The Conversation

Wars are multiplying – and the damage these conflicts do isn’t just immediate. They leave long-term environmental damage Stacey Pizzino, PhD Candidate, The University of Queensland Jo Durham, Senior Lecturer in Disaster Risk Management and Health, Queensland University of Technology Michael Waller, Senior Lecturer Biostatistics, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Technologies such as remote sensing and artificial intelligence are making it easier to gather more accurate data on biodiversity. Developing these digital tools will help vital ecosystem restoration. Kiri Joy Wallace, Research Fellow in Restoration Ecology, University of Waikato John Reid, Senior Research Fellow, University of Canterbury Penny Payne, Social Scientist, University of Waikato Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Seafloor sediments from beneath the Ross Ice Shelf represent an archive of warmer periods in Earth’s past. An ambitious international project aims to uncover what we can learn about our hotter future. Richard Levy, Principal Scientist/Environment and Climate Research Leader, GNS Science Dan Lowry, Ice Sheet & Climate Modeller, GNS Science Denise Kulhanek, Professor of Marine Micropaleontology, University of Kiel Gavin Dunbar, Senior Lecturer in Palaeoclimate, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Huw Joseph Horgan, Research Scientist, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich Molly Patterson, Assistant Professor in Geology, Binghamton University, State University of New York Nick Golledge, Professor of Glaciology, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Tina van de Flierdt, Professor of Isotope Geochemistry, Imperial College London Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Satellite data shows wildfires are destroying large areas of timber-producing forests around the world. These fires are becoming more destructive with each passing year. David Lindenmayer, Professor, The Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University Chris Bousfield, Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Cambridge David Edwards, Professor, University of Cambridge Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Buying back water from irrigators across the Murray-Darling Basin will not be enough to restore river health because we have big problems getting this ‘environmental water’ to where it’s needed most. Avril Horne, Research fellow, Department of Infrastructure Engineering, The University of Melbourne Andrew John, Research fellow, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

New Zealand cities grow mostly through building houses on undeveloped land. But this removes fertile soil and undermines the food production and other ecological functions city dwellers depend on. Shannon Davis, Lecturer in Landscape Planning, Lincoln University, New Zealand Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

United Nations efforts to advance a global treaty on plastic pollution echo past multilateral agreements that tackled ozone layer depletion and acid rain. Deborah Lau, Ending Plastic Waste Mission Director, CSIRO Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Muttonbird ‘wrecks’ are becoming more common. Despite speculation about many possible causes, the evidence points to changes in the Arctic ocean ecosystem from where the birds migrate to Australia. Lauren Roman, ARC DECRA Fellow, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

For Australia to shift to a net zero economy, its big polluters need to cut emissions. A get-out clause buried in the policy makes it unlikely that they will, and the result will be devastating. Andrew Macintosh, Professor and Director of Research, ANU Law School, Australian National University Don Butler, Professor, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

For a decade, debate has raged over Dark Emu’s account of Aboriginal agriculture. But ancient food production in Australia is more complex than labels like farming or hunter-gathering suggest. Michael Westaway, Australian Research Council Future Fellow, Archaeology, School of Social Science, The University of Queensland Alison Crowther, Senior Lecture in Archaeology, The University of Queensland Nathan Wright, Lecturer in archaeology, University of New England Robert Henry, Director, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland Rodney Carter, Traditional Owner, Indigenous Knowledge Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Apartment residents need more sustainable, climate-adapted designs. They shouldn’t have to depend on costly, high-emissions air conditioning to remain comfortable and healthy. Nicole Cook, Lecturer, School of Geography and Sustainable Communities, University of Wollongong Sophie-May Kerr, Research Associate, City Futures Research Centre, UNSW Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

In this podcast, former Labor climate change minister Greg Combet joins The Conversation to discuss net-zero, and Australia's future as a "renewable energy superpower". Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

In 1997, John Howard chose expansion of Australian fossil fuels over Pacific concerns about climate change. Will Albanese finally mend the rift? Wesley Morgan, Research Fellow, Griffith Asia Institute, Griffith University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Back when there were Arctic alligators and turtles, ‘polar stratospheric clouds’ kept their world warm. Research suggests these clouds contribute to the ‘missing warming’ in climate models. Katrin Meissner, Professor and Director of the Climate Change Research Centre, UNSW, UNSW Sydney Deepashree Dutta, Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Cambridge Martin Jucker, Lecturer in Atmospheric Dynamics, UNSW Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

If big money is going to invest in clean energy and technology, the rules have to be clear. Australia’s launch of a green finance strategy last week was a good start but there is further to go. Alison Atherton, Program Lead, Business, Economy and Governance at the Institute for Sustainable Futures., University of Technology Sydney Gordon Noble, Research Director, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Growing awareness of sexual harassment and discrimination in the field prompted an international survey and research into potential solutions. Sarah Hamylton, Associate professor, University of Wollongong Ana Vila Concejo, Associate professor, University of Sydney Hannah Power, Associate Professor in Coastal and Marine Science, University of Newcastle Shari L Gallop, Service Leader - Coastal, University of Waikato Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

One barrier to climate action has been our own psychology and reluctance to take action. But as the crisis intensifies, some of these barriers have evaporated. Jeff Rotman, Senior Lecturer in Marketing and Consumer Psychology & Co-Director of the Better Consumption Lab, Deakin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Controlling invasive sea urchins is expensive. Why not make it profitable by fishing for them and selling their roe as a delicacy? John Keane, Research Fellow (Dive Fisheries), University of Tasmania Scott Ling, Associate professor, University of Tasmania Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The river wasn’t merely a physical entity – it was a symbol of spiritual and cultural significance, serving as the the life force which flows through Country. David Waldron, Senior Lecturer in History, Federation University Australia Kelly Ann Blake, Gherrang/Biodiversity Project Officer, Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation, Indigenous Knowledge Shannen Mennen, Project Officer Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation, Indigenous Knowledge Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

When Australia’s government and opposition argue over how to get to net zero emissions, nuclear power is the flashpoint. The argument against nuclear is stronger, but not for the obvious reason. Reuben Finighan, PhD candidate at the LSE and Research Fellow at the Superpower Institute, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.