Together they have produced a new report that contains some alarming climate predictions _ among them that exceptionally hot years which might have occurred every 25 years, could return every couple of years.

If the predictions play out, there will be even more testing times ahead for agriculture, urban water supplies and native flora and fauna.

It is one of many reports that have emerged recently that paint a grim picture of the future and follows the report released on Friday by Professor John Garnaut, who examined greenhouse gas emissions and what Australia could

do to help counter global warming.

So is any of the information leading to action?

There have been encouraging signs. Over the past few weeks the Murray Darling Basin _ that great producer of food, wealth and the lifeblood of a great swathe of inland Australia _ has received considerable attention from

our political leaders.

A pledge was made at the recent COAG gathering to provide $3.7 billion to the Basin, and Prime Minister Kevin Rudd even took himself to South Australia to inspect the parched end of the Murray River.

It appeared the experience was a sobering one for the PM, who said he believed what he was seeing was the result of climate change.

For those who are sceptical of human-induced climate change, this latest report from the bureau and CSIRO will be difficult to accept.

But it comes from those who dedicate their professional lives to analysing the available weather records and using them to anticipate the future. In short, it wields significant clout.

These warnings from our scientific community should be taken seriously and be considered at every step by those making decisions about Australia's future.