The myth of plastic recycling needs reevaluation
Wednesday 24 April 2024
The author argues that we must confront the reality that recycling does not make plastic any less harmful or more sustainable, suggesting a move towards reducing overall plastic production.
Gone in a puff of smoke: 52,000 sq km of ‘long unburnt’ Australian habitat has vanished in 40 years
Tuesday 23 April 2024
Landscapes that have escaped fire for decades or centuries tend to harbour vital structures for wildlife, such as tree hollows and large logs. But these “long unburnt” habitats can be eliminated by a single blaze
Regulating plastics is essential for protecting children’s brains, scientists say
Monday 22 April 2024
A new briefing paper from Project TENDR highlights the threat plastic poses to children’s neurological development and the need for a strong global plastics treaty to address that harm.
Engage Victoria is the place to discover and access Victorian government consultations, share ideas and have your say about what matters to you. They are asking you to complete this SURVEY. It will only take a few minutes and you can be completely anonymous if you wish. Will you help?
Saturday 20 April 2024
What we want to believe and what is true are seldom the same thing.
Australia falls out of global top 10 solar countries, risks losing spot in leading PV research group
Friday 19 April 2024
Australia stands to lose its place in the world’s foremost global solar research group, a leading industry insider has warned, in the absence of federal government funding to support the participation of Australian experts.
Thursday 18 April 2024
Australia can achieve close to 100% renewables with the technologies of today. The opportunity lies in doing it better with new technologies and with the appropriate policy and regulatory settings.
World faces ‘deathly silence’ of nature as wildlife disappears, warn experts
Wednesday 17 April 2024
Loss of intensity and diversity of noises in ecosystems reflects an alarming decline in healthy biodiversity, say sound ecologists
Tuesday 16 April 2024
Rooftop solar now delivers 11.2% of Australia’s energy and is the fourth largest energy source in the country.
People or planet? We must invest in both for a sustainable future
Monday 15 April 2024
Environmental and social issues need to be considered together for sustainable finance reforms to contribute positively to the wellbeing of the planet and its people
It Doesn’t Have to Be Like This
Saturday 13 April 2024
There is no natural law stating that bullies have to dominate our lives.
Friday 12 April 2024
Protected areas have been the cornerstone of efforts to conserve nature for more than a century. Most countries have some form of protected areas, national parks being the best-known examples. A key element of protected areas is that they are dedicated, through legal or other effective means, to long-term conservation of nature.
What does the Swiss climate decision mean for Australia?
Thursday 11 April 2024
In a landmark ruling, Europe’s top human rights court has ruled the Swiss government violated the human rights of its citizens by failing to do enough to combat climate change. But what happens next?
Tanya Plibersek rejects Toondah Harbour project over impact on globally significant wetlands
Wednesday 10 April 2024
Walker Corporation had proposed 3,000 apartments, marina and shops for the site, which is a critical habitat for the endangered eastern curlew
Australia among hotspots for toxic ‘forever chemicals’, study of PFAS levels finds
Tuesday 9 April 2024
Australian limits on acceptable levels of these toxic chemicals in drinking water ‘orders of magnitude’ higher than in US
Eliminating fossil fuels would save millions of lives, study finds
Monday 8 April 2024
A recent study published in BMJ found that fossil fuels are responsible for more deaths worldwide than previously thought, highlighting the significant health benefits of transitioning to clean energy.
Sunday 7 April 2024
Saturday 6 April 2024
Just 57 companies linked to 80% of greenhouse gas emissions since 2016
Friday 5 April 2024
Analysis reveals many big producers increased output of fossil fuels and related emissions in seven years after Paris climate deal
Out of alignment: how clashing policies make for terrible environmental outcomes
Euan Ritchie et al
Thursday 4 April 2024
Policy alignment sounds dry. But think of it like this: you want to make suburbs cooler and more liveable, so you plant large trees. But then you find the trees run afoul of fire and safety provisions, and they’re cut down.
Rethinking asbestos disposal: From hazard to resource
Katharine Quarmby reports for BBC.
Wednesday 3 April 2024
Researchers are studying innovative solutions for managing asbestos waste, revealing a promising shift toward recycling this hazardous material into harmless, useful products.
It will take hope, inspiration and action to save the earth
Jane Goodall
2 April 2024
I see humanity as at the mouth of a very long, very dark tunnel. And right at the end of that tunnel, there’s a little star that’s hope. And it’s no good sitting at the mouth of the tunnel folding our arms and hoping that the star will come.
If we properly priced death caused by carbon emissions, we might get to net zero a lot quicker
Thursday 28 March 2024
Adding a price on mortality caused by carbon emissions might help change consumption patterns for items such as red meat and 4WDs. Smoking laws provide a template.
“It makes climate change worse:” Carbon credit projects claiming to regrow forests are failing
Wednesday 27 March 2024
New research from three Australian universities shows forest regrowth projects show little improvement, many going backwards.
If we’re going to electrify everything, we’ll need finance that works for everyone
Tuesday 26 March 2024
To achieve net zero, we need an exit plan for everyone where no home is left behind on spiralling price rises and the unplanned decline of the fossil energy system. Here’s what we propose.
‘Planting a tree is hope in action’: the people regenerating urban habitats and growing community
Monday 25 March 2024
Volunteer-led rewilding projects are helping restore degraded habitats in Australian cities, providing opportunities to connect with the planet and others
Clean Energy Council launches national ad campaign against “nuclear distraction”
CEC launches national advertising campaign against nuclear push as former chief scientist Alan Finkel says pausing renewables for nuclear will set back climate action for two decades.
Thursday 21 March 2021
Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen says the average build time for a nuclear power plant in the United States has been nearly two decades. Is that correct? RMIT ABC Fact Check runs the numbers.
Tuesday 19 March 2024
Australia’s environmental scorecard worsened in 2023, but the country fared better than much of the rest of the globe, according to a report from the Australian National University.
Monday 18 March 2024
Australia’s top economists are pressing Prime Minister Anthony Albanese not to ape US President Joe Biden’s “think big” approach to clean energy.
Five nuclear questions Dutton needs to answer
Thursday 14 March 2024
The Coalition’s push for a nuclear solution to Australia’s net-zero transition has left many questions unanswered, as Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and his shadow ministry seemingly struggle with the facts, economics and reality of adopting nuclear power.
The deadly dozen: Scientists identify 11 biggest threats to nation’s survival
Wednesday 13 March 2024
The nation’s first climate risk assessment hints at a dystopian future for Australia if it fails to properly prepare for a multitude of threats
Australia’s media isn’t accurately reporting all sides of the Murray-Darling Basin debate
Tuesday 12 March 2024
A lack of balance in media reporting may have harmed public perception of environmental water allocations in the Murray-Darling – and Indigenous custodians barely get a look in
Air pollution kills 1 million a year – hundreds of whom are Australians
Friday 8 March 2024
Short-term exposure to air pollution has been found to kill more than 1 million people globally every year, even when people are exposed to bushfire smoke, dust and other pollutants for only a few hours or days.
Voters warm to nuclear as billionaire Andrew Forrest slams Coalition ‘bulldust’
This is the policy the Coalition is considering.
Thursday 7 March 2024
Voters warm to nuclear as billionaire Andrew Forrest slams Coalition ‘bulldust’
Mining billionaire Andrew Forrest has slammed the Coalition for advocating nuclear energy as the way to modernise the electricity grid as an exclusive survey reveals that 36 per cent of voters support its
Wednesday 6 May 2024
With the Coalition interested in replacing retiring coal plants with nuclear reactors, there are just a handful of regions that would be likely candidates under the opposition’s yet to be announced plans to go nuclear.
Satellite to ‘name and shame’ worst oil and gas methane polluters
Tuesday 5 March 2024
Leaks are driving 30% of the climate crisis and MethaneSat will provide the first first near-comprehensive global view
The National Electricity Market wasn’t made for a renewable energy future. Here’s how to fix it
4 March 2024
Rooftop solar is Australia’s cheapest source of electricity. The consumer can get electricity from rooftop solar at less than a fifth of the average cost per kwh of buying it from a retailer.
Baiting foxes can make feral cats even more ‘brazen’, study of 1.5 million forest photos shows
1 March 2024
Foxes and cats kill about 2.6 billion mammals, birds and reptiles across Australia, every year. To save native species from extinction, we need to protect them from these introduced predators. But land managers tend to focus on foxes, which are easier to control. Unfortunately this may have unintended consequences.
The network of conservative think-tanks out to kill the switch to renewables
29 Februart 2024
Australia’s renewable energy plans are being targeted by coordinated campaigns from conservative “think tanks”, as the Coalition embraces nuclear and rails against large scale renewables and transmission lines.
28 February 2024
Climate crisis deniers beware! These days, the environment and other traditionally left-leaning issues are more likely to be front of mind when Australians – young and old – head to the polls
Our native animals are easy prey after a fire. Could artificial refuges save them?
27 February 2024
We need every tool at our disposal to stop feral cats and foxes from decimating Australia’s incredible wildlife after fires. Artificial refuges show promise.
Early jacaranda bloom sparks debate about climate change in Mexico
26 February 2024
Every spring, the streets of Mexico’s capital are painted purple with the flowering of thousands of jacaranda trees. Their spectacular colors not only attract the eyes of residents and tourists, but also birds, bees and butterflies that find food and shelter in them.
23 February 2024
Why is there such a big gap between people, industries and government agreeing we need urgent action on climate change, and actually starting? Scope 3 emissions are a great example. These are greenhouse gas emissions that organisations can influence, but don’t directly control.
Four reasons rooftop solar will grow to dominate Australia’s electricity market
22 February 2024
For the past four years Green Energy Markets has produced projections of solar PV and stationary battery system installations for the Australian Energy Market Operator. These are used to help inform AEMO’s Integrated System Plan and Statement of Opportunities planning exercises for both the NEM and the Western Australian SWIS.
21 February 2024
The capacity of rooftop solar in Australia will eclipse the country’s entire electricity demand in coming decades, according to a report that charts the technology’s rise.
Be brave, stay positive, find your tribe: three climate activists explain how to get started
19 February 2024
Whether your idea of climate activism involves signing petitions, door-knocking or protesting, there are now groups for every demographic
We can’t escape a carbon tax, which is good news, not bad
17 February 2024
When economists are at their best, they speak truth to power. And that’s just what two of our best economists, Professor Ross Garnaut and Rod Sims, did this week. In their own polite way, they spoke out against the blatant self-interest of our (largely foreignowned) fossil fuel industry.
Confronting the climate crisis can also advance socio-economic rights
16 February 2024
Data confirms that the impacts of the climate crisis fall hardest on countries and people who are already struggling and who have contributed the least to climate change. But the right policies can both confront the climate crisis and protect and improve people’s social and economic rights.
Wind or sun, coal or nuclear; we need a stronger grid and a better debate
15 February 2024
Adopting entrenched political positions will not change the physics of the climate and energy crisis facing the nation.
14 February 2024
Two of the nation’s most respected economists have put forward a bold plan they say can lower global carbon emissions by at least 6 per cent, super-charge a new green export industry for Australia, deliver much cheaper power bills and even dramatically cut the rate of inflation.
Rural Australia believes in self-sufficiency, so let’s set the terms of the renewable energy boom
13 February 2024
The consultation and planning around the energy rollout has been lacking – so let’s knock the edges off and get investment that works for our communities
The world is reducing its reliance on fossil fuels – except for in three key sectors
12 February 2024
Dramatic changes in energy industry and EVs reducing fossil fuel use, but shipping, aviation and industry a long way from net zero
Population can’t be ignored. It has to be part of the policy solution to our world’s problems
9 February 2024
Most of the problems confronting the world come down to population growth. But where women are given the choice, they limit the number of children they have.
Too late? Climate change denial and the rise of fascism
7 February 2024
“… but they can be sure that they won’t be recorded for their crimes in history — because there won’t be any history” (Noam Chomsky, 2023, in a letter to the author)
6 February 2024
The federal government has detailed its proposal to impose a CO2 standard on new cars. It will have a narrow road to travel to ensure it cuts emissions without driving up car prices.
Why are people climate change deniers?
5 February 2024
Do climate change deniers bend the facts to avoid having to modify their environmentally harmful behavior?
2 February 2024
The deep and crucial reason why Trump could win again.
Hazard reduction burns increase risk of severe bushfires, report finds
1 February 2024
Traditional fire management strategies such as hazard reduction burns, logging, and the thinning of undergrowth have increased the flammability of forests, new research has found.
31 January 2024
The impact on businesses was widespread, even in areas relatively unaffected by the fires, study finds
Move to sustainable food systems could bring $10tn benefits a year, study finds
30 January 2024
Existing production destroys more value than it creates due to medical and environmental costs, researchers say
Chats with AI shift attitudes on climate change, Black Lives Matter
29 January 2024
People who were more skeptical of human-caused climate change or the Black Lives Matter movement who took part in conversation with a popular AI chatbot were disappointed with the experience but left the conversation more supportive of the scientific consensus on climate change or BLM.
What do angry farmers in Nevada and Germany have in common? They’re being exploited by the far right
26 January 2024
Populists are taking advantage of agrarian protests sparked by genuine crises – and it all feels horribly familiar
Record renewables drive prices down, but coal states still the most expensive
25 January 2024
Renewables continue to reshape Australian grid, and bring down prices – but the most coal dependent states have the dirtiest and costliest power, while battling rising temperatures and demand.
24 January 2024
Los Angeles and other US cities have embraced lighter-coloured “cool roads” in response to climate change and heatwaves. So why isn’t Australia doing the same?
Why 2024 will be a crucial year for climate litigation
23 January 2024
Advocates predict activists and local governments will look to the courts to bring about accountability for climate damage
Is climate change too hard for democracy?
22 January 2024
We have all heard that 2023 was the warmest year ever for the world, by some margin.
20 January 2024
Can a movie change your life? Absolutely, says Chris Barrie, former Defence chief turned climate campaigner.
19 January 2024
One of Australia’s leading ecologists says climate change should be specifically mentioned for the first time in revamped threatened species legislation, due to be released by the Albanese government in 2024.
The promise and peril of CCS – a technology that must be viewed with extreme skepticism
18 January 2024
CCS is as promising as nuclear fusion, and possibly just as farfetched to be practical, economic and on a scale that would make a difference.
17 January 2024
Climate change and biodiversity loss are arguably the greatest environmental challenges the world faces. The way we use land is crucial in finding solutions to these problems. In theory, actions such as revegetation and avoiding land clearing can tackle both problems at once – for example, by simultaneously storing carbon in plants and providing habitat for animals.
‘Cheaper to save the world than destroy it’: why capitalism is going green
16 January 2024
Akshat Rathi argues that around the world economies are switching to clean technology as prices drop
Responding to climate change is a people problem
15 January 2024
Climate experts have issued a grim warning for Australians this summer, predicting that 2023 will be the hottest year on record. While the Australian government has recognised the threat of climate change and has committed billions of dollars in disaster relief and the energy transition, the challenges and opportunities they present are unlikely to be met without a significant investment in the skills and qualifications needed.
12 January 2024
An international group of researchers finds that conserving about half of global land area could maintain nearly all of nature’s contributions to people and still meet biodiversity targets for tens of thousands of species. But the same priority areas are at risk of conflict with human development with only 18% of that land area protected.
11 January 2024
Climate Council finds average Australian car needs more petrol to travel same distance as more efficient models common overseas
Scientists outline a bold solution to climate change, biodiversity loss, social injustice
10 January 2024
An international team of scientists has used a novel 500-year dataset to frame a ‘restorative’ pathway through which humanity can avoid the worst ecological and social outcomes of climate change.
How to stop wasting cheap renewables – and drive a faster transition
9 January 2024
The path to 100% renewables is charted. How quickly we get there depends on how we price surplus wind and solar and who controls demand management.
8 January 2024
The number of storms in some regions is increasing, but so is the intensity of rainfall from low-pressure systems. Global heating seems to be playing a key role
Connecting with those who won’t be convinced
6 January 2024
A 46 minute podcast featuring Tim Flannery and Robyn Williams.
It is seen over and over. In a discussion about climate change, the sceptic points out it’s freezing in the US with record cold temperatures. So climate change is not happening. Conversation is derailed. They will not be convinced. This is despite overwhelming evidence that climate change is happening. And we know the cause. But the sceptic says no. And while people are dying, Covid is not happening. We’ve all seen this. So what to do? How do you counter these views? Tim Flannery and Robyn Williams at Hobart’s Beaker St Festival tackle the problem of how to approach people who despite a mountain of evidence, won’t be convinced.
5 January 2024
This is her WEBSITE.
I thought most of us were going to die from the climate crisis. I was wrong
4 January 2024
In an extract from her book Not the End of the World, data scientist Hannah Ritchie explains how her work taught her that there are more reasons for hope than despair about climate change – and why a truly sustainable world is in reach
10 charts that sum up 2023’s clean energy progress
3 January 2024
The shift to clean energy is underway. These charts show how, where — and how fast — that transition is happening.
The things I’m hopeful about in 2024 as an environmental reporter
2 January 2024
It’s easy to focus on what’s wrong, but there’s also a lot to be grateful for.