The Conversation

Given long-term forecasts for growing urban populations and an increasingly variable climate, local authorities will have to think about how best to encourage people to conserve water. Julia Talbot-Jones, Lecturer, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Sophie O'Brien, Research Analyst, Motu Economic and Public Policy Research Suzie Greenhalgh, Portfolio Leader (Society, Culture & Policy), Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

As the holiday season begins after months of reduced travel, wildlife hospitals are braced for a new wave of admissions. Marissa Parrott, Reproductive Biologist, Wildlife Conservation & Science, Zoos Victoria, and Honorary Research Associate, BioSciences, University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The method, using satellite data and other information, could reduce the work of fire forensics teams after bushfires. Dianne Cook, Professor of Business Analytics, Monash University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Airborne data like this is usually available only to industry and government agencies and researchers — rarely to the public. Jorg Michael Hacker, Chief Scientist at Airborne Research Australia (ARA); and Professor, Flinders University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

New research found curly leaves on the forest floor create litter beds with more air gaps. And this fuels bigger fires. Jamie Burton, PhD Candidate, University of Melbourne Alexander Filkov, Senior research fellow, University of Melbourne Jane Cawson, Research Fellow in Bushfire Behaviour and Management, University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Decision-makers, locally and globally, must balance management of pandemics with a recognition that fish and fishing communities are essential to local well being. Jacqueline Lau, Research fellow, James Cook University Sarah Ruth Sutcliffe, Marine Social Sciences PhD candidate, James Cook University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

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.