The Conversation

Australia's plants help make our landscapes unique. But many are in grave danger of extinction, and in many cases, the problem is getting worse. Ayesha Tulloch, DECRA Research Fellow, University of Sydney Elisa Bayraktarov, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Conservation Biology, The University of Queensland Hugh Possingham, Professor, The University of Queensland Jaana Dielenberg, University Fellow, Charles Darwin University Jennifer Silcock, Post-doctoral research fellow, The University of Queensland Micha Victoria Jackson, PhD candidate, The University of Queensland Nathalie Butt, Postdoctoral Fellow, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

It’s great to see the federal government finally providing clear policy direction for the waste industry. But it's far from enough to temper the waste crisis. Jenni Downes, Research Fellow, BehaviourWorks Australia (Monash Sustainable Development Institute), Monash University Damien Giurco, Professor of Resource Futures, University of Technology Sydney Rose Read, Adjunct professor, University of Technology Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A year since the fires, I feel an underlying sadness and concern for the future. From my discussions with other conservationists, I know I'm not the only one to feel this way. Daniella Teixeira, Researcher, Griffith University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Global leaders pledged to protect 10% of the oceans by 2020. We're nowhere close and the goal has proven particularly challenging to achieve in international waters. Natasha Blaize Gardiner, PhD Candidate, University of Canterbury Cassandra Brooks, Assistant Professor Environmental Studies, University of Colorado Boulder Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The Paris Agreement desperately needs to be updated. Currently the big exporters take no responsibility for the emissions created when those fossil fuels are burned overseas. Jeremy Moss, Professor of Political Philosophy, UNSW Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Plastic in the ocean is eaten by over 700 species, but just a few items are responsible for the most deaths. Lauren Roman, Postdoctoral Researcher, Oceans and Atmosphere, CSIRO Britta Denise Hardesty, Principal Research Scientist, Oceans and Atmosphere Flagship, CSIRO Chris Wilcox, Senior Principal Research Scientist, CSIRO Qamar Schuyler, Research Scientist, Oceans and Atmospheres, CSIRO Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Rio Tinto's own staff wanted the blast stopped. Andrew Hopkins, Emeritus Professor of Sociology, Australian National University Deanna Kemp, Professor and Director, Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The pandemic, along with other recent trends such as the shift towards clean energy, have placed us at a crossroad: the choices we make today can change the course of global emissions. Pep Canadell, Chief research scientist, Climate Science Centre, CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere; and Executive Director, Global Carbon Project, CSIRO Corinne Le Quéré, Royal Society Research Professor, University of East Anglia Glen Peters, Research Director, Center for International Climate and Environment Research - Oslo Matthew William Jones, Senior Research Associate, University of East Anglia Philippe Ciais, Directeur de recherche au Laboratoire des science du climat et de l’environnement, Institut Pierre-Simon Laplace, Commissariat à l’énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA) Pierre Friedlingstein, Chair, Mathematical Modelling of Climate, University of Exeter Robbie Andrew, Senior Researcher, Center for International Climate and Environment Research - Oslo Rob Jackson, Professor, Department of Earth System Science, and Chair of the Global Carbon Project, Stanford University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

If Scott Morrison announces he'll scrap the controversial Kyoto carryover credits tomorrow, our international counterparts will still regard Australia as a climate change laggard. Matt McDonald, Associate Professor of International Relations, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The official advisor to UNESCO rated the site as being of 'significant concern', a drop from 'good with some concerns'. It's now in the second lowest category. Ian Wright, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Science, Western Sydney University Anthony Capon, Director, Monash Sustainable Development Institute, Monash University Leo Robba, Lecturer, Visual Communications / Social Design, Western Sydney University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Australia's biggest states are taking back control of their electricity systems, because the way we make power is changing. Bruce Mountain, Director, Victoria Energy Policy Centre, Victoria University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

New Zealand spends about $500m on environmental research each year, but fails to invest systematically in monitoring programmes to track the changing environment. Troy Baisden, Professor (Environmental Sciences), University of Waikato Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Sure, the owners of electric cars don't pay properly to use the roads, but it's even worse for the owners of conventionally-powered vehicles. John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The Australian landscape’s need for fire isn't straightforward, and a fire of this magnitude will alter the island's ecological balance. Gabriel Conroy, Environmental Management Program Coordinator, University of the Sunshine Coast Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Oceans 21 is a Conversation international series examining the history and future of the world's ocean. Wes Mountain, Multimedia Editor Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The Southern (Antarctic) Ocean is our planet's primary storage of heat and carbon, and it's home to extraordinary life forms, from tiny algae and spineless creatures to penguins, seals and whales. Ceridwen Fraser, Associate professor, University of Otago Christina Hulbe, Professor and Dean of the School of Surveying (glaciology specialisation), University of Otago Craig Stevens, Associate Professor in Ocean Physics, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Huw Griffiths, Marine Biogeographer, British Antarctic Survey Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Breeding in captivity is expensive, and means the animal's gene pool will be sorely depleted. Using sperm and egg freezing and IVF techniques can reduce that. Lachlan G. Howell, Casual Academic and PhD Candidate | School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle John Clulow, Associate Professor, University of Newcastle Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Almost a century ago, New Zealand and Australia were at the forefront of an environmental crisis that forewarned of humanity's global impact -- erosion. It left its mark on culture. Philip Steer, Senior Lecturer in English, Massey University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A major new report presents the latest data on the health impacts in a warming world. It found there were 296,000 heat-related deaths in people over 65 years in 2018. Celia McMichael, Senior Lecturer in Geography, University of Melbourne Ilan Kelman, Professor of Disasters and Health, UCL Shouro Dasgupta, Lecturer in Environmental Economics, Università Ca'Foscari Sonja Ayeb-Karlsson, Senior Researcher, Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS), United Nations University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The health of five World Heritage sites in Australia has worsened, according to a sobering report from the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Jon C. Day, PSM, Post-career PhD candidate, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University Scott F. Heron, Associate professor, James Cook University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.