The Conversation

In the cold southern oceans, underwater mountains support deep-sea reefs. Nic Bax, Director, NERP Marine Biodiversity Hub, CSIRO Alan Williams, Researcher, CSIRO Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Three years after the Paris Agreement, negotiators have finally agreed (most of) the rules for its implementation. But there is still no way to compel countries to deepen their climate ambitions. Kate Dooley, Researcher, Australian German Climate and Energy College, University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Most consumers underestimate the greenhouse emissions associated with different foods. But environmental labels, similar to existing nutrition information, can help us make lower-impact choices. Adrian R. Camilleri, Senior Lecturer in Marketing, University of Technology Sydney Dalia Patino-Echeverri, Associate professor, Duke University Rick Larrick, Professor of Management and Organizations, Duke University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Twice every day the Bureau of Meteorology sends out the official weather forecasts for towns and cities across Australia. Here's how we work out what to say in them. Adam Morgan, Senior Meteorologist, Australian Bureau of Meteorology Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Christmas is hectic, and it can be easy just to go with the flow and vow to cut your plastic use in the new year. But here are some easy steps you can take now to make your Christmas plastic-free. Manuela Taboada, Senior Lecturer, Visual Design, Queensland University of Technology Glenda Amayo Caldwell, Senior Lecturer in Architecture, Queensland University of Technology Hope Johnson, Lecturer, Queensland University of Technology Leonie Barner, Associate Professor, Queensland University of Technology Rowena Maguire, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Law, Queensland University of Technology Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Native cherries are everywhere, but we know surprisingly little about them. Gregg Müller, Lecturer in Natural History, La Trobe University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Some media have reported shark numbers at 'plague proportions' in Australian waters. But a new analysis suggests the opposite: species such as hammerheads and white sharks have plummeted in number. George Roff, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, The University of Queensland Christopher Brown, Research Fellow, Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The average consumerist suburban lifestyle is unsustainable. But what if affluent suburbanites and battlers alike ditch the rat race and embrace economic 'degrowth'? Here's how it might unfold. Samuel Alexander, Research fellow, Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute, University of Melbourne Brendan Gleeson, Director, Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute, University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

For decades, economists have pondered the 'social cost of carbon' - the price worth paying to avoid the future costs of greenhouse emissions. But a new analysis suggests this quest is impossibly complex. Jack Pezzey, Senior Fellow, Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Of Australia's capital cities, Perth has the saltiest tap water, while Melbourne, Hobart, Darwin and Canberra have the least salty. And while all are within guidelines, the variation is striking. Ian Wright, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Science, Western Sydney University Jason Reynolds, Research Lecturer in Geochemistry, Western Sydney University Michelle Ryan, Lecturer - Environmental Health and Management, Western Sydney University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

It takes a eucalyptus tree more than a hundred years to develop hollows suitable to shelter Aussie animals, and just moments to cut it down. Madeleine De Gabriele, Deputy Editor: Energy + Environment Wes Mountain, Multimedia Editor Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Beginning on Saturday, West Australia's short, intense abalone season will be open for a total of four hours. John Charles Ryan, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of New England Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

George H.W. Bush, who has passed away aged 94, was US president when the world began grasping the climate issue in earnest. But he was pivotal in setting the US on a course of blocking climate action. Marc Hudson, PhD Candidate, Sustainable Consumption Institute, University of Manchester Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

For the second year in a row global greenhouse emissions from fossil fuels have risen, putting 2018 on course to set a new record, according to an annual audit from the Global Carbon Project. Pep Canadell, CSIRO Scientist, and Executive Director of the Global Carbon Project, CSIRO Corinne Le Quéré, Professor, Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, University of East Anglia Glen Peters, Research Director, Center for International Climate and Environment Research - Oslo Robbie Andrew, Senior Researcher, Center for International Climate and Environment Research - Oslo Rob Jackson, Chair, Department of Earth System Science, and Chair of the Global Carbon Project, globalcarbonproject.org, Stanford University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

South Australia's energy prices have gone up as more renewables entered the market – but prices would have gone up even more without them. Bruce Mountain, Director, Victoria Energy Policy Centre, Victoria University Dr Steven Percy, Research fellow, Victoria University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The thin layer of soil on our planet's surface ultimately sustains us all, but it's a finite resource. With a growing global population, perhaps it is time to start looking for alternatives. Alex McBratney, Professor of Digital Agriculture & Soil Science; Director, Sydney Institute of Agriculture, University of Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

An energy transmission network between Australia and Indonesia could help both nations achieve 100% renewable electricity by 2050. Roger Dargaville, Senior lecturer, Monash University Changlong Wang, Researcher, The Energy Transition Hub, University of Melbourne Scott Hamilton, Strategic Advisory Panel Member Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

This and Turnbull's observations on energy policy provided abundant material for a question time attack by Labor bloated from dining on the unending manna that's been flowing from political heaven. Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

For the most nutritious and sustainable seafood option, try small ocean fish. Anna Farmery, Research Fellow, University of Wollongong Gabrielle O'Kane, Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Canberra Gilly Hendrie, Research scientist, CSIRO Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

New Zealand is the last major landmass to be settled some 800 years ago. Since then, changes in land use have been extensive and catastrophic for the country's unique flora and fauna. Robert McLachlan, Professor in Applied Mathematics, Massey University Steven Alexander Trewick, Professor of Evolutionary Ecology, Massey University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.