The climate crisis in charts: how 2024 has set unwanted new records
Thursday 21 November 2024
Data tracks how Earth’s heating has led to rising sea levels and extreme weather – yet there is no sign of emissions slowing
China and India should not be called developing countries, several Cop29 delegates say
Wednesday 20 November 2024
Delegates from poorer nations say classifications that date back to 1992 are obsolete and two countries ‘should be contributing’
Tuesday 19 November 2024
These people are prepared to destroy everything, as long as they can command the ruins.
I really like the way George Monbiot writes. Not only does he write in an engaging way but he says it like it is. Do you agree with me? Use this CONTACT link and tell me what you think.
Here’s what we’ll be telling COP29 about how climate change is harming young people’s mental health
Monday 18 November 2024
As government representatives gather at the COP29 international climate summit in Azerbaijan, the impact of climate change on young people’s mental health needs to be an urgent priority.
Environmental breakdown: We have been warned
Friday 15 November 2024
Sometimes a single event can throw global problems into sharp relief. The recent flood in Spain is one such phenomenon. If past experience is anything to go by, however, the implications of this catastrophic ‘weather event’ are likely to be studiously ignored by those in a position to do something about them.
Thursday 14 November 2024
Global emissions look to rise in 2024, a new Carbon Budget report reveals. Climate scientists say it’s “grim news” because the world has the technology to change that. What’s missing, they say, is political
Annual global fossil fuel subsidies jump to $1.7 trillion – just in the G20
Wednesday 13 November 2024
Latest data shows that G20 countries alone provided $A1.7 trillion of fossil fuel subsidies in 2022, and Australia gets a mixed review.
Tuesday 12 November 2024
For the third year in a row, the United Nations Climate Change Conference will be hosted by an authoritarian state that sells fossil fuels. This week the 29th “conference of the parties”, COP29, is being held in Baku, Azerbaijan. It follows COP28 in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates last year and COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt the year before that.
2024 ‘Virtually certain’ to be hottest year on record: EU climate agency
Monday 11 November 2024
A new report contained “the bleakest news possible, especially with a climate denier U.S. president in office for the next four years,” said one climate scientist.
Climate Extremes: At the Abyss?
Monday 11 November 2024
Climate change is a pressing global issue that is causing a significant rise in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. These events, such as heatwaves, droughts, floods, and wildfires, have far-reaching consequences for both the environment and human society. Heatwaves,…
No Turning Back: Accepting the Irreversible Global Collapse
Sunday 10 November 2024
The entire world will change, and no one will be spared.
Plastic pollution is changing entire Earth system, scientists find
Friday 8 November 2024
Pollution is affecting the climate, biodiversity, ecosystems, ocean acidification and human health, according to analysis
Donald Trump wins US presidency. What that could mean for the environment.
Thursday 7 November 2024
His first term and recent campaigns signal massive deregulation and a reshaping of agencies.
Earth As You’ve Never Seen It!
Wednesday 6 November 2024
The View From Here on 31 October 2024
Tuesday 5 November 2024
Elon Musk threatens to do to democracy what he did to Twitter.
Why the Insect Apocalypse Spells the End of Everyday Life as We Know It
Monday 4 November 2024
Beyond the missing butterflies, insects are key to all life on Earth.
Einstein: the lone genius is pure mythology
Sunday 3 November 2024
Many mavericks look to Einstein as a unique figure, whose lone genius revolutionized the Universe. The big problem? It isn’t true.
The world according to Kamala Harris
Saturday 2 November 2024
In Kamala Harris’ acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention this past summer in Chicago, she sought to cast herself in thoroughly relatable terms. “The middle class is where I come from,” she said, using “middle class” eight more times as if trying to weave herself into the centre of an American electorate that has yet to understand her.
5 things you can do to end the biodiversity crisis as the world talks about it at COP16
Friday 1 November 2024
The world is charging towards tipping points for species extinctions, ecosystem collapse and loss of genetic diversity. Crossing these tipping points will be devastating for nature and human existence alike.
Thursday 31 October 2024
This is what you are voting for if you vote for Donald Trump.
Billionaires and lobbyists have seized control of our national narrative
Wednesday 30 October 2024
Having spoken to 8000 people across the country, I have been struck by the sense of pent-up fury, anguish and frustration among Australians.
Spreading crushed rock over farmland can remove CO₂ from the atmosphere if we do it right
Tuesday 29 October 2024
Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is naturally removed from the air when it reacts with certain types of rock. We can accelerate this process by crushing suitable rocks and spreading them over agricultural fields. This simple method, known as “enhanced rock weathering”, could vastly increase the rate of CO₂ removal from the atmosphere.
Carbon offsets ‘slowing’ net-zero goals
Monday 28 October 2024
Companies across the world that are using carbon offset schemes are “hindering the energy transition” and slowing the path to true net-zero emissions, according to more than 60 climate scientists.
Want genuine progress towards restoring nature? Follow these 4 steps
Friday 25 October 2024
“Nature positive” is seemingly everywhere. Two weeks ago, Australia hosted the first Global Nature Positive Summit. This week, nations are meeting in Colombia for a global biodiversity summit to discuss progress on nature positive commitments.
Urban green spaces have vital role in cutting heat-related deaths, study finds
Thursday 24 October 2024
Comprehensive review suggests that adding more parks, trees and greenery could improve public health
Pollution is one of the top drivers of biodiversity loss. Why is no one talking about it at COP16?
Wednesday 23 October 2024
“Chemicals are really at the center of this triple planetary crisis of pollution, biodiversity and climate change.”
From drones to genomics, science can help fight extinction: that work must begin at Cop16
Tuesday 22 October 2024
As nations meet in Colombia to confront species and ecosystem loss, the onus is on the global north to put science and collaboration at the heart of the issue
Monday 21 October 2024
Policies such as cash payouts for bicycle commuters have knock-on effects including reduced pollution and better physical and mental health
Global water crisis leaves half of world food production at risk in next 25 years
Friday 18 October 2024
Landmark review says urgent action needed to conserve resources and save ecosystems that supply fresh water
Ancient instincts block progress on today’s environmental crises
Wednesday 16 October 2024
Our Stone Age brains still push us to make choices that worsen environmental problems, from overconsumption to resistance to change, hindering efforts to solve global crises.
Rooftop solar supplies more than 50 per cent of main grid’s power demand for first time
Tuesday 15 October 2024
Rooftop solar has achieved a major milestone on Australia’s main grid, supplying more than 50 per cent of demand for the first time.
Wildlife populations drop sharply as habitat loss continues
Monday 24 October 3034
Global wildlife populations have declined by 73% over the past 50 years, primarily due to habitat destruction, a WWF report reveals.
These 5 ‘post-truth’ claims are fuelling the water wars in Australia
Friday 11 October 2024
The contest between truth and post-truth matters when trying to solve big public policy questions. One of these questions is how to sustainably manage water in Australia for the benefit of all.
Temporarily overshooting 1.5C climate target more damaging than we thought: study
Thursday 10 October 2024
A study of scenarios where the world temporarily exceeds 1.5C of warming raises concerns for effects that may not be reversible for decades — or longer.
Unprecedented peril: disaster lies ahead as we track towards 2.7°C of warming this century
Wednesday 9 October 2024
You don’t have to look far to see what climate change is doing to the planet. The word “unprecedented” is everywhere this year.
Tuesday 8 October 2024
Ocean fish populations have fallen dramatically in the past half-century, and climate change is expected to make the problem worse. Governments have designated “marine protected areas”, where where human activity is constrained to protect ocean life. But have these efforts worked?
Politicians flying less or cutting out meat is ‘missing link’ in climate action
Monday 7 October 2024
Study suggests people more willing to reduce own carbon footprint if they see leaders doing the same
Most protests fail. What are activists doing right when they win?
Saturday 5 October 2024
The science of protest reveals successful tactics and common weak points. Those who want change should take it onboard
Green subsidies may have hidden costs, experts warn
Friday 4 October 2024
Some subsidies that appear to encourage sustainability are not so simple
Trip on psychedelics, save the planet: the offbeat solution to the climate crisis
Thursday 3 October 2024
Proponents say using hallucinogens can spark ‘consciousness shifts’ to inspire climate-friendly behaviors
Climate scientists express their views on possible future climate scenarios in a new study
Wednesday 2 October 2024
A new survey of climate experts reveals that a majority believes the Earth to be headed for a rise in global temperatures far higher than the 2015 Paris Agreement targets of 1.5 to well-below 2 degrees Celsius.
The neoclassical cancer eating our future
Tuesday 1 October 2024
A fortnight ago, the Cambridge University journal Global Sustainability published a research paper arguing that the world’s current economic system is a major driver of social inequality and environmental damage and therefore in dire need of reform.
Climate Change Puts Rocks In Your Pockets
Tuesday 1 October 2024
A warming world is becoming more expensive and inconvenient
Monday 30 September 2024
Some conservationists believe the ‘incineration industry’ is trying to gain a foothold in Australia and say the trend will end up damaging the environment
We curated a podcast playlist for you: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Friday 27 September 2024
This playlist of podcast episodes invites listeners to engage in learning and unlearning; to acknowledge the tragic legacies of residential schools and to move beyond a single day of remembrance.
Why are we seeing more pandemics? Our impact on the planet has a lot to do with it
Thursday 26 September 2024
Pandemics – the global spread of infectious diseases – seem to be making a comeback. In the Middle Ages we had the Black Death (plague), and after the first world war we had the Spanish flu. Tens of millions of people died from these diseases.
Earth may have breached seven of nine planetary boundaries, health check shows
Wednesday 25 September 2024
Ocean acidification close to critical threshold, say scientists, posing threat to marine ecosystems and global liveability
Is plastic the biggest climate threat?
Tuesday 24 September 2024
A plastics treaty for the climate and health must address overproduction of plastics and head off the petrochemical and plastic industry’s planned expansion.
Australia is building more renewables than ever. It’s still not enough
Monday 23 September 2024
The nation’s renewable energy transition has reached record speed, with more wind, solar and battery projects under construction than in any year.
Sunday 22 September 2024
Creating environmental problems is easy, but undoing them is hard
Friday 20 September 2024
Over the last decade, several groups in Australia have successfully mobilised against fossil fuel interests. But which ones have gone the distance?
How do ecosystems collapse? Our study shows evolution plays a role – and can delay a disaster
Thursday 19 September 2024
Dying coral reefs, rainforests transforming into savannas, grasslands turning into deserts – these are ecosystem “tipping points”, boundary lines we’re desperate not to cross.
18 September 2024
Tasmania has built a brand off it’s clean, green identity. But a new state of the environment report — the first in 15 years — paints a different picture.
People need shelter from climate change — their health hangs in the balance
Tuesday 17 September 2024
The discourse on climate resilience must include affordable housing policy solutions.
When this river comes alive, it’s a wonder to the eyes
Monday 16 September 2024
After its wettest winter in 46 years, the Greenough River has undergone a mesmerising transformation. The spectacle of its parched sand giving way to flowing water has lifted people’s spirits as fast as the bush telegraph can carry news of its flow.
Out of 1,500 global climate policies, only 63 have really worked. That’s where green spin has got us
Friday 13 September 2024
Grand schemes, many backed by governments, masquerade as positive action on the environment. They should be disowned
Nature protection reforms at edge of collapse, as government readies to walk away without a deal
Thursday 12 September 2024
The federal government’s signature nature protection reforms are on the cusp of collapsing, with Labor increasingly ready to walk away if it cannot do a deal with the Coalition.
Almost 200 people killed last year trying to defend the environment, report finds
Wednesday 11 September 2024
Latin America was the most deadly region in which to defend ecosystems from mining and deforestation, with Indigenous people among half the dead
Tuesday 10 September 2024
Psychology study offers messaging roadmap for changing attitudes on environmental issues and policies
Almost 68% of Australia’s tourism sites at major risk if climate crisis continues, report says
Monday 9 September 2024
Uluru, the Daintree and Bondi beach among iconic Australian locations that could be impacted if planet hits even 2C of warming by 2050
How I Use Storytelling to Sell Art
Sunday 8 September 2024
Help your viewers learn about your work
Traffic noise and pollution may be increasing infertility, but the effects depend on your sex
Friday 6 September 2024
New research has found long-term exposure to air pollution and traffic noise may be associated with higher infertility — but these factors affect men and women differently.
Wednesday 4 September 2024
The fresh listings bring the total number of endangered plants, animals and ecosystems to almost 2,250
Bold climate action benefits more than just the environment – it’s also great for business
Tuesday 3 September 2024
As the world grapples with the intensifying challenges of climate change, businesses are under increasing pressure to take action.
Why suburbia is the new green – and the saviour of sustainability
Monday 2 September 2024
Contrary to conventional wisdom, the burbs are our great green hope.
Care About the Economy then Fix the Climate
Sunday 1 September 2024
Addressing climate change will improve many “more important” issues, including the economy, immigration, health, national security…
Woolworths took the first step. But where’s Coles?
Saturday 31 August 2024
A boardroom and a native forest are two very different places. Yet, they are linked. Decisions made in corporate boardrooms result in Australia’s unique forests standing or getting bulldozed.
A corporate decision can determine whether a swift parrot or a koala will keep its home or lose it to deforestation for beef or timber and woodchips. What a company decides to do—or not to do—about deforestation has real consequences for forests and bushland, from Queensland to Lutruwita / Tasmania.
That’s why this week, I paid close attention to new sustainability reports released by Coles and Woolworths. While Woolworths announced a zero-deforestation commitment, Coles largely ignored the issue.
This commitment from Woolworths is thanks to you. You are one of the tens of thousands of people who have demonstrated to supermarkets that Australians want them to go deforestation-free.
It’s great to see a Science-Based commitment to go deforestation-free from Woolworths but this is just the first step. Now it’s time to get on with the job of ensuring the products on their shelves don’t come from forest destruction.
Meanwhile Coles is largely missing in action.
What we’re doing together is working. Woolies is listening but Coles still hasn’t got the memo. Will you share this video with your friends and family to pressure Australia’s two major supermarkets to go deforestation-free?
Supermarkets sell large amounts of beef, and use timber products like pallets. Many of these products drive forest destruction across Australia. Coles and Woolworths have to deal with this deforestation problem.
New Wilderness Society research shows more than 2 in 3 Australians expect Coles and Woolworths to make sure the products they sell don’t come from Australian forest destruction.
Together, we need to continue pressuring Coles and Woolworths to take action to get groceries made from deforestation off the shelf.
Coles and Woolworths can lead the way in ending Australia’s deforestation crisis. And our research shows Australians think Coles and Woolworths should be doing more to help protect iconic animals from extinction.
It’s time, and it’s part of Coles and Woolworths’ responsibility to their customers to fix their deforestation problem. Thank you for taking action.
Yours for nature,
Hannah Schuch
Queensland Campaigns Manager
Wilderness Society
What if Big Oil championed – and profited from – the green transition? Here’s how it could work
Friday 30 August 2024
Like the petroleum industry itself, households are heavily invested in existing transport technologies. Getting oil and gas companies – and consumers – to switch to zero-emissions transport is a huge challenge.
Study finds limits to storing CO2 underground to combat climate change
Thursday 29 August 2024
New research has found limits to how quickly we can scale up technology to store gigatons of carbon dioxide under the Earth’s surface.
The world may be losing its tiny pollinators
Wednesday 28 August 2024
Insects are disappearing globally, and while data is difficult to parse, the loss threatens ecosystems and food production.
Tuesday 27 August 2024
Right now, human population growth is doing something long thought impossible – it’s wavering. It’s now possible global population could peak much earlier than expected, topping 10 billion in the 2060s. Then, it would begin to fall.
What Works: Groundbreaking evaluation of climate policy measures over two decades
Monday 26 August 2024
Researchers have unveiled the first comprehensive global evaluation of 1,500 climate policy measures from 41 countries across six continents.
These findings and more can be explored interactively on the Climate Policy Explorer website: http://climate-policy-explorer.pik-potsdam.de/
For a brief summary see https://scienmag.com/what-works-groundbreaking-evaluation-of-climate-policy-measures-over-two-decades/
Why Trump is lost and flailing
Friday 23 August 2024
The fact Harris isn’t well known works in her favour – she seems like change, which has thrown the former president.
Thursday 22 August 2024
Record breaking fossil fuel production, all time high greenhouse gas emissions and extreme temperatures. Like the proverbial frog in the heating pan of water, we refuse to respond to the climate and ecological crisis with any sense of urgency. Under such circumstances, claims from some that global warming can still be limited to no more than 1.5°C take on a surreal quality.
This is what deforestation looks like in the Northern Territory
Wednesday 21 October 2024
Hidden in the Northern Territory’s globally significant savanna is a shocking problem—rampant deforestation.
Recently the Wilderness Society’s people-powered satellite monitoring program, Watch on Nature, uncovered over 8,127 hectares of—potentially unlawful—deforestation on three properties on the Sturt Plateau in the Northern Territory.
This drone footage exposes what deforestation loopholes in Australia’s nature law look like.
This deforestation is not only confronting. It’s also out of sight and out of mind for most people. Will you watch and share this drone footage to expose the Northern Territory’s shocking problem?
Tuesday 20 August 2024
Imagine if Australian cities became major producers of clean energy, rather than relying on far-flung solar and wind farms.
Australia’s nature is in deep crisis. These 3 easy steps would give our new environment laws teeth
Monday 19 August 2024
The Albanese government’s environmental reforms are likely to feature prominently on federal parliament’s agenda this week. A Senate inquiry into the long-awaited reforms is due to deliver its findings on Monday. Meanwhile, the Coalition is reportedly preparing to oppose the changes, potentially forcing Labor into negotiations with the Greens.
“They’re failing my people” – Indigenous advocates call for climate trigger
Friday 16 August 2024
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people whose lands are under threat have called on the government to introduce a climate trigger and prevent corporations destroying Australia’s natural assets.
Half a billion children face increasingly extreme heat
Thursday 15 August 2024
Nearly 500 million children now live in regions with twice as many extremely hot days as there were in the 1960s, according to new Unicef data.
Berndnaut Smilde, Nimbus D’Aspremont, 2012
Can art combat climate change?
Wednesday 14 August 2024
Deborah Hart is a true believer in the power of art to battle climate change. She is the chair of CLIMARTE, founded in 2010 as a “a broad alliance from across the arts, humanities and sciences”, and she has a deep faith in the ability of creativity to change minds, turn eco-despair into action and keep the planet liveable by fighting the fossil-fuel industry.
Successful environmental projects benefit nature and people, study finds
Tuesday 13 August 2024
‘Integrated’ work to help biodiversity and tackle climate crisis can also benefit humanity, says Dr Trisha Gopalakrishna
Monday 12 August 2024
Much of the climate conversation in Australia to date has centred on actions to limit global warming, recognising that each increment of warming contributes to worsening climate extremes.
We’re Witnessing the Fall of the Biggest Empire in History
Saturday 10 August 2024
And it’s going to be spectacular
Friday 9 August 2024
The deep complexities of climate change raise a myriad of challenges for humanity – not least of which is how best to respond. Should we throw ourselves into slashing carbon emissions and stabilising Earth’s climate as soon as possible? Or accept our fate and go into survival mode?
For those with power and rich donors – the AC is always on, even if it’s melting outside
Thursday 8 August 2024
This has been a summer of extreme heat around the world. The Guardian is investigating how it harms our planet and leaves the world’s most vulnerable people exposed to its impact
India turns to coal amid rising electricity demand
Wednesday 7 August 2024
India is increasing its coal usage to meet soaring electricity demands, despite its efforts to expand renewable energy.
Tuesday 6 August 2024
California, known for palm tree-lined boulevards and the iconic Hollywood hills, is adding another claim to fame: renewable energy. And the Golden State could offer a glimpse into the crystal ball of Australia’s energy future.
A world call to action on the multiple crises now enfolding humanity
Monday 5 August 2024
Humanity is facing its greatest emergency, a crisis consisting of many, interlinked, catastrophic risks, the Roundtable on the Human Future has declared.
Nuclear plant trips due to fire, and battery storage steps in to stabilises the grid
Friday 2 August 2024
Big nuclear unit in Texas trips after a fire, and the state’s growing battery fleet reacts to keep the grid stable. Who knew nuclear needs backup?
Australia is one of the world’s biggest methane producers — here’s how much we emit
Thursday 1 August 2024
A new report urges the government to commit to reducing Australia’s methane emissions.
Land clearing blamed for native animal deaths
Wednesday 31 July 2024
A new report shows an average of 100 million native animals are displaced, injured or killed from land clearing in Queensland and NSW every year, including more than one thousand koalas.
Coral restoration is a speculative, feel-good science that won’t save our reefs
Tuesday 30 July 2024
Climate change has killed billions of corals and fundamentally changed coral reefs. The response, especially in Australia, has been to fix the symptoms, not address the cause – climate change for which humans are responsible
Nitrogen emissions have a net cooling effect: But researchers warn against a climate solution
Monday 29 July 2024
An international team of researchers has found that nitrogen emissions from fertilizers and fossil fuels have a net cooling effect on the climate. But they warn increasing atmospheric nitrogen has further damaging effects on the environment, calling for an urgent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions to halt global warming.
Landmark new research shows how global warming is messing with our rainfall
Friday 26 July 2024
The past century of human-induced warming has increased rainfall variability over 75% of the Earth’s land area – particularly over Australia, Europe and eastern North America, new research shows.
Thursday 25 July 2024
Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists estimates $7.3bn a year for 30 years could avoid most extinctions, repair soils and restore rivers
A window of opportunity for climate change and biodiversity
Wednesday 24 July 2024
Forging of joined-up approach at COP26 and COP19 vital for urgent action for climate and nature
Environmental pollution and human health – how worried should we be?
Wednesday 23 July 2023
If not the root of all evil, chemical pollution is surely responsible for a good chunk of it. At least, that’s how it feels sometimes when reading the news and the latest research.
Sodium-ion batteries are set to spark a renewable energy revolution – and Australia must be ready
Monday 22 July 2024
The extent to which renewables should dominate Australia’s energy grids is a major issue in science and politics. Solar and wind are clearly now the cheapest form of electricity. But limits to these technologies can undermine the case for a renewables-only electricity mix.
A new book argues the right way to discuss climate change
Friday 19 July 2024
Genevieve Guenther’s book, The Language of Climate Politics, claims fossil fuel talking points have permeated climate discussions, skewing public perception and action.
Thursday 18 July 2024
Access to nature is essential for our health and wellbeing. However, as our cities become increasingly crowded, it becomes more and more challenging to find ways to connect with nature in urban spaces.
Beyond the Barrier Reef: Australia’s 3 other World Heritage reefs are also in trouble
Tuesday 17 July 2024
The Great Barrier Reef is world famous – it’s the largest coral reef system in the world and home to tens of thousands of species. No wonder it is World Heritage listed. But Australia has three lower profile reefs which are also World Heritage listed – Ningaloo and Shark Bay in Western Australia, and Lord Howe Island, 600 kilometres off the New South Wales coast, the southernmost coral in the world.
Climate in the courtroom: all sides are using ‘green lawfare’, and it’s good for democracy
Monday 16 July 2024
In recent weeks, the Menzies Research Centre, the Liberal party-aligned think tank, has criticised the rise in “environmental lawfare”. National media outlets duly took up the mantle.
The ‘dark arts’ tactic that could be a major threat to Australia’s climate goals
Monday 15 July 2024
For the general public, behind-the-scenes government lobbying can be opaque, but a new report suggests it’s how some companies are ‘greenwashing’.
The Century When the World Fell Apart
Saturday 13 July 2024
Connecting the “general crisis” and the climate crisis
Friday 12 July 2024
The fate of the country relies on the psychology of two elderly men
Thursday 11 July
The theme of this year’s NAIDOC Week is “Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud”. The organisers are calling for “a society where the wisdom and contributions of Indigenous peoples are fully valued and respected”.
Companies that mitigate climate change reduce their cost of capital
Tuesday 9 July 2024
Going green pays off. New research shows that when companies disclose their environmental impact — and work to mitigate it — they earn investor trust.
What’s happening with the climate crisis and heat-trapping emissions in Australia
Monday 8 July 2024
What is Australia’s contribution to the climate emergency, and how successfully is it acting to address it?
If you care about future generations, you should support ‘nature positive’
Sunday 7 July 2024
The most pressing problem we face is climate change. It’s even more important than – dare I say it – getting inflation down to 2 per cent by last Friday. But we mustn’t forget that climate change is just the most glaring symptom of the ultimate threat to human existence: our continuing destruction of the natural environment.
Saturday 6 July 2024
Right wing media serves up more nonsense about blackout warnings and nuclear
Friday 5 July 2024
The AFR and other right wing media still describe AEMO forecasts as blackout warnings to argue against wind and solar. But in nuclear dominated Ontario, the shortfall forecasts are even more dramatic.
Thursday 4 July 2024
Australia is facing dual crises: increasing climate change risks and soaring housing costs. Financial institutions have a crucial role to play in funding and promoting solutions to these challenges
Plastic Free July needs systemic change, not just consumer action
Wednesday 3 July 2024
A recent analysis argues that while Plastic Free July aims to reduce plastic use, significant impact requires action from governments and companies, not just consumers.
Can agriculture be weaned off diesel? Some farmers are finding it harder than others to decarbonise
Tuesday 2 July 2024
Diesel accounts for about 85 per cent of the energy used on Australian farms, but that mix is expected to change as alternative fuels and renewable technology become more affordable.
‘Litigate you to death’: Gas giant uses new tactic which could sink environmental dissenters
Monday 1 July 2024
Santos is pursuing the climate movement through the courts after winning a challenge brought by traditional owners against a massive gas project. Experts warn it could help spell the end of public interest litigation in Australia.
Saturday 29 June 2024
Sharp rise in number of climate lawsuits against companies, report says
Friday 28 June 2024
About 230 cases have been filed against corporations and trade associations around the world since 2015.
Thursday 27 June 2024
Unless greenhouse gas emissions are cut to slow global warming, our new research shows that, by 2080, coral bleaching will start in spring, rather than late summer. Some events will last into autumn. The Great Barrier Reef’s maximum annual heat stress will double by 2050 if emissions do not slow.
Wednesday 26 June 2024
Coal will no longer be burned for power in Australia within 14 years. To replace it will require faster deployment of solar and wind, storage, new transmission lines and some firming gas capacity. That’s a very brief summary of a large and influential document – the Integrated System Plan issued by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) every two years.
Extreme wildfires are on the rise globally, powered by the climate crisis
Tuesday 25 June 2024
Wildfires are the new “polar bear”, routinely used by the media to epitomise the climate crisis and the threat of major natural hazards. This is despite most fire on Earth being harmless, even ecologically beneficial.
Monday 24 June 2024
Marine plastic pollution is a massive environmental issue, with a plastic smog of an estimated 170 trillion particles afloat in the world’s oceans. This highlights how urgently we need to develop strategies to mitigate this environmental crisis.
The issue nearly 80 per cent of the world wants government action on
Friday 21 June 2024
Four in every five people want their country to strengthen its commitments to addressing climate change, according to a global poll of 75,000 participants.
Merry dance: The legal fandango over coal sets the stage for any switch to nuclear
Thursday 20 June 2024
If you think Peter Dutton’s nuclear strategy adds up be prepared to open your wallet. The big winners in this will be the lawyers.
Is David Littleproud prepared to switch off rooftop solar to jam nuclear into the grid?
Wednesday 19 June 2024
The Coalition says it wants nuclear and more rooftop solar. It can’t have both, so will it be reaching into the home to switch off your rooftop PV?
Tuesday 18 June 2024
Almost half of those surveyed said target was ‘unachievable and hurting the economy’ and Australia should instead focus on 2050
Marine CO₂ removal technologies could depend on the appetite of the ocean’s tiniest animals
Monday 17 June 2024
As the world struggles to decarbonise, it’s becoming increasingly clear we’ll need to both rapidly reduce emissions and actively remove carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere. The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report considered 230 pathways to keep global warming below 1.5°C. All required CO₂ removal.
Here is the PODCAST
Friday 14 June 2024
Bronwyn Kelly interviews prominent science writer and researcher Julian Cribb on key strategies that we will need for dealing with the significant environmental disasters we are facing in the age of climate change.
Farmers who graze sheep under solar panels say it improves productivity. So why don’t we do it more?
Thursday 13 June 2024
Allowing livestock to graze under renewable developments gives farmers a separate income stream, but solar developers have been slow to catch on
Australia’s power and gas companies want Coalition to retain Labor’s 2030 climate target
Wednesday 12 June 2024
Coal and gas-fired power plant owners say interim target an important step to net zero by 2050
Australia will breach Paris Agreement regardless of who is in power, Coalition suggests
Tuesday 11 June 2024
The Coalition’s energy spokesman suggests if failing to cut emissions by 43 per cent before 2030 will fail Australia’s promise under the Paris Agreement, then Australia will be in breach regardless of who is in power.
Monday 10 June 2024
More than 52 million hectares of land across Australia is degraded. Degraded land lacks biodiversity and the natural balance of healthy ecosystems, making it unfit for wildlife or cultivation. This means we are losing the benefits that healthy ecosystems provide for nature and people.
Friday 7 June 2024
As humanity continues to burn fossil fuels, the delicate balance of life on Earth is changing. That’s true of trees, many of which are growing faster as a result of increased carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentrations in our atmosphere.
Earth warms at a record pace but climate change isn’t accelerating
Thursday 6 June 2024
A new study reveals that Earth’s warming rate reached an all-time high in 2023, driven primarily by human activity, but there is no evidence of accelerating climate change.
Wednesday 5 June 2024
‘World first’ legislation and the creation of new agencies have drawn criticism for a lack of accountability and quantifiable targets
Tuesday 4 June 2024
A new series published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology highlights how pollution, in all its forms, is a greater health threat than that of war, terrorism, malaria, HIV, tuberculosis, drugs and alcohol combined.
Why do we need a Net Zero Economy Authority? And how can it fulfil its promise?
Monday 3 June 2024
To support its climate agenda, the Albanese government is building new institutions. One of the most important will be the Net Zero Economy Authority. The proposed laws to create this authority are currently before the Senate.
No need for countries to issue new oil, gas or coal licences, study finds
Friday 31 May 2024
Researchers say world has enough fossil fuel projects planned to meet demand forecasts to 2050 if net zero is reached
Op-ed: A plastic recipe for societal suicide
Thursday 30 May 2024
We must determine which uses of plastic remain essential; eliminate those that aren’t; and design new materials to replace still essential plastics.
With fossil fuel investment doubling, does your super fund top the ‘climate wreckers’ list?
Wednesday 29 May 2023
Australian super funds are expanding instead of shrinking their investment in fossil fuels, despite boasting of their zero emissions targets, new research shows.
Humanity’s survival is still within our grasp – just. But only if we take these radical steps
Tuesday 28 May 2024
Reduce emissions, build resilience, repair ecosystems, remove greenhouse gases: these are the four Rs that can save us
Australia’s ultra cost solar goal could change everything about the grid
Monday 27 May 2024
CSIRO says solar is easily the cheapest form of power generation, but ARENA says it could be much, much cheaper by the end of the decade.
Half of world’s mangrove forests are at risk due to human behaviour – study
Friday 24 May 2024
The loss of the ecosystems, which are vast stores of carbon, would ‘be disastrous for nature and people across the globe’, says IUCN
Major oil companies’ climate plans fall short, report reveals
Thursday 23 May 2024
Despite bold climate promises, a new report indicates that major oil companies’ plans fail to meet the necessary standards to limit global warming to 1.5C.
World-first ruling finds states need to mitigate the effects of carbon dioxide on oceans
Wednesday 22 May 2024
The UN maritime court ruled in favour of nine island states who had sought greater protection from the impacts of climate change.
Microplastics found in every human testicle in study
Tuesday 21 May 2024
Scientists say discovery may be linked to decades-long decline in sperm counts in men around the world
Australia’s greenhouse targets cannot be met without the conservation of native forest
Monday 20 May 2024
When Labour Governments moved to protect native forest in the past – Hawke, Wran, Gallop, Kirner, Beattie, Carr – they knew that they were protecting irreplaceable natural values and resources. Even as late as the early 2000s however, the role of forests in climate change mitigation was little known. It was certainly not a matter of any significance in public debate.
How to cope with climate anxiety
Saturday 18 May 2024
It’s normal to feel troubled by the climate crisis. These practices can help keep your response manageable and constructive
Bushfires are changing the ‘hidden’ understorey in our forests
Friday 17 May 2024
New research finds that more frequent and intense fires are changing Australia’s forests, but to save the understorey, we need to change our approach
Thursday 16 May 2024
Australians have more pet cats than ever before – more than 5 million in total. With the growing number, expectations on pet owners are shifting.
Green industry yes, conservation no: a budget for people, not for nature
Wednesday 15 May 2024
Last night’s budget is another missed opportunity to arrest the poor and deteriorating state of the Australian environment.
Tuesday 14 May 2024
It’s time we reckoned with what it means to become a corporatocracy. Our governments exist to enact the desires of their corporate masters. Some of these politicians, like Madeleine King, appear to do so with alacrity, while others appear lost in the perceived demands of party and pressure groups. The end result will be an uninhabitable world.
Australian fossil fuel producer subsidies jump 31 pct to $14.5 billion
Monday 13 May 2024
Government subsidies to fossil fuel producers have risen sharply in the past year, triggering calls for the Commonwealth to scrap the concessions.
Our research shows higher carbon emissions increase costs for Australian businesses
Friday 10 May 2024
Imagine every ton of carbon dioxide a company emits is slowly inflating its costs — not just in terms of potential fines or fees but in the capital it needs to grow and operate.
World’s top climate scientists expect global heating to blast past 1.5C target
Thursday 9 May 2024
Planet is headed for at least 2.5C of heating with disastrous results for humanity, poll of hundreds of scientists finds
From solar to EVs: Five green tech supply chains that could deliver $215 billion boost to Australia
Wednesday 8 May 2024
Building Australian supply chains for the manufacture of solar, wind, batteries, heat pumps and commercial electric vehicles could deliver $215 billion of benefits in just a decade, a new report has found, provided we get the policy and regulatory settings right.
Monday 7 May 2024
A study describes a new computer algorithm which can be applied to Earth System Models to drastically reduce the time needed to prepare these in order to make accurate predictions of future climate change.