One way to protect our ecosystems is to confer legal rights on them. This idea is at the heart of the ‘rights of nature’ movement – but Australia has few examples of this principle in action.
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Environment + Energy – Articles, Analysis, Comment
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Australia has nearly 100 mistletoe species and they’re the source of plenty of magic and mystery. We even have a couple with their own home-grown associations with Christmas.
A deadly strain of bird flu is circulating in animals. So far the virus has been detected in seabirds on islands near Antarctica. What does this mean for wildlife, tourism and research?
Did the enormous West Antarctic Ice Sheet collapse the last time global temperatures were 1.5°C above preindustrial levels? The answer lay in the DNA of an octopus.
The North Queensland floods remind us of the need to build community resilience to disasters – during the event, in the immediate aftermath and beyond.
With a record hot summer expected, will rooftop solar cover our need to be cool?
All 54 drownings on the Australian coast last summer occurred in locations not patrolled by professional lifeguards or volunteer surf lifesavers. That is a stark statistic.
Grassfires are normal in central and northern Australia. But fast-growing invasive grasses are supercharging grassfires – and this summer looks like it will be big.
The most comprehensive Australian carbon budget assessment completed to date shows the nation flip-flops from source to sink of carbon emissions, depending on the prevailing conditions.
Australia’s federal government has been hollowed out in recent decades. But states can – and still do – deliver. That’s why they are the main drivers of climate action.
Trains once carried most of our freight. Could a return to rail help us meet our emissions cutting goals?
Australia supported a phase-out of fossil fuels at the recent UN climate summit but is still expanding coal and gas production. It’s a contradiction that threatens the planet. There is a better way.
Pine grows faster and sequesters more carbon. But native forest is better for biodiversity in the long run. Transitioning between the two offers a win-win solution.
Once the immediate crisis in North Queensland has subsided, authorities will need to grapple with how to deal with the ‘new normal’ of extreme weather events. The big question is: are they prepared?
Legally binding deals struck with landholders can help protect and restore the environment over the long term.
The deal is a global aspiration, not a legally binding agreement. But it should end the idea that burning carbon – in Australia and elsewhere – can continue on a significant scale beyond 2050.
Every two years, we get an updated plan for the future of Australia’s main grid. Under the new plan, coal vanishes even faster.
People love natural swimming spots, but it’s important to manage them well to protect both swimmers and the environment.
Yes, there was some progress at COP28. But the international community is not taking this enormous climate challenge as seriously as it should.
Herbicides and pesticides wash downriver from farms and towns – and some of these chemicals are taken up by oysters.
Too much stormwater is disappearing down the drain. Here’s how our cities can make more of their last untapped water source.
What happens underground doesn’t stay underground. If we overexploit groundwater and kill off its species, we put surface species – including us – at risk.
Airlines and airports face increased scrutiny – and possibly legal action – over the contradictions between their sustainability claims and the reality of their high-emissions businesses.
Koalas will need our help more than ever this summer as hot, dry conditions force them to seek water. Here’s how to help keep them safe and what to do if you encounter a koala in distress.
A new report from the Biodiversity Council reveals the disturbing effects of artificial light on
Australia’s nocturnal animals. Here’s how you can help wildlife at Christmas and all year round.