The Conversation

Electric cars are hailed as the best way to cut transport emissions, but it’s an illusion to think we can reduce our environmental impact without changing the way we design and move about in cities. Timothy Welch, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning, University of Auckland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Electric cars are expensive in Australia partly because European emission standards reward manufacturers for selling them there. There’s an obvious fix. Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A single tree in a tropical forest has the same cooling effect as two air conditioners. Imagine how hot it gets when a whole forest is felled. Sally Thompson, Associate professor, The University of Western Australia Débora Corrêa, Research fellow, The University of Western Australia John Duncan, Research fellow, The University of Western Australia Octavia Crompton, Postdoctoral researcher, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Stabilising Earth’s climate depends on a lot more than deals struck at conferences like Glasgow. But those agreements set a frame for real-world decisions. Frank Jotzo, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy and Head of Energy, Institute for Climate Energy and Disaster Solutions, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Rather than slow the decline in coal use, India’s actions at COP26 ensure it and other polluting nations, including Australia, will be under even greater scrutiny. Bill Hare, Director, Climate Analytics, Adjunct Professor, Murdoch University (Perth), Visiting scientist, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The hope we need is realistic – not wishful thinking, denial or delay disguised as naïve optimism. John Wiseman, Professorial Fellow, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Forestry is a surprising winner in detailed projections prepared by Victoria University. Queensland has the most to lose from a move to net-zero. Philip Adams, Professor at the Centre of Policy Studies, Victoria University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

From weak 2030 targets to controversial rules around carbon trading, let’s take a look at the summit’s defining issues. Robert Hales, Director Centre for Sustainable Enterprise, Griffith University Brendan Mackey, Director of the Griffith Climate Change Response Program, Griffith University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The sale of traditional vehicles would have to cease completely by 2038 to reach the government’s target. So where’s the plan to get there? John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Most of the $2,000 per year increase in income by 2050 is due to the success of a new hydrogen industry. Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Some promising proposals have been put forward, but most suffer either from a lack of ambition or a lack of participation from key countries. Jeremy Moss, Professor of Political Philosophy, UNSW Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Uncertainty about carbon market rules will be problematic for New Zealand, given its reliance on overseas carbon trading to meet its new climate pledge. Nathan Cooper, Associate Professor of Law, University of Waikato Kemi Hughes, Doctoral Researcher in Climate Change Governance, University of Waikato Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Only in coming years will we know if COP26 was a real game-changer for the planet, or just empty promises and spin. Tim Flannery, Professorial fellow, Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The Morrison government’s great refusal to take action on climate may come back to haunt Australia when we seek the cooperation of other countries. Robyn Eckersley, Professor of Political Science, School of Social and Political Sciences, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Australia’s largest parrot has just been listed as an endangered species. Here’s why they’re in trouble – but it’s not too late to save them. Christina N. Zdenek, Lab Manager/Post-doc at the Venom Evolution Lab, The University of Queensland Rob Heinsohn, Professor of Evolutionary and Conservation Biology, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

We cannot claim that inducing others to reduce emissions gives us a moral license to emit in their place. Christian Barry, Professor of Philosophy at the ANU, Australian National University Garrett Cullity, Professor, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

We must take significant and rapid action now, to ensure cities play their part in limiting dangerous global warming and withstand the climate challenges ahead. Anna Hurlimann, Associate Professor in Urban Planning, The University of Melbourne Georgia Warren-Myers, Senior Lecturer in Property, The University of Melbourne Judy Bush, Lecturer in Urban Planning, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Heading into the final days of the Glasgow summit, the goal of limiting heating below 2℃ looks attainable, and 1.5℃ is still within reach. There is still room for hope. John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

One of Europe’s last intact mobile and vegetated dune ecosystems is in danger of being loved to death. What can be done? Patrick Hesp, Professor, Flinders University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A new climate projection found Glasgow pledges leave the world off-track for limiting warming to 1.5℃. What needs to happen in the final days of frantic COP26 negotiations to close the ambition gap? Wesley Morgan, Research Fellow, Griffith Asia Institute and Climate Council researcher, Griffith University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.