The Conversation

Electric cars are being touted as the best way to reduce emissions from transport. But a climate policy that relies on individuals paying for new technology runs the risk of aggravating inequities. Alistair Woodward, Professor, School of Population Health, University of Auckland Kirsty Wild, Senior Research Fellow, Public Health, University of Auckland Rhys Jones, Senior Lecturer in Māori Health, University of Auckland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Saving our threatened species shouldn't be seen as a cost, but rather a very savvy investment to ensure the support systems sustaining life on Earth remain intact. Euan Ritchie, Professor in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University Ayesha Tulloch, DECRA Research Fellow, University of Sydney Don Driscoll, Professor in Terrestrial Ecology, Deakin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Some Australian states have committed to 100% renewable energy targets, or even 200% renewable energy targets. But this doesn’t mean their electricity is, or will be, emissions free. James Ha, Associate, Grattan Institute Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

These hefty dinosaur birds stand as tall as humans, enough to dissuade most from getting too close. But how would they fare against each other in a fight? A wildlife expert places her bet. Julia Ryeland, PhD Candidate, Western Sydney University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

None of Australia's highest-emitting energy firms are fully or even closely aligned with global climate goals. Just one goes even partway, and five appeared to be taking no action at all. Anna Malos, Australia - Country Lead, ClimateWorks Australia Coral Bravo, Senior Analyst, ClimateWorks Australia Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The opportunity won’t last forever. Countries that move first will gain an advantage in new industries, technologies and export markets. Those that wait may never catch up. Christian Downie, Associate professor, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

New findings suggest the loss of fertility at high temperatures is a major threat to the survival of some species. Belinda van Heerwaarden, Future Fellow, The University of Melbourne Ary Hoffmann, Professor, School of BioSciences and Bio21 Institute, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

New research found lots of incentives to chuck out working solar panels and replace them with new ones. This may be creating huge amounts of unnecessary waste. Deepika Mathur, Research Fellow, Northern Institute, Charles Darwin University Imran Muhammad, Associate Professor of Urban and Regional Planning, Massey University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Radioactive pollution left over from British nuclear tests in South Australia may steadily be leaching into the environment. Barbara Etschmann, Research officer, Monash University Joel Brugger, Professor of Synchrotron Geosciences, Monash University Vanessa Wong, Associate Professor, Monash University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The NSW government has secured an extremely toxic bait to try to end the mouse plague. But there are safer alternatives. Robert Davis, Senior Lecturer in Wildlife Ecology, Edith Cowan University Bill Bateman, Associate professor, Curtin University Damian Lettoof, PhD Candidate, Curtin University Maggie J. Watson, Lecturer in Ornithology, Ecology, Conservation and Parasitology, Charles Sturt University Michael Lohr, Adjunct Lecturer, Edith Cowan University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

They overlook a vast body of evidence that crown fire – the most extreme type of fire behaviour in which tree canopies burn - is more likely in logged native forests. Philip Zylstra, Adjunct Associate Professor at Curtin University, Honorary Fellow at University of Wollongong, University of Wollongong Grant Wardell-Johnson, Associate Professor, Environmental Biology, Curtin University James Watson, Professor, The University of Queensland Michelle Ward, PhD Candidate, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Government-owned firms are often branded as uncompetitive, stuck in the past and unable to truly innovate. But they're sometimes better suited than private firms to drive new, clean technologies. Arjuna Dibley, Visiting Researcher, Climate and Energy College, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A global energy authority created a roadmap for the world to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. Meanwhile, Australia committed $600 million for a major new gas plant. Samantha Hepburn, Director of the Centre for Energy and Natural Resources Law, Deakin Law School, Deakin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Vested interests have lobbied against climate policy worldwide, but that's only one reason for the slow political response. While most people want climate action, they rank other issues as more urgent. Sam Crawley, Researcher, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Paraquat's potentially lethal effects on humans are well known. But our research has found it also causes serious environmental damage. Nedeljka Rosic, Senior Lecturer, Southern Cross University Joanne Bradbury, Senior Lecturer, Evidence Based Healthcare, Faculty of Health, Southern Cross University, Southern Cross University Sandra Grace, Professor, Southern Cross University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

In last week's budget, the federal government allocated money to restore the local environment around the mine. But it didn't disclose how much. Gavin Mudd, Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering, RMIT University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Natural gas may still be cheaper than electricity in some cases, but the price of gas is likely to rise if New Zealand follows the Climate Change Commission's advice to shift to electrification. Ralph Sims, Professor, School of Engineering and Advanced Technology, Massey University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Our research found that in 700 years, the 20th century was the wheatbelt's wettest. This means all our drought predictions are skewed. Alison O'Donnell, Research Fellow in Dendroclimatology, The University of Western Australia Edward Cook, Ewing Lamont Research Professor, Director Of Tree-Ring Lab, Columbia University Pauline Grierson, Director, West Australian Biogeochemistry Centre, The University of Western Australia Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Tesla's stance has also shone the spotlight further onto the carbon footprint of cryptocurrency – an issue that will not go away soon. John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society and NATSEM, University of Canberra Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A colony-building fern that grows in treetops on Lord Howe Island has adopted a lifestyle similar to social insects, turning our understanding of the evolution of biological complexity on its head. Kevin Burns, Professor, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.