The Rudd Government must call an urgent science summit in Canberra to discuss links between climate change and extreme weather events across Australia, a leading scientist says.
Australian National University climate scientist Andrew Glikson has written to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, urging him to consider new research that shows the rate of global warming is rapidly accelerating.
''It seems science has not been moving as fast as the rate of climate change, and much of the information on which the Rudd Government has made its decisions has been superseded.
''They need to catch up.
''They need to update their policies.''
The new research findings confirmed Australia's greenhouse emission reduction targets of 5 to 15 per cent were ''totally inadequate and outdated,'' Dr Glikson said.
A number of recent studies, including reports by CSIRO atmospheric scientists, show carbon and methane emissions are rising faster than expected and existing greenhouse reduction targets may not be sufficient to prevent a ''catastrophic'' rise in the average temperatures across the globe.
''Unless simultaneous efforts are made to sharply cut carbon emissions and develop the technology for down-draw of atmospheric carbon dioxide, the future of our young and future generations looks grim,'' DrGlikson said
His email to the Prime Minister, urging Mr Rudd to take a stronger leadership stance on climate change, coincides with warnings by scientists preparing to attend next month's global climate science summit in Copenhagen.
Katherine Richardson, a marine biologist at the University of Copenhagen, has said the world's political leaders are being too timid and ''wishy-washy'' in addressing climate change.
A key issue to be discussed at the summit is whether it is still possible to limit the average global temperature rise to 2 degrees Celsius a level which the European Union has defined as ''dangerous climate change''.
Dr Glikson said current atmospheric carbon dioxide levels had reached 387 parts per million and ''are already in the danger zone''.
''The new findings indicate that targets considered in the Garnaut review, namely 450ppm or 550ppm of carbon dioxide, cannot be sustained.
''This is because carbon cycle feedbacks, including looming methane emissions, and the dynamics of ice [and] warming melt water interactions, threaten runaway warming leading toward tipping points, as occurred repeatedly in the past.''
He said Australia was now in a ''hell to high water state'', with the Victorian bushfires and Queensland floods offering a glimpse into a future where ''extreme events hit hard and fast''.
''It has long been predicted that global warming will manifest itself through a series of extreme weather events, the result of high energy cyclones generated over warming ocean water, rising air plumes over land and increasing temperature contrasts between evaporating water surfaces, cloud masses and warm land air currents.
''Close connections are documented between global warming trends and the increased frequency of heat waves.''