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Bringing down the gavel, and bringing down the house: French Foreign Affairs Minister Laurent Fabius symbolically ended the Paris climate talks, applauded by UN climate chief Christiana Figueres. Reuters/Stephane Mahe

Beyond Paris: what was really achieved at the COP21 climate summit, and what next?

What’s next, now that the Paris climate summit is over? We’ve created a special report for you, featuring two dozen of our best articles on the scientific, political and economic challenges ahead.
Past deals on emissions trading increased compensation to the electricity sector. Daniel L Smith / Shutterstock.com

Australia needs a fresh start on climate policy: authority

Australia needs to “reset” discussions related to climate policy, according to the government’s advisory body on climate policy.
Former prime minister Kevin Rudd has challenged Cardinal George Pell on the science, the policy and the ethics of climate change. Peter Rae/AAP

Kevin Rudd takes on George Pell over climate change

Former prime minister Kevin Rudd has launched a sweeping attack on Cardinal George Pell for his sceptical stance on climate change.
Emissions from China’s huge cement production industry have not previously been inventoried in detail. Caitriana Nicholson/Wikimedia Commons

New calculation suggests China’s greenhouse emissions have been overestimated

New estimates show that for more than a decade China’s greenhouse gas emissions have been overestimated by international agencies, while the country’s energy consumption has been underestimated. The research…
Save the rainforests? A new study shows mangroves matter too, as they can store three to five times more carbon than rainforests. Daniel Murdiyarso for Center for International Forestry Research

Stopping mangrove deforestation in Indonesia could help slow climate change

Indonesia is ranked among the world’s top dozen contributors to climate change – but a new study shows that protecting the country’s mangroves could slash its greenhouse gas emissions.
A green turtle hatches in the lab. David Pike

Rising seas could drown turtle eggs: new research

Immersion in seawater kills sea turtle eggs, suggesting that sea turtles are increasingly at risk from rising seas, according to research published today in Royal Society Open Science.
French Ambassador Christophe Lecourtier is hoping Australia takes an ambitious target to the Paris climate conference later this year. AAP/Lukas Coch

Come to Paris climate conference, prime minister: French ambassador

France’s ambassador to Australia, Christophe Lecourtier, has urged Prime Minister Tony Abbott to attend the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Paris late this year.
Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce has written to the Baird government in a last-ditch effort to try to stop the state licence needed for the Shenhua mine. AAP/Lukas Coch

Existing mine’s water issue shows danger of Shenhua project: Joyce

Barnaby Joyce says existing mining activity near the proposed Shenhua Watermark mine in his New England electorate has breached the aquifer, indicating the same is likely to happen with the new project.
The Nationals – of whom Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce is deputy leader – have been agitated at the strong power of Coles and Woolworths to beat down prices of suppliers. AAP/Mick Tsikas

Government to beef up ACCC to assist farmers

Farmers will get some extra help in the battle against the supermarket chains in the government’s long-awaited White Paper on Agricultural Competitiveness released on Saturday.
The cost of low emissions technology is falling faster than modelling five years ago expected, lowering the cost of reducing carbon emissions. Bas/Flickr

Q&A with Ross Garnaut: ‘we’re not there yet’ on climate policy

Despite solid results from the first emissions reduction fund auction, Australia hasn’t yet got a climate policy to last.
Drought-reduced crop yields could threaten food supply in Australia. David Kelleher/Flickr

Adapt now to prevent poor health from climate change: report

The Australian Academy of Science has warned that sick, older, poor and isolated Australians are at most risk from the health impacts of climate effects such as drought, fires, floods and heatwaves.
Climate Change Authority chair Bernie Fraser says other wealthy nations have already pledged far deeper emissions cuts than Australia. AAP Image/Lukas Coch

Climate Change Authority calls for 30% emissions cut by 2025

A report from Australia’s Climate Change Authority recommends cutting greenhouse emissions by 30% by 2025 if the country is to be seen as a good global citizen in this year’s climate negotiations.
Rooftop solar panels are disrupting Australia’s electricity market, and competing with networks. Jason Wong/Flickr

Energy White Paper promises privatisation and lower prices: experts respond

The federal government’s keenly awaited Energy White Paper is firmly focused on cutting prices and red tape, and boosting industry competitiveness - and less so on climate change and renewable energy.
The new Reef 2050 plan is taking the long view on protecting the Great Barrier Reef - but does it have the right vision? Nickj/Wikimedia Commons

Government unveils 2050 Great Barrier Reef plan: experts react

The federal and Queensland governments have unveiled their blueprint for protecting the Great Barrier Reef for future generations. Will the $2 billion plan succeed? Our experts give their verdicts.
People are unlikely to experience ill-health further than 500 metres from wind turbines. David Clarke/Flickr

No evidence wind farms directly impact health: NHMRC

There is no direct evidence that wind turbines affect physical or mental health, according to a review of the evidence by the National Health and Medicine Research Council (NHMRC). The review found no…
Researchers deploy robotic Argo floats into the ocean to measure temperature. CSIRO

Ocean depths heating steadily despite global warming ‘pause’

The oceans are continuing to warm steadily despite an apparent slowdown in global warming at the earth’s surface, according to data collected by thousands of floating robots published today in Nature Climate…