Australia is in peril. Do we truly grasp the impact of a warming planet – in particular, what it will mean for the sunburnt country? 

This searing essay by a leading climate scientist takes aim at the folly of "adaptation" rather than cutting emissions, and at government policy inertia. It shows what rising temperatures will most likely mean for the Australian continent and coastline, and outlines clearly how far Australia is from its most recent promises, let alone what is required.