Australia’s increasing energy demand is inconsistent with global efforts to tackle climate change and suggests our housing energy policy requires a radical rethink.
Is there really a secret continent to Australia’s north? Not quite. The Maritime Continent is a region where hot seas and islands shape the world’s climate.
Andrew Lorrey, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research; George Hook, Canterbury Museum; Lauren Vargo, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington, and Shaun Eaves, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington
An estimated 13 trillion litres of ice has already been lost from glaciers in New Zealand’s Southern Alps since 1978. Several are now approaching extinction.
A disfiguring disease of cattle and buffalo has arrived on our doorstep. We need to keep lumpy skin disease out of Australia, while preparing for the almost inevitable outbreak.
Australia’s approach to estimating bushfire emissions is credible and sophisticated. But it must be refined as technology improves and the climate changes.
Platypuses are drowning in Australian waterways, tangled in fishing line and trapped in closed nets meant for freshwater crayfish or yabbies. But we can fix this.
A UN meeting this week considered a motion on a suite of technologies known as ‘solar radiation modification’, but no consensus could be reached on the controversial topic.
We analysed photos of predators and prey from 3,667 camera traps in southwest Victoria. We found feral cats were more abundant and behaved differently in areas where foxes were baited.
In the wake of Melbourne’s spectacular cricket swarm, we asked the author of Australia’s Guide to Crickets why insects gather in such large numbers and how to keep them out of our homes.
Many Australians probably thought the worst of the bushfire season was over. But climate change is bringing not just more frequent and severe fires, but longer fire seasons.
Small modular reactors are popular among conservative politicians and supposedly the Australian public. But they’re nowhere near ready to power Australia in time to replace coal-powered stations.
Huge open-cut mining pits would be turned into reservoirs to hold water for renewable energy storage. It would give the sites a new lease on life and help shore up our low-emissions future.
When Peter Singer first published Animal Liberation in 1975, he wasn’t aware of climate change. But the new book, Animal Liberation Now, argues eating plants will reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Bike riders wear helmets and high-vis vests to reduce their vulnerability on the road. Problem is a new study finds this dehumanises cyclists, putting them more at risk of aggression from drivers.
A public survey found 86% of people want more space for nature in the city. The city council is already taking steps to add green space and increase biodiversity, which should boost public wellbeing.
Before their dog was poisoned, these families recognised Australia’s lethal ‘pest’ animal control methods were necessary. But afterwards, they saw 1080 baiting as inhumane and horrific. Here’s why.
The merits of the dingo fence are hotly debated, and there have been calls to pull it down. We need a better understanding of how the mega-structure affects species that live along it.
As the energy revolution gains pace, huge numbers of PV panels are already going to landfill. Many are still usable and even those that aren’t contain valuable materials that shouldn’t be discarded.
Life relies on a fine balance between energy in and energy out. But heating the world 1.2°C means we’ve trapped an extraordinary amount of extra energy in the Earth system.