Query: the kind of extreme heat we saw this past summer will be the norm

Relevant passages:
Sydney <=SEP=> Sydney is the state capital of New South Wales and the most populous city in Australia and Oceania . Located on Australia 's east coast , the metropolis surrounds the world 's largest natural harbour , and sprawls towards the Blue Mountains to the west . Residents of Sydney are known as `` Sydneysiders '' . Sydney is the location of the secondary official residences of the Governor-General of Australia and the Prime Minister of Australia , Admiralty House and Kirribilli House respectively .   The Sydney area has been inhabited by indigenous Australians for at least 30,000 years . The first British settlers , led by Captain Arthur Phillip , arrived in 1788 to found Sydney as a penal colony , the first European settlement in Australia . Since convict transportation ended in the mid-19th century , the city has transformed from a colonial outpost into a major global cultural and economic centre . As at June 2016 Sydney 's estimated population was 5,005,358 . In the , 34 percent of the population reported having been born overseas , representing many different nationalities and making Sydney one of the most multicultural cities in the world . There are more than 250 different languages spoken in Sydney and about one-third of residents speak a language other than English at home .   Despite being one of the most expensive cities in the world , the 2014 Mercer Quality of Living Survey ranks Sydney tenth in the world in terms of quality of living , making it one of the most livable cities . It is classified as an Alpha + World City by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network , indicating its influence in the region and throughout the world . Ranked eleventh in the world for economic opportunity , Sydney has an advanced market economy with strengths in finance , manufacturing and tourism . Its gross regional product was $ 337 billion in 2013 , the largest in Australia . There is a significant concentration of foreign banks and multinational corporations in Sydney and the city is promoted as one of Asia Pacific 's leading financial hubs .   In addition to hosting events such as the 2000 Summer Olympics , Sydney is amongst the top fifteen most-visited cities in the world , with millions of tourists coming each year to see the city 's landmarks . Its natural features include Sydney Harbour , the Royal National Park , and the Royal Botanic Garden . Man-made attractions such as the Sydney Opera House , Sydney Tower and the Sydney Harbour Bridge are also well known to international visitors .

Climate change in Australia <=SEP=> Climate change has been a major issue in Australia since the beginning of the 21st century . In 2013 , the CSIRO released a report stating that Australia is becoming hotter , and that it will experience more extreme heat and longer fire seasons because of climate change . In 2014 , the Bureau of Meteorology released a report on the state of Australia 's climate that highlighted several key points , including the significant increase in Australia 's temperatures ( particularly night-time temperatures ) and the increasing frequency of bush fires , droughts and floods , which have all been linked to climate change .   Since the beginning of the 20th century Australia has experienced an increase of nearly 1 ° C in average annual temperatures , with warming occurring at twice the rate over the past 50 years than in the previous 50 years . Recent climate events such as extremely high temperatures and widespread drought have focused government and public attention on the impacts of climate change in Australia . Rainfall in southwestern Australia has decreased by 10 -- 20 % since the 1970s , while southeastern Australia has also experienced a moderate decline since the 1990s . Rainfall patterns are expected to be problematic , as rain has become heavier and infrequent , as well as more common in summer rather than in winter , with little or no uptrend in rainfall in the Western Plateau and the Central Lowlands of Australia . Water sources in the southeastern areas of Australia have depleted due to increasing population in urban areas ( rising demand ) coupled with climate change factors such as persistent prolonged drought ( diminishing supply ) . At the same time , Australia continues to have the highest per capita greenhouse gas emissions . Temperatures in Australia have also risen dramatically since 1910 and nights have become warmer .   A carbon tax was introduced in 2011 by the Gillard government in an effort to reduce the impact of climate change and despite some criticism , it successfully reduced Australia 's carbon dioxide emissions , with coal generation down 11 % since 2008 -- 09 . The subsequent Australian Government , elected in 2013 under then Prime Minister Tony Abbott was criticised for being `` in complete denial about climate change '' . Furthermore , the Abbott government repealed the carbon tax on 17 July 2014 in a heavily criticised move . The renewable energy target ( RET ) , launched in 2001 , was heavily modified under Abbott 's government . However , under the government of Malcolm Turnbull , Australia attended the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference and adopted the Paris Agreement . This agreement includes a review of emission reduction targets every 5 years from 2020 .   The federal government and all state governments ( New South Wales , Victoria , Queensland , South Australia , Western Australia , Tasmania , Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory ) have explicitly recognised that climate change is being caused by greenhouse gas emissions , in conformity with the scientific opinion on climate change . Sectors of the population have campaigned against new coal mines and coal-fired power stations , reflecting concerns about the effects of global warming on Australia .  The Garnaut Climate Change Review predicted that a net benefit to Australia may be derived by stabilising greenhouse gases in the atmosphere at 450ppm CO2 eq .   The per-capita carbon footprint in Australia was rated 12th in the world by PNAS in 2011 , considerably large given the small population of the country .

Perth <=SEP=> Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia . It is the fourth-most populous city in Australia , with an estimated population of 2.06 million living in Greater Perth . Perth is part of the South West Land Division of Western Australia , with the majority of the metropolitan area located on the Swan Coastal Plain , a narrow strip between the Indian Ocean and the Darling Scarp . The first areas settled were on the Swan River , with the city 's central business district and port ( Fremantle ) both located on its shores .   Perth was founded by Captain James Stirling in 1829 as the administrative centre of the Swan River Colony . It gained city status ( currently vested in the smaller City of Perth ) in 1856 , and was promoted to the status of a Lord Mayorality in 1929 . The city is named after Perth , Scotland , due to the influence of Sir George Murray , Member of Parliament for Perthshire and Secretary of State for War and the Colonies . The city 's population increased substantially as a result of the Western Australian gold rushes in the late 19th century . During Australia 's involvement in World War II , Fremantle served as a base for submarines operating in the Pacific Theatre , and a US Navy Catalina flying boat fleet was based at Matilda Bay . An influx of immigrants after the war , predominantly from Britain , Greece , Italy and Yugoslavia , led to rapid population growth . This was followed by a surge in economic activity flowing from several mining booms in the late 20th and early 21st centuries that saw Perth become the regional headquarters for a number of large mining operations located around the state .   As part of Perth 's role as the capital of Western Australia , the state 's Parliament and Supreme Court are located within the city , as is Government House , the residence of the Governor of Western Australia . Perth came seventh in the Economist Intelligence Unit 's August 2016 list of the world 's most liveable cities , and was classified by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network in 2010 as a world city .   Perth is divided into 30 local government areas and 250 suburbs , stretching from Two Rocks in the north to Singleton in the south , and east inland to The Lake . Outside of the main CBD , important urban centres within Perth include Armadale , Fremantle , Joondalup , Midland , and Rockingham . Most of those were originally established as separate settlements , and retained a distinct identity after being subsumed into the wider metropolitan area . Mandurah , Western Australia 's second-largest city , has in recent years formed a conurbation with Perth along the coast , though for most purposes it is still considered a separate city .