How to reduce global CO2 emissions from industry
Monday 12 May 2025
Global emissions of carbon dioxide from industry can be reduced by five per cent. But that requires companies and policy makers to take a holistic approach to energy efficiency and energy management and not solely focus on technological development.
The AFL has a big issue with CONCUSSION. They would do well to read how the rules of soccer evolved to see how it became the game it is now.
The Brutal Origins of the Beautiful Game
How football went from being “a bloody and murthering practice” to a global sensation
By George Dillard
Sunday 11 May 2025
New study tracks air pollution and CO2 emissions across thousands of cities worldwide
Friday 9 May 2025
In a sweeping new study of more than 13,000 urban areas worldwide, researchers have mapped air pollution levels and carbon dioxide emissions, providing comprehensive global analysis of urban environmental quality.
The world’s wealthiest 10% caused two thirds of global warming since 1990
Thursday 8 May 2025
Wealthy individuals have a higher carbon footprint. A new study quantifies the climate outcomes of these inequalities. It finds that the world’s wealthiest 10% are responsible for two thirds of observed global warming since 1990 and the resulting increases in climate extremes such as heatwaves and droughts.
Labor’s next three years – in four key climate and energy numbers
Wednesday 7 May 2025
Labor is entering its second term with climate and energy policies we can track with great accuracy and high frequency – here are some numbers to keep an eye on.
5 huge climate opportunities await the next parliament – and it has the numbers to deliver
Tuesday 6 May 2025
Australians have returned an expanded Labor Party to government alongside a suite of climate-progressive independents. Meanwhile, the Coalition – which promoted nuclear energy and a slower renewables transition – suffered a historic defeat.
Australia lays out red carpet for rapid green energy transition. Can Labor seize the moment?
Monday 5 May 2025
Australia has said no to Trumpism, no to nuclear and no to a vision of a country in perpetual fear. A triumphant Labor government must now rise to the occasion.
Never look a “gift horse” in the mouth.
Sunday 4 May 2025
There’s no such thing as a free lunch… or a free chatbot
Saturday 3 May 2025
Trump’s first 100 days bring sweeping rollbacks to climate protections and environmental oversight
2 May 2025
President Donald Trump has issued dozens of executive orders in his first 100 days, targeting climate policy, energy regulation, and environmental science across the federal government.
What have Labor and the Coalition committed for the environment?
Thursday 1 May 2025
With Australia in the grip of what many consider a biodiversity crisis, here’s what the major parties have promised when it comes to nature laws and the environment.
China’s not-so-quiet energy revolution: Towards the world’s first industrial electrostate
Wednesday 30 Aoril 2025
In 2023, China increased its deployment of solar and wind energy three-fold. This trend accelerated in 2024, with China installing nearly 65% of the world’s new low emission energy electricity generation.
The Coalition denies emissions will rise if it wins the election. What do the facts say?
Tuesday 29 April 2025
We break down the major parties’ climate claims, counter-claims and policies – and find out what the experts say
Where do the major parties stand on climate? Turns out they’re worlds apart
Monday 28 April 2025
As the election campaign draws to a close, it’s safe to say both major parties have been quiet on climate change. While Labor policies have made some progress to decarbonise, the Coalition threatens to scrap or weaken them.
The dangers of eating pumpkin with pigeon!
Sunday 27 April 2025
How do false beliefs arise and become embedded in a culture? Len Fisher has created a computer program to analyse strange beliefs in order to test them and find out where they come from. What has he found?
26 April 2025
Scientists at the Institute for Agroecology at UVM, along with international co-authors, have published a paper outlining Ecuador’s successes in legally championing the Rights of Nature.
Monash – The Forgotten ANZAC
Friday 25 April 2025
Thursday 24 April 2025
Watch the Macnamara Election Forum recording from Tuesday 22 April. The only local forum with Josh Burns, Sonya Semmens and Benson Saulo.
Wednesday 23 April 2024
In a warehouse somewhere near the border of Victoria and NSW sits a hulking machine built to fight the climate crisis.
The Trump administration is sabotaging your scientific data
Tuesday 22 April 2025
Burying our heads in the sand won’t stop the climate crisis or pandemics. We’re taking action to preserve government tools
We’re at a turning point in world history but our leaders are distracted
Monday 21 April
The world is in freefall while Australia heads into another small, dreary cost-of-living election
Sunday 20 April 2025
Electric vehicles (EVs) are quickly becoming a significant part of our transition to sustainable transport. Learn the facts about EVs and use them to help reduce the spread of misinformation.
Physics Reveals the Optimal Roof Ratios for Home Energy Efficiency
Friday 18 April 2025
Even ancient builders knew how to maximize energy efficiency through rooflines.
The real cost of living fix is renewables, not nuclear
Thursday 17 April 2025
Politicians know what brings down household bills. But the Coalition isn’t talking about it.
Wednesday 16 April 2025
Climate crisis has tripled length of deadly ocean heatwaves, study finds
Tuesday 15 April 2025
Hotter seas supercharge storms and destroy critical ecosystems such as kelp forests and coral reefs
Coalition’s nuclear power pitch falling flat with some voters, Vote Compass data suggests
Monday 14 April 2025
The Coalition’s pitch for nuclear power in Australia appears to be struggling for support among some key voters, as the nation prepares to vote on its energy future.
Why resurrect the dire wolf when existing animals are facing extinction?
Sunday 13 April 2025
It’s not as sensational as recreating long-dead species, but conserving modern-day fauna is far more pressing
Saturday 12 April 2025
‘Flow’ is about the importance of recognizing ourselves through the other
Decarbonization improves energy security for most countries
Friday 11 April 2025
Researchers analyzed trade-related risks to energy security across 1,092 scenarios for cutting carbon emissions by 2060. They found that swapping out dependence on imported fossil fuels for increased dependence on critical minerals for clean energy would improve security for most nations — including the U.S., if it cultivates new trade partners.
Thursday 10 April 2025
Going nuclear will cost ‘real dollars for farmers, real dollars for country towns and real blue-collar jobs’, Clean Energy Council says
Campaign 2025- the environment and the election – podcast
Wednesday 9 April 2025
Australia’s environment laws are not fit for purpose. That’s the consensus among campaigners, scientists, business and government. So, why has it been so difficult to update the legislation? And will we see reform in the next parliament?
Greens’ $29 billion free childcare policy welcomed by Indigenous children’s peak body
Tuesday 8 April 2025
An Australian Greens plan for universal free childhood education and care has been welcomed by the peak body for Indigenous children
Australia is in an extinction crisis – why isn’t it an issue at this election?
Monday 7 April 2025
Some of the country’s most loved native species, including the koala and the hairy-nosed wombat, are on the brink. Is this their last chance at survival?
Climate crisis on track to destroy capitalism, warns top insurer
Friday 4 April 2025
Action urgently needed to save the conditions under which markets – and civilisation itself – can operate, says senior Allianz figure
Thursday 3 April 2025
If you go walking in the wild, you might expect that what you’re seeing is natural. All around you are trees, shrubs and grasses growing in their natural habitat.
Wednesday 2 April 2025
The damage climate change will inflict on the world’s economy is likely to have been massively underestimated, according to new research by my colleagues and I which accounts for the full global reach of extreme weather and its aftermath.
Hosting the UN climate summit is far from ‘madness’ – here’s how Australia stands to benefit
Tuesday 1 April 2025
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton would withdraw Australia’s bid to co-host next year’s global climate summit if the Coalition wins the federal election.
Microplastics: a quick beginner’s guide
Momday 31 March 2025
Quiet dignity + the demon of self-doubt
How Many More ‘Unprecedented’ Disasters Before We Admit This Is The New ‘Normal’?
Sunday 30 March 2025
Cyclone Alfred will be soon forgotten, but the climate warnings shouldn’t
Saturday 29 March 2025
Earth has lost more than ‘4000 Sydney Harbours’ of freshwater
Friday 28 March 2025
Soil moisture has declined more than 2,600 gigatonnes since 2000, making a greater contribution to sea level rise than Greenland’s melting ice sheets.
Biodiversity loss in all species and every ecosystem linked to humans – report
Sweeping synthesis of 2,000 global studies leaves no doubt about scale of problem and role of humans, say experts
Thursday 27 March 2025
Sal Khan and Bill Gates Are Wrong About AI
Wednesday 26 March 2025
What can we learn from a century of failed ed-tech hype?
One man’s war against not knowing
Tuesday 25 March 2025
“Trumpet of Patriots exposes the truth about climate change,” proclaims the wholly-owned political party of mining magnate Clive Palmer in one of its advertisements. Except that it doesn’t.
Changing the Narrative: The Climate Crisis Needs a New Story
Monday 24 March 2025
Why compelling narratives are the key to political success.
Donald Trump Wants You to Put on a Sweater
Sunday 23 March 2025
Is Trump the new Jimmy Carter?
Greenhouse gas emissions. Winning slowly or losing the battle?
Friday 21 March 2025
With the election campaign already in full swing, what progress has Australia made towards emission reductions under Labor? Are we better informed and better prepared?
Thursday 20 March 2025
For the fourth year running, the condition of Australia’s environment has been relatively good overall. Our national environment scorecard released today gives 2024 a mark of 7.7 out of 10.
Why is the Climate Majority Silent?
Wednesday 19 March 2025
Blame pluralistic ignorance — and college students
The fading dream of insuring our future
Tuesday 18 March 2024
Early last week the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) reported around 3000 claims from property owners. That early figure more than trebled within a day, and after another day the figure had risen to over 22,000. A day later still the Insurance Business Magazine was reporting a figure of over 34,000 and rising rapidly. No-one has a clue where it will finish up.
As Trump abandons climate action, we must accept net zero won’t happen
Monday 17 March 2025
While markets and media were chasing Donald Trump’s tariff fiasco last week, something far more important was unfolding in East Palestine, Ohio.
Healthy Soil & Nutritious Food
Sunday 16 March 2025
The science behind the role of soil health in the nutrient content of food, and its contribution to human health.
Australians are obsessed with SUVs and huge utes, but experts say they are making our roads deadlier
Friday 14 March 2025
About 60% of the 1.2m cars that drove out of the showroom last year were SUVs, but road fatalities reached a 12-year high too
‘Global weirding’: climate whiplash hitting world’s biggest cities, study reveals
Thursday 13 March 2025
Swings between drought and floods striking from Dallas to Shanghai, while Madrid and Cairo are among cities whose climate has flipped
US Supreme Court clears way for climate lawsuits against Big Oil
Wednesday 12 March 2024
The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear a challenge from Republican-led states that sought to block lawsuits holding fossil fuel companies accountable for their role in climate change.
Climate action is locked in despite Trump, says former US climate envoy
Tuesday 11 March 2025
Jonathan Pershing, one of the world’s most prominent climate diplomats, believes climate action will survive Trump. The question is how many lives his delay will cost.
Is It Dark in Here or Is It Me?
Monday 10 March 2025
It is a holiday here in Melbourne. Serious stuff can wait till tomorrow. Do you feel like this sometimes? I sure do!
The ozone hole is healing, thanks to global reduction of CFCs
Saturday 8 March 2025
New results show with high statistical confidence that ozone recovery is going strong.
The fact that humans can only survive on Earth doesn’t bother Trump – and I know why
Friday 7 March 2025
He is surrounded by people who have grandiose plans and dreams beyond our planet. Vengeful nihilism is a big part of the Maga project
Soil Health — Recovery from Degradation
Thursday 6 March 2025
Once our soil becomes depleted or polluted — what can be done to bring it back to good health?
Australia’s top 15 carbon emitters: Do their CEOs care enough about the damage they are doing?
Wednesday 5 March 2025
It’s astonishing CEOs of major emitters still don’t take emissions to heart. Not just seriously, but to heart. Science and the observable reality is that climate change is a big deal.
How businesses can drive plastic reduction through storytelling
Tuesday 4 March 2025
Companies looking to curb plastic waste must do more than tweak products — they need to change the narrative around consumption and responsibility
Tree diversity increases carbon sequestration
Monday 3 March 2025
Forests planted with many different tree species have substantially higher aboveground carbon stocks and greater carbon fluxes than monocultures, shows an international study led by the University of Freiburg.
Can fruit juice ever really be healthy?
Monday 24 February 2025
Some juices can be a source of concentrated sugars in the diet. Vegetable juices generally give you a significant dose of nutrients.
New report slaps an official price tag on Australia’s precious natural assets
Friday 28 February 2025
Climate regulation through carbon storage was worth A$43.2 billion to Australia in 2020-21, according to a report released today which seeks to put a monetary value on the benefits flowing from our natural assets.
Why Trump’s bullying is going to backfire on him
Saturday 22 February 2025
‘You say you got a real solution. Well, you know, we’d all love to see the plan.’ – “Revolution 1,” The Beatles
Households are burning plastic waste as fuel for cooking and heating in slums the world over
Friday 21 February 2025
Poor people in vast city slums across the Global South are burning plastic to cook their food, warm their homes and boil water for hot showers.
Humans generate 62 million tonnes of e-waste each year. Here’s what happens when it’s recycled
Thursday 20 February 2025
In 2022, humans generated roughly 62 million tonnes of electronic waste – or e-waste. That’s enough to fill more than 1.5 million garbage trucks. And by 2030, that figure is expected to rise to 82 million tonnes.
With just 5 years to go, the world is failing on a vital deal to halt biodiversity loss
Wednesday 19 February 2025
Almost 200 nations have signed an ambitious agreement to halt and reverse biodiversity loss but none is on track to meet the crucial goal, our new research reveals.
Could the climate modelling be wrong or is something else going on?
Friday 14 February 2025
From Nick O’Malley, The Age Environment and Climate Editor
Lies, damned lies and Coalition energy economics: Dutton’s latest nuclear claim slammed
Thursday 13 February 2025
Blink and you might have missed it, but Peter Dutton delivered another toe-curling example of energy policy hokum on Sunday morning, as the first guest of the first episode of the ABC’s Insiders program for 2025.
Trump Has a Chance to Recreate His Greatest Success
Wednesday 12 February 2025
But I don’t recommend holding your breath
Tuesday 11 February 2025
For a long time, it seemed refugee law had little relevance to people fleeing the impacts of climate change and disasters.
‘Backsliding’: most countries to miss vital climate deadline as Cop30 nears
Monday 10 February 2025
Developing countries urge biggest polluters to act as Trump’s return to the White House heightens geopolitical turmoil
Dollars in the dust: Is outback scrub really saving the planet?
Sunday 9 February 2025
The nation has made a multi-billion dollar bet that carbon locked in desert scrub will offset emissions elsewhere, but doubters are growing from scientists in the city to the farmers on the land.
“Golden age of gas” has not paid off for Australian consumers, manufacturers
Saturday 8 February 2025
Despite the promised riches from Australia’s east coast gas export gambit, new report finds main result has been “perennial threats of shortages” and higher prices at home.
Pet Ownership Statistics 2024 – Latest Numbers and Trends
Friday 7 February 2025
Originally posted on February 2, 2023, this article has been updated on August 24, 2024 to reflect the latest research and statistics. Our editorial team has ensured you’re viewing the most current data on this topic.
Half a degree further rise in global warming will triple area of Earth too hot for humans
Thursday 6 February 2025
New assessment warns area the size of the USA will become too hot during extreme heat events for even healthy young humans to maintain a safe body temperature if we hit 2 degrees Celsuis above preindustrial levels. For those aged over 60, the same 2 degree rise would see more than a third of the planet’s land mass cross this critical ‘overheating’ threshold.
Extreme weather is Australia’s new normal
Wednesday 5 February 2025
Over the last few weeks, parts of Australia have been inundated by rain, scorched by heatwaves and slammed by storms. Is this our country’s new normal?
More than $15bn a year to save threatened species
Tuesday 4 February 2025
More than $15 billion each year is needed to stop the extinction of 99 priority species, with several frogs and other creatures deemed unrecoverable due to climate change and other pervasive
Burn grasslands to maintain them: What is good for biodiversity?
Monday 3 February 2025
As grasslands get abandoned, controlled burning is discussed as a labor-saving method of keeping forests at bay. A research team found that this method results in higher biodiversity and a higher prevalence of endangered plant species in some grasslands compared to others, depending on what soils they grow on.
How Guantanamo Became a Black Hole
Sunday 2 February 2025
A history of imperialism and impunity, from Columbus to Trump
As EVs grow, questions are being asked about their climate impact
Saturday 1 February 2025
Electric vehicles (EVs) are going down in price, and up in size. But as EVs get bigger, so does the amount of resource needed to make them. An electric SUV is a less “sustainable” vehicle than a smaller car, because of its gargantuan battery.
State of the climate: Hotter and hotter, and we are blowing our budget
Friday 31 January 2025
When you do the work you would have to be an absolute nutter to conclude anything other than that the quality of life for future generations is at risk from climate change.
2025 ‘Doomsday Clock’: This is how close we are to self-annihilation, scientists say
Thursday 30 January 2025
Scientists said we haven’t made enough progress addressing existential threats.
Society is Choosing Fantasy Over Reality
Wednesday 29 January 2025
The death of critical thinking and the collapse of civilization.
3 reasons to fear humanity won’t reach net-zero emissions – and 4 reasons we might just do it
Tuesday 28 January 2025
Within hours of taking office last week, President Donald Trump made good on his pledges to wind back the United States’ climate action – including withdrawing the US from the Paris Agreement.
Monday 27 January 2025
The uncanny role of luck in our lives
My Jewish Teens Shrugged Off Musk’s Nazi Salute — I Wish They Didn’t
Sunday 26 January 2025
Three generations of my family carry different scars from the same hatred
So You Want To Know More About Aboriginal History
Saturday 25 January 2025
But you’re not sure where to start
Old king coal risks leaving Australia “in the dark” as aging power plants grow unreliable
Friday 24 January 2024
New research reveals more than 60% of Australia’s remaining coal power fleet is more than 40 years old, with rapidly diminishing reliability driving outage risks.
Trump launches immediate attack on climate, renewables and EVs. How worried should we be?
Thursday 23 January 2025
Donald Trump, newly installed for his second term as president of the United States, has directed his government to begin a withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, and taken aim at a wide swathe of pro-environment and clean energy policies put in place by the outgoing Biden administration.
Making aluminium uses 10% of Australia’s electricity. Will tax incentives help smelters go green?
Wednesday 22 January 2025
Aluminium is an exceptionally useful metal. Lightweight, resistant to rust and able to be turned into alloys with other metals. Small wonder it’s the second most used metal in the world after iron and demand is set to soar.
Trump and Musk have launched a new class war. In the UK, we must prepare to defend ourselves
Tuesday 21 January 2025
Across the world, societies are reverting to oligarchies. How to resist? Fight for democracy with all we’ve got
10 reasons why US president-elect Donald Trump can’t derail global climate action
Monday 20 January 2025
If you care about saving Earth from catastrophe, you might be feeling a little down about the re-election of Donald Trump as United States president. Undeniably, his return to the White House is a real setback for climate action.
Fifty Shades of Black: These Bird Feathers Are The Darkest Never Seen
Sunday 19 January 2025
Scientists studying the many shades of black have discovered how birds create one of the blackest blacks known: super-black feathers
Why Is Climate Action So Hard?
Saturday 18 January 2024
It’s even more complex than you think
Climate Hackers and Rain Kings
Friday 17 January 2025
The strange history of weather modification — and what it may mean for climate change
Climate-driven heat waves and pollution imperil health in Global South
Thursday 16 January 2025
Record global heat in 2024 fueled longer heat waves, worsening air quality and public health in regions from India to Nigeria to Brazil, where extreme weather compounded pollution and respiratory disease risks.
Great Barrier Reef fish evidence suggests shifts in major global biodiversity patterns
Wednesday 15 January 2025
Life on the Great Barrier Reef is undergoing big changes in the face of climate change and other human-caused pressures, a new study reveals.
Daytime wholesale power prices are heading to zero – isn’t that good news?
Tuesday 14 January 2025
A new low proposed for solar feed-in tariffs is bound to spark consumer outrage and concern within the industry. But where are the headlines celebrating the fact daylight power prices are headed to zero?
Monday 13 January 2025
Why are modern business tycoons like this?
Copernicus declares 2024 the hottest year on record and this is how it looked
Sunday 12 Januart 2024
The world has been at its hottest for the past 10 years, with 2024 now declared the official record-holder, according to data from the European Union’s main climate service released on Friday.
The Privatization of Truth: What Meta’s Decision Means for Democracy
Saturday 11 January 2025
Is the embrace of free expression paving the way for manipulation?
Global freshwater species face extinction risks as habitats deteriorate
Friday 10 January 2025
Nearly a quarter of freshwater animal species are at risk of extinction due to habitat destruction, pollution and climate pressures, according to new research.
How bots are driving the climate crisis and how we can solve it
Thursday 9 January 2025
The internet now makes up around 7.4 per cent of global emissions – with half of that made up of bots. But it’s possible to track the perpetrators of bot-related energy waste
The Death Grip of Fossil Fuels
Wednesday 8 January 2025
It’s better to burn out than fade away…until it kills you.
The Corporate Poisoning of America
Tuesday 7 January 2025
Businesses bypass regulations and reap record profits.
Building a new concrete revolution to net zero
Monday 6 January 2025
No wonder the United Nations is worried. Making one ton of cement emits nearly one ton of carbon dioxide. With an area the size of Paris being built on every week globally, construction contributes heavily to climate change. In Australia, CO2 from building is tipped to double by 2050.
5 Things Science Can’t Explain But You Can Try
Sunday 5 January 2025
Unsolved Questions That Will Keep You Awake at Night.
AGEING – Rather than fearing getting old, here’s how to embrace it
Saturday 4 January 2025
Whether you are 20 or 90, each moment of life presents an opportunity to focus on what really matters to you
In 2025, on weekends, we will have a break from Climate Change articles. If you are getting on in years, like me, listen to, or read, this article. It has some wise advice.
The myth of a green energy transition hides a troubling truth
Friday 3 January 2025
Promises of a shift to renewable energy have failed to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, with global coal, oil and gas still dominating the energy mix.
2024 – a dire year for Human Survival
Thursday 2 January 2024
In 2024, humanity – as a whole – took a purposeful stride towards engineering the collapse of modern civilisation.
The Success Formula for Crackpot Ideas
Wednesday 1 January 2025
Ten years ago, I received my first crackpot email.
How Can We Ever Win the War On Climate Change? Here’s How…
Tuesday 31 December 2024
By Being Realistic And Showing Some Gumption
Monday 30 December 2024
Why we need to teach recent history
Finding Your Calm in the Noise: Stoic Wisdom for an Overloaded World
Saturday 28 December 2024
Timeless Wisdom to Nurture Inner Peace Amid Life’s Constant Demands
Thursday 26 December 2024
Neural networks and other forms of machine learning ultimately learn by
trial and error, one improvement at a time.
Beyond the System: Embracing Curiosity and Creativity in Science and Technology
Wednesday 25 December 2024
A Philosophical Movie Analysis of Tomorrowland
7 good things humanity did to combat climate change in 2024
Tuesday 24 December 2024
Despite the deluge of bleak environmental news, here are some examples of the positive climate progress we made this year
Climate anger can lead to action – or curdle into despair. We found out why
Monday 23 December 2024
Strong emotional responses to environmental problems are remarkably common. We know people are angry about climate change – but how many?
Is AI a Steam Engine or a Calculator?
Sunday 22 December 2024
How historical analogies shape our understanding of the AI revolution
Losing her eyesight, a painter’s art evolves with the way she sees the world
Saturday 21 December 2024
Global coal consumption hits new highs
Friday 20 Secember 2024
Coal use worldwide is projected to peak at 8.7 billion tons this year, driven by energy demand spikes following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Fossil fuels are being ‘eaten alive’ by the solar rush
Thursday 19 December 2024
Satellite imagery reveals the staggering rise of solar farms around the world in recent years. Can Australia get on board?
Not All Recycling is Created Equal
Wedbesday 18 December 2024
What happens to stuff after you throw it in the bin?
Tuesday 17 December 2024
Why do companies make environmental promises but fail to keep them?
Australia leads the world in arresting climate and environment protesters
Monday 16 December 2024
A new study shows more than 20 per cent of climate and environment protests in Australia lead to arrests, more than in the UK, Norway, and the United States.
Ikigai: Our Best Ally in Climate Activism?
Saturday 14 December 2024
How to turn the Japanese concept of personal fulfillment into climate action
Aussie climate goals ‘within reach’
Thursdat 12 December 2024
The state and territory emission reduction targets in place can give Australia a “springboard” to stronger climate goals, new research finds.
Tourism now makes up one-tenth of global emissions
Wednesday 11 December 2024
As Australians gear up for the holiday season, new research reveals the growing environmental cost of global tourism.
The six charts that reveal Australia’s (slow) climate progress
Tuesday 10 December 2024
Climate and Energy minister Chris Bowen declared “Australia is on track to deliver on our legislated targets” in his annual climate statement. But new data challenges that optimism.
Monday 9 December 2024
Global carbon emissions from fossil fuels continue to rise and 2024 is likely to be the world’s hottest year on record.
Some Businesses Shouldn’t Be Businesses
Sunday 8 December 2024
What do health insurance, prisons, and schools have in common? The article above was written in response to this event reported in The New Yorker. What do you think?
Scientists counted 49 ways Australia is destroying the ecosystems we hold dear – but there is hope
Friday 6 December 2024
Australia’s ecosystems face an unprecedented crisis. From rainforests in the continent’s north to the alpine bogs and fens of the alps, ecosystems are being pushed towards collapse.
Thursday 5 December 2024
Why governmental climate plans are a complete joke.
Cop29 gave us a Putin-friendly deal – and a glimpse of the dark future of climate talks
Wednesday 4 December 2024
The Baku Cop29 talks were marked by division and self-interest, with rancorous meddling right until the end
World on track for 3°C of warming
Our latest REPORT presents a rigorous analysis of the world’s trajectory toward 3°C warming—a level of change with catastrophic implications for human societies and ecological systems. Drawing on the latest evidence, the report explores breached tipping points, cascading systemic risks, and the limitations of current policy frameworks. At 3°C, the stability of global systems is profoundly threatened, requiring urgent action to reverse warming and mitigate irreversible impacts.
Market operator seeks emergency powers to switch off panels as solar tsunami ‘threatens wipeout’
Monday 2 December 2024
With the rise and rise of rooftop solar showing no signs of stopping in Australia, the market operator says “emergency” powers to control it are urgently needed
Majority of regional residents impacted by renewables are supportive, survey finds
Friday 29 November 2024
A nationwide survey by Farmers for Climate Action has found 70 per cent of residents living in areas affected by green energy projects are supportive of them.
Record renewables go into the grid in 2024, generating 45% of electricity in 2025
Thursday 28 November 2024
This year will set a record for the addition of renewables to the grid, according to figures to be released on Thursday by the Clean Energy Regulator.
After a disappointing COP29, here’s how to design global climate talks that might actually work
Wednesday 27 November 2024
Many people long involved in global climate negotiations see the annual United Nations COP climate talks as fundamentally flawed. That includes me
It’s time to put Australia’s car dependency in reverse
Tuesday 26 November 2024
Repurposing our streets away from a focus on cars is crucial to creating more accessible and sustainable cities
The silver lining at a disappointing Cop29? It showed climate progress can survive Trump 2.0
Monday 25 November 2024
Away from the brutal main negotiations, there were important strides forward. The science can – and must – rise above politics
America Closes Its Climate Window
Sunday 24 November 2024
The election will end our brief moment of serious climate action
Maybe this article is wrong.
Maybe he will not ruin planet Earth.
Maybe he will save it.
Judge President Trump by His Actions, Not His Past Deeds
Saturday 22 November 2024
No person has been vilified so much during their lifetime as Donald Trump.
Let’s hope Dr. V. Ranjan is right.
Western nations shift plastic burden to Asia through waste trade
Friday 22 November 2024
High-income countries export vast amounts of plastic waste to Southeast Asia, perpetuating environmental and social injustices tied to colonial legacies and oil-driven plastic production.
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.