Nico Smit/Unsplash, CC BY Restoring degraded environments, such as by planting trees, is often touted as a solution to the climate crisis. But our new research shows this, while important, is no substitute for preventing fossil fuel emissions to limit global warming. We calculated the maximum potential for responsible nature restoration to absorb carbon dioxide […]
In a world hyper-attuned to disease after more than two years of a global pandemic, every new outbreak attracts headlines. The globe is still grappling with COVID-19, but Australians have had to get their heads around the symptoms and risks associated with a number of other new diseases. Take Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), which was found […]
Conservationists have renewed calls for an end to native forest logging as Australia’s largest gliding mammal, the greater glider, has been listed as endangered. Key points: The federal government has moved the species from a vulnerable to endangered listing at a national level. More than 30 per cent of the southern and central greater gliders’ […]
Getty If a week is a long time in politics, three years is an eternity. Since the 2019 election, Australia has endured devastating megafires and unprecedented floods. Meanwhile, news of extreme weather such as India and Pakistan’s horrific heatwaves has poured in. And international pressure to act on climate change is growing. Perhaps in response, […]
“Not serious and lacking detail even on their best projects being announced. Obviously, they are divided and unable to make a serious contribution.” Lesley Hughes — not an effective climate policy “The Morrison government’s climate policy can be summarised pretty quickly and simply really, in that the Morrison government has no effective federal climate policy. [They] […]
Shutterstock When you think of an electric vehicle, chances are you’ll picture a car. But there’s a quiet revolution going on in transport. It turns out electrification can work wonders for almost all of our transport options, from electric bikes to motorbikes to buses to freight trains and even to tractors and heavy trucks. There […]
Plans to build a massive solar energy project would result in significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions in northern Australia but could also cause adverse effects, an environmental impact assessment (EIS) has found. Key points: Sun Cable intends to spend more than $30 billion on its Australia-Asia PowerLink, which would harness solar energy in the […]
Hundreds of school students have protested outside the prime minister’s official Sydney residence as part of a global day demanding action on climate change. The student-led climate strikes took place in cities, suburbs and regional towns across Australia, and aimed to call on the federal government to divert funding away from coal and gas projects […]
Climatic trends, extreme conditions and sea level rise are already hitting many of Australia’s ecosystems, industries and cities hard. As climate change intensifies, we are now seeing cascading and compounding impacts and risks, including where extreme events coincide. These are placing even greater pressure on our ability to respond. While the work of adaptation has […]
Climate change is already increasing the price Australians pay for food and the problem will only get worse, a new report has warned. Key points: The environment group Farmers for Climate Action, which commissioned the report, has warned global warming will lead to higher food prices and shortages for consumers. “Australia’s food supply chain is […]
