts of Climate Change'
Podcast Episode · Climate Conversations · 09/10/2025 · 1h 46m
podcasts.apple.com

windjunky.bsky.social
Finally the graph that shows the fallacy of the ‘it’s all happened before’ argument. #ithasnt
peterbrannen.bsky.social
Just remembered this jaw-dropping graph by @oceansclimatecu.bsky.social showing the rate of change in CO2 during the previous two deglaciations of the Pleistocene (which, as a fun aside, featured ~400 feet of sea level rise) as compared with today

Reposted by Andrew Watkins

peterbrannen.bsky.social
Just remembered this jaw-dropping graph by @oceansclimatecu.bsky.social showing the rate of change in CO2 during the previous two deglaciations of the Pleistocene (which, as a fun aside, featured ~400 feet of sea level rise) as compared with today

Reposted by Andrew Watkins

windjunky.bsky.social
I'm a white bellied sea eagle guy myself...

Reposted by Richard Denniss

windjunky.bsky.social
I’ll be presenting on the NCRA with my friend Prof. Lucas Walsh and economist Richard Dennis @richarddenniss.bsky.social at the Royal Society of Victoria this Tuesday 6pm - come on down
events.humanitix.com/what-is-aust...