The Conversation

New research examines the link between extreme weather and divorce in a small monogamous tropical songbird, the Seychelles warbler. Concerningly, extreme rain and dry spells increased divorce rates. Frigg Janne Daan Speelman, PhD Candidate in behavioural ecology, Macquarie University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

If New Zealand decided to use green hydrogen to decarbonise industries such as fertiliser and methanol production, it would need to triple the installed capacity of renewable power plants. Jannik Haas, Senior Lecturer of Sustainable Systems, University of Canterbury Aaron Marshall, Professor of Chemical Engineering, University of Canterbury Andy Nicol, Professor in Geosciences, University of Canterbury David Dempsey, Associate Professor in Natural Resources Engineering, University of Canterbury Ian Wright, Professor in Marine Geology, University of Canterbury Matthew J Watson, Professor in Chemical Engineering, University of Canterbury Rebecca Peer, Senior Lecturer in Natural Resources Engineering, University of Canterbury Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Expectations were low for the latest UN climate summit. But climate law expert Jacqueline Peel – who was at the talks – explains what progress was made. Jacqueline Peel, Director, Melbourne Climate Futures, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Like big, tall trees in old-growth forests, older animals are irreplaceable. Pulling them out leaves the ecosystem less resilient to future shocks. It’s time for ‘longevity conservation’ measures. Keller Kopf, Senior Lecturer in Ecology, Charles Darwin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

An 11-kilometre long tornado scar was discovered on the Nullarbor Plain. Without the power of technology, it would have gone unnoticed. Matej Lipar, Adjunct Research Fellow, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The real beneficiaries of climate finance for small island nations are private contractors brought in to build resilient infrastructure. There are now calls for a fairer money dispersal system. Steven Ratuva, Director, Macmillan Brown Centre for Pacific Studies, University of Canterbury Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

We give or throw away more and more clothes every year, overwhelming charities and triggering large exports of secondhand clothing. There’s a better way Yassie Samie, Postdoctoral Researcher in Fashion and Textiles, RMIT University Irene Maldini, Senior researcher in sustainability, Oslo Metropolitan University Katia Vladimirova, Postdoctoral research fellow in sustainability, Université de Genève Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The US and UK want to triple nuclear power capacity worldwide by 2050. But that leaves renewable rich ally Australia in a tricky situation John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Have you heard of the 3+30+300 rule for urban forestry? See how Melbourne and Sydney compare to New York, Denver, Seattle, Buenos Aires, Amsterdam and Singapore on trees, canopy and park proximity. Thami Croeser, Research Fellow, Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Why can’t you keep a wombat or koala as a pet rather than a cat or dog? There are good reasons why keeping native animals as pets isn’t as easy as it seems Meg Edwards, Lecturer in Wildlife Science, University of Southern Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Floods are common in the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley north of Sydney. But trends in house prices show us buyers don’t fully grasp the risk Song Shi, Associate Professor, Property Economics, University of Technology Sydney Mustapha Bangura, Lecturer in Property Economics, University of Technology Sydney Sumita Ghosh, Associate Professor in Planning, University of Technology Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

New research shows melting ice is causing the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) to slow down, with widespread consequences for the world’s climate and ecosystems. Laurie Menviel, Post-doctoral Research Fellow, Climate Change Research Centre, UNSW Sydney Gabriel Pontes, Post-doctoral Research Fellow, Climate Change Research Centre, UNSW Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Australia’s carbon credit scheme largely fails to protect threatened species, despite assumptions to the contrary. The findings provide cautionary lessons for the nature repair scheme. Penny van Oosterzee, Adjunct Associate Professor James Cook University and University Fellow Charles Darwin University, James Cook University Jayden Engert, PhD Candidate in Applied Ecology, James Cook University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Scientists have been gathering coral spawn to create baby corals via ‘coral IVF’. Until now, much of this research has been done without consultation with Traditional Custodians. Carly Randall, Senior Research Scientist, Benthic and Restoration Ecology, Australian Institute of Marine Science Bob Muir, Indigenous Partnerships Coordinator, Australian Institute of Marine Science, Indigenous Knowledge Bryce Liddell, Senior Gamay Ranger, Indigenous Knowledge Harry Van Issum, Principal Research Fellow, Griffith Centre for Social and Cultural Research, Griffith University Jonathan Daly, Conservation Biologist, Taronga Conservation Society Australia; Senior Research Fellow, School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

This week, nations are hashing out new goals for climate finance at the COP29 talks. Loss and damage is finally on the agenda – but the chance of major new funding is low Imraan Valodia, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Climate, Sustainability and Inequality and Director, Southern Centre for Inequality Studies, University of the Witwatersrand Julia Taylor, Researcher in Climate and Inequality, University of the Witwatersrand Katrina Lehmann-Grube, Associate Researcher in Climate Change and Inequality, University of the Witwatersrand Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

New research reveals a third of Australia’s freshwater fishes are at risk of extinction. That means 35 species should be added to the national list of 63 threatened species, bringing the total to 98. Mark Lintermans, Adjunct associate in freshwater fisheries ecology and management, University of Canberra Jaana Dielenberg, University Fellow in Biodiversity, Charles Darwin University Nick Whiterod, Science Program Manager, Goyder Institute for Water Research CLLMM Research Centre, University of Adelaide Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Your electric water heater uses a lot of electricity overnight. Shifting it to soak up solar could be a win-win. Baran Yildiz, Senior lecturer in Renewable Energy Engineering, UNSW Sydney Hossein Saberi, Research Associate in Renewable Energy Engineering, UNSW Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Frequent fuel-reduction burning appears to prime ecosystems for major disruption when the next wildfire hits. Don Driscoll, Professor in Terrestrial Ecology, Deakin University Kristina J Macdonald, Postdoctoral research fellow, Charles Darwin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The stench of a rare corpse flower make us retch. But you’re not the target – the plant wants to lure carrion beetles and flesh flies Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

As world leaders gather at COP29 to consider reducing emissions, the latest global carbon budget shows CO₂ emissions from fossil fuels are still going up, not down, despite some promising signs. Pep Canadell, Chief Research Scientist, CSIRO Environment; Executive Director, Global Carbon Project, CSIRO Corinne Le Quéré, Royal Society Research Professor of Climate Change Science, University of East Anglia Glen Peters, Senior Researcher, Center for International Climate and Environment Research - Oslo Judith Hauck, Helmholtz Young Investigator group leader and deputy head, Marine Biogeosciences section at the Alfred Wegener Institute, Universität Bremen Julia Pongratz, Professor of Physical Geography and Land Use Systems, Department of Geography, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich Pierre Friedlingstein, Chair, Mathematical Modelling of Climate, University of Exeter Robbie Andrew, Senior Researcher, Center for International Climate and Environment Research - Oslo Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.