The Conversation

Magpies have such good hearing, they can hear the very faint sound of grass roots being chewed. Gisela Kaplan, Emeritus Professor in Animal Behaviour, University of New England Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

People tend to pay attention when things get personal, so you need to know how climate change is damaging things in your life. Rod Lamberts, Deputy Director, Australian National Centre for Public Awareness of Science, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A proposed tax on electric vehicles would blow a golden opportunity to prepare our transport system for the disruption ahead. Jake Whitehead, Research Fellow, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

For crop farmers, the risk of low profit years has doubled. Neal Hughes, Senior Economist, Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) Steve Hatfield-Dodds, Executive Director, Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Under the Paris Agreement, countries have registered plans to meet emissions reductions, but the current pledges, if fully realised, would take us to 2℃ by the 2050s. Robert McLachlan, Professor in Applied Mathematics, Massey University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Blue carbon stored in coastal ecosystems is important, but it's a poor fig leaf for Australia's abysmal record on emissions. Oli Moraes, Research Officer, School of Global, Urban and Social Studies, RMIT University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Australia says the reef's world heritage values are fine and the threats are in hand. But the reality is far different. Jon C. Day, PSM, Post-career PhD candidate, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

COP25 has come and gone, another missed opportunity to use women's knowledge to mitigate climate change. Maria Tanyag, Lecturer, International Relations, Australian National University Jacqui True, FASSA, Professor of Politics and International Relations, Director Monash Gender, Peace and Security Centre, Monash University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Rapid action is needed to reduce feral horse numbers before they cause more damage to native species. Don Driscoll, Professor in Terrestrial Ecology, Deakin University David M Watson, Professor in Ecology, Charles Sturt University Euan Ritchie, Associate Professor in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Earth has only a few chances to avert catastrophic climate change. At the COP25 in Madrid, we blew one of them. Kate Dooley, Research Fellow, Climate and Energy College, University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

We don't need to send in the army every time there's a natural disaster, or create a national fire fighting force. We need to think practically about working together in emergencies. Andrew Gissing, General Manager, Risk Frontiers, Adjunct Fellow, Macquarie University Michael Eburn, Associate Professor in Law, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Australians spent $400 million on unwanted Christmas gifts last year. There must be a better way. Louise Grimmer, Senior Lecturer in Marketing, Tasmanian School of Business and Economics, University of Tasmania Gary Mortimer, Professor of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour, Queensland University of Technology Martin Grimmer, Professor of Marketing, Tasmanian School of Business and Economics, University of Tasmania Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The fires are putting pressure on the government by elevating the climate issue and opening new division among Liberals. Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Fuming, burnt out, drained. Can our smoky cities spark a change in the political atmosphere? Blanche Verlie, Postdoctoral research fellow, University of Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The point of an argument can become lost when debating climate change. Greta Thunberg show us how to stay on-topic. Peter Ellerton, Lecturer in Critical Thinking; Curriculum Director, UQ Critical Thinking Project, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Burning non-recyclable waste to generate energy sounds like a great idea – but incineration plants need an ongoing waste stream to be viable, which perpetuates the make-use-dispose mentality. Jeff Seadon, Senior Lecturer, Auckland University of Technology Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Unprecedented fires are devastating koalas along Australia's east coast. These sudden drops in population put the survivors at risk of inbreeding. Ryan R. Witt, Conjoint Lecturer | Conservation Biology Research Group, University of Newcastle Chad T. Beranek, PhD candidate, University of Newcastle John Clulow, Associate Professor, University of Newcastle John Rodger, Emeritus Professor, University of Newcastle & CEO FAUNA Research Alliance, University of Newcastle Lachlan G. Howell, PhD Candidate | Conservation Biology Research Group, University of Newcastle Robert Scanlon, PhD Candidate in Restoration Ecology, University of Newcastle Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The Nationals have stoked opposition to the Murray Darling Basin Plan at every opportunity. Now they cannot contain the fury of rural voters. Daniel Connell, Research Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

After a decade of increasing electricity bills, prices are projected to fall due to increased supply of new renewable generation. Tim Nelson, Associate Professor of Economics, Griffith University Alan Rai, Industry Fellow, University of Technology Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Labor continues to be hung up on a decade-old Greens' decision to oppose an emissions trading scheme in 2009. But responsibility for Australia's climate policy void lies elsewhere. Rebecca Pearse, Lecturer, Department of Political Economy, University of Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.