The Conversation

Unlike a car, you can't just stick a battery-powered engine in a plane and expect it to fly. Despite that, small planes might be the future of electric flight. Dries Verstraete, Senior Lecturer in Aerospace Design and Propulsion, University of Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Politicians might get the most airtime when it comes to climate change, but Australians would rather hear about it from weather presenters. David Holmes, Director, Climate Change Communication Research Hub, Monash University Stephanie Hall, Communications Manager, Climate Change Communication Research Hub, Monash University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Few feel the pain of the Great Barrier Reef's decline more acutely than the scientists trying to save it. Ahead of a UN climate summit, two researchers write of their grief, and hope. Jon Brodie, Professorial Fellow, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University Alana Grech, Assistant Director, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Rogue construction union boss John Setka is already in fights with the Labor party and the ACTU leadership. Now he faces a battle with parliament. Centre Alliance senator Rex Patrick is moving to refer… Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Mass strikes help target the psychological factors most important for acting on climate change, by emphasizing social norms and reinforcing the effectiveness of collective action. Belinda Xie, Scientia PhD Scholar, School of Psychology, UNSW Ben Newell, Professor of Cognitive Psychology, UNSW Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

For the past two and a half million years, Earth has experienced regular ice ages, but with carbon dioxide levels now over 400 parts per million, the next ice age is postponed for a very long time. James Renwick, Professor, Physical Geography (climate science), Victoria University of Wellington Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Ahead of the UN climate summit, we take stock of the world's best and worst performers on climate action - including some surprise success stories. Bill Hare, Director, Climate Analytics, Adjunct Professor, Murdoch University (Perth), Visiting scientist, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Climate change is a super-wicked problem. With a growing sense of urgency to act on climate change, it is vital we strike a balance between encouraging action and limiting pushback. David Hall, Senior Researcher in Politics, Auckland University of Technology Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Planting any tree is more important than planting a particular tree when it comes to removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Sebastian Leuzinger, Associate Professor, Auckland University of Technology Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Climate deniers have joyously laboured to create a world potentially uninhabitable for our children. Our activism has failed, and rebellion may be the only answer. Tim Flannery, Professorial fellow, Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute, University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Paddy Manning's new book charts the challenges faced by the Greens (and greenies in general) with admirable clarity and detail. Marc Hudson, Researcher, University of Manchester Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Billions of bogong moths are setting out from Queensland, but not reaching Victoria. We need citizen scientists to help figure out where they're ending up. Sally Sherwen, Director Wildlife Conservation and Science, Zoos Victoria, University of Melbourne Therésa Jones, Lecturer in Evolution and Behaviour, University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The UN has asked world leaders to bring concrete climate action plans to this week's summit - and Australia is likely to cop heavy criticism. Frank Jotzo, Director, Centre for Climate and Energy Policy, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The state of Australia's energy and climate change policy is reason to despair. But there may be a nuclear solution that keeps both sides happy. John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

When it comes to improving Indigenous policies and programs, Indigenous communities should be the ones evaluating government – rather than the other way around. Elizabeth Strakosch, Lecturer in Public Policy and Governance, The University of Queensland Alissa Macoun, Lecturer in Political Science and International Studies, The University of Queensland Chelsea Bond, Senior Research Fellow, School of Social Science, The University of Queensland David Singh, Senior research fellow, The University of Queensland Zoe Staines, Research fellow, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Australia's top scientist Alan Finkel says too many poor quality research papers are being published in Australia, and the system may inadvertently encourage academics to behave badly. Alan Finkel, Australia’s Chief Scientist, Office of the Chief Scientist Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

We all know that climate change is hurting the Great Barrier Reef. But scores of other less-publicised threats also threaten the future of the natural wonder. Jon C. Day, PSM, Post-career PhD candidate, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University Scott Heron, Senior Lecturer, James Cook University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Ice cream company Ben & Jerry's will close its Australian stores for this month's global climate strike and pay staff to attend the protest, telling customers "if it's melted, it's ruined". Ian McGregor, Lecturer in Management, UTS Business School, University of Technology Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Regenerative agriculture has the potential to build production and reducing pollution, but it needs a clearer definition. Troy Baisden, Professor and Chair in Lake and Freshwater Sciences, University of Waikato Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Climate change makes every risk factor for major bushfires worse, which means massive, intense fires will only become more likely. Dale Dominey-Howes, Professor of Hazards and Disaster Risk Sciences, University of Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.