The Conversation

New research shows nature started its long road to recovery in 2020 – especially in NSW and Victoria. But overall conditions across large swathes of the country remain poor. Albert Van Dijk, Professor, Water and Landscape Dynamics, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University Marta Yebra, Associate Professor in Environment and Engineering, Australian National University Shoshana Rapley, Research assistant, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Standard economic theory suggests solar exports shouldn't be taxed at all. Bruce Mountain, Director, Victoria Energy Policy Centre, Victoria University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

As bushfires become larger under climate change, the area exposed to intense and severe fires is likely to increase. Ross Bradstock, Emeritus professor, University of Wollongong Hamish Clarke, Research Fellow, University of Wollongong Luke Collins, Research scientist, La Trobe University Michael Clarke, Emeritus professor, La Trobe University Rachael Helene Nolan, Postdoctoral research fellow, Western Sydney University Trent Penman, Professor, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Our report draws on data from more than 1,000 participants who told us of their experiences through community meetings, repeated surveys years after the fires or in-depth interviews. Lisa Gibbs, Academic, Population Health, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

If Australia pushes ahead with producing fossil fuels, we may lock in a new high-emissions energy system, or one that's uncompetitive. Clearly, green hydrogen is the best way forward. Thomas Longden, Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Fiona J Beck, Senior research fellow, Australian National University Frank Jotzo, Director, Centre for Climate and Energy Policy, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

This autumn, embrace puddles. Even tiny pools of water can be essential for birds, trees and pets — from washing away chemicals on leaves to forcing worms to emerge. Gregory Moore, Doctor of Botany, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

With more people composting due to environmental concerns or council programs, they need to know how to do it right. Cheryl Desha, Associate Professor, School of Engineering and Built Environment, and Director, Engagement (Industry), Griffith University Kimberley Reis, Lecturer, School of Engineering and Built Environment, Griffith University, Griffith University Savindi Caldera, Research Fellow, Cities Research Institute, Griffith University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The environmental, cultural and scientific sensitivity of some sites, and rarity of some fossils, means amateur fossil collecting comes with huge risks. Kailah Thorn, EdCC Earth Science Museum Curator, University of Western Australia Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

We were supposed to have a 'climate election' in 2019. New research looked at attitudes to climate change in Australia, and may explain why that didn't pan out. Rebecca Colvin, Senior lecturer, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Frank Jotzo, Director, Centre for Climate and Energy Policy, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The NSW floods are a textbook example of the theoretical impacts we can expect on Australian rainfall as climate change continues. Joelle Gergis, Senior Lecturer in Climate Science, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Evacuation and relief centres are often the first place disaster-affected people go, and should provide a minimum standard of living and care. But this standard is not always met. Mark Maund, Research Affiliate, School of Architecture and Built Environment, University of Newcastle Kim Maund, Discipline Head – Construction Management, School of Architecture and Built Environment, University of Newcastle Thayaparan Gajendran, Associate Professor, School of Architecture and Built Environment, University of Newcastle Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Climate change has long been dismissed as a significant stress to New Zealand's native wildlife, but research shows it exacerbates existing threats such as introduced predators and habitat loss. Cate Macinnis-Ng, Associate Professor, University of Auckland Angus Mcintosh, Professor of Freshwater Ecology, University of Canterbury Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Undersea shell middens contain important clues about the past - what people ate, who they were interacting with and how the climate was changing. Now we have a better way to detect and excavate them. Katherine Woo, Postdoctoral Fellow, ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, James Cook University Geoff Bailey, Emeritus Professor of Archaeology, University of York Jessica Cook Hale, Visiting Scholar, University of Georgia Jonathan Benjamin, Associate Professor in Maritime Archaeology, Flinders University and ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Flinders University Sean Ulm, Deputy Director, ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, James Cook University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

It's said the best predictor of future behaviour is past behaviour. Let's hope that's not the case with Mathias Cormann's climate stance when he joins the OECD. Christian Downie, Associate professor, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

As immunisation emerges as the world's primary weapon to combat COVID-19, much more work is needed to improve electricity access so vaccines can be refrigerated. Tony Heynen, Program Coordinator, Sustainable Energy, The University of Queensland Paul Lant, Professor of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland Vigya Sharma, Senior Research Fellow, Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

We used satellite images to study the life cycles of mangrove forests in the Northern Territory, Queensland, and New South Wales — and found a surprising degree of variation. Nicolás Younes Cárdenas, Postdoctoral research fellow, James Cook University Karen Joyce, Senior Lecturer - Remote sensing and spatial information, James Cook University Stefan W Maier, Adjunct Research Fellow, James Cook University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

We hear a lot about the Morrison government 'kicking the can down the road' on emissions reduction. New research reveals the precise burden that forces onto young Australians. Lesley Hughes, Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University John Hewson, Professor and Chair, Tax and Transfer Policy Institute, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Malte Meinshausen, A/Prof., School of Earth Sciences, The University of Melbourne Will Steffen, Emeritus Professor, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

In healthy populations, the song of regent honeyeaters is complex and long. But where the population is very small, the song is sadly diminished. Ross Crates, Postdoctoral fellow, Australian National University Dejan Stojanovic, Postdoctoral Fellow, Australian National University Naomi Langmore, Research Fellow, Australian National University Rob Heinsohn, Professor of Evolutionary and Conservation Biology, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

What was a feature of power stations such as Yallourn has become a bug. Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Community scientists have been photographing animals and plants in the months after the Black Summer fires. Each observation is a story of survival against the odds, or of tragedy. Will Cornwell, Associate Professor in Ecology and Evolution, UNSW Casey Kirchhoff, PhD Candidate, UNSW Mark Ooi, Senior Research Fellow, UNSW Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.