“The Critical Decade” for climate change action is upon us. The Climate Commission’s first report, released today, says unless Australia takes action before 2020, our way of life is at threat. “The risks…
Sea levels are expected to rise between 0.5m and 1m by 2100, potentially at great cost to coastal infrastructure.
AAP
Governments and communities must take urgent action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions this decade or face enormous social and economic costs in future, according a report by the Australian government’s…
More extreme hot weather events are on the way, say the world’s top climate scientists. Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lindenbaum.
The world’s top climate scientists have warned that the heat waves that have killed thousands of people during recent summers are to become more common and more deadly. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate…
Sadly, the major environmental policy announced in the Federal Budget yesterday was not an environmental policy at all but the change to the Fringe Benefits Tax. The government announced changes to the…
Climate change has caused global corn and wheat production to drop between 3% and 5% over the last 30 years, a new study has found. Customers have paid the price, with the cost of food rising 6% since…
Change is happening, but who’s responsible for getting us ready?
AAP
Australians, human and animal, have a good history of adapting to change. But how best to deal with a changing climate is emerging as a significant and often contentious policy challenge. It’s hard to…
A phased approach will help resolve divisions around carbon pricing.
AAP
Independent MP Tony Windsor was right in early March when he called for a debate on carbon pricing in Australia that is “a little bit more advanced than the word ‘lie’ and the word ‘tax’”. The quality…
Obama’s on his own when it comes to the environment.
AAP
As the US was brought to the brink of a government shutdown this weekend, one of the sticking points was Republican insistence that President Obama curtail the activities of the Environmental Protection…
FOOD SECURITY - Agriculture is one of the few industries in the world in which emissions must rise. The carbon footprint of farming will become larger over the next 40 years as we feed a rapidly growing…
Our obsession with growth stops us taking meaningful action on climate change.
Flickr/hfabulous
While global warming deniers have been effective in their aim of sowing doubt in the public mind, the most powerful argument used over and over has been that cutting emissions will cut growth, and that…
Choked: Lagos crumbles under the weight of its population.
AAP/Pius Utomi Ekpei
We are entering an era of massive population transfer - a rural exodus of unprecedented proportions. In Asia and Africa farmers and peasants are being lured to mega-cities. This brings myriad benefits…
When it comes to climate change policy, the numbers matter.
Philippe Put/Flickr
Economic arguments have come to dominate the Australian political debate about climate change. When it comes to climate policy, both the government and the opposition talk far more about taxes, trading…
Climate science is based on years of monitoring and analysis.
Flickr/glaciernps
Climate change is one of the greatest ecological, economic, and social challenges facing us today. The scientific evidence that human activities are contributing to climate change is compelling, and yet…
People won’t change their behaviour unless they have a mental model of a problem.
ARM Climate Research Facility on Flickr
Most of us don’t really understand climate change, and for some of us that means we can’t accept it. Sure, the evidence is compelling, but sadly humans aren’t always interested in evidence when it comes…
La Niña brings us rain - global warming makes it worse.
AAP
As six weeks’ rain gets dumped on Sydney in a single day and Queensland cleans up after shocking floods, it’s not surprising people ask if global warming is to blame for our weather woes. But following…
Too much focus on balance doesn’t present the true picture.
AAP
While the evidence for climate change continues to strengthen, public acceptance of the science keeps declining. Closing the gap could be a question of better communication. At the commencement of the…