The Conversation

Shareable online images of chimpanzees, elephants and other animals are threatening their conservation and welfare. Zara Bending, Associate, Centre for Environmental Law, Macquarie University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The peak time for heatwaves in southern Australia has not yet arrived. Many parts of Australia can expect heavy rains and flooding. And northern Australia's cyclone season is just gearing up. Neville Nicholls, Professor emeritus, School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Sending holidaymakers directly into forests and national parks right in the middle of peak bushfire season is madness. David Bowman, Professor of Pyrogeography and Fire Science, University of Tasmania Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Here's how Australians and their overseas family and friends can monitor the movement of fire fronts in real time. Amanda Gearing, Journalist, author, broadcaster, Queensland University of Technology Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Bees innocuously buzzing 'round the birdbath may be a barometer for burgeoning bee invasions. Manu Saunders, Research fellow, University of New England Callum McKercher, PhD Student, University of New England Mark Hall, Research fellow, Western Sydney University Tanya Latty, Associate professor, University of Sydney Tobias Smith, Ecologist, bee researcher and stingless bee keeper, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Beloved family pets have all the qualities we need in the next generation of puppies, so maybe you shouldn't rush to desex them all right away. Jessica Dawson, PhD Student in Anthrozoology, La Trobe University Pauleen Bennett, Professor and Head of Department, Psychology and Counselling, College of Science, Health and Engineering, La Trobe University Paul McGreevy, Professor of Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare Science, University of Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Some predators thrive after fires, other wilt – and one bird even starts them on purpose. Euan Ritchie, Associate 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 Dale Nimmo, Associate professor/ARC DECRA fellow, Charles Sturt University Tim Doherty, Alfred Deakin Post-doctoral Research Fellow, Deakin University William Geary, Deakin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

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.