The Conversation

The 2016 bleaching event resulted in 30% mortality on the Great Barrier Reef, with many corals dying of the heat before they bleached and the loss of branching corals creating less complex reef structure. Selina Ward, Senior Lecturer, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Until now, the international shipping industry has been excluded from the Paris Agreement and the Kyoto Protocol, despite its major contribution to global emissions. Beatriz Garcia, Lecturer, Western Sydney University Jolene Lin, Director, Asia Pacific Centre for Environmental Law, National University of Singapore Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

State energy ministers meet this week to discuss the National Energy Guarantee. While the policy has been criticised as too modest, it would put us light years ahead of the previous climate policy paralysis. David Blowers, Energy Fellow, Grattan Institute Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Sea otters can break the shell on a shellfish by hitting it against a stone resting on their belly. This can look like clapping. Some even have a favourite stone they carry around in their armpits. David Hocking, Research associate, Monash University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The ecological health of New Zealand's lowland rivers and lakes is in decline, but principles borrowed from drinking water safety could help reverse the degradation. Troy Baisden, Professor and Chair in Lake and Freshwater Sciences, University of Waikato Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Electric cars might be a quick fix to clean up transport, but the problems with cars go beyond just emissions. Martin Brueckner, Senior Lecturer in Sustainability, Murdoch University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

New research shows that fire follows fire in the Australian Alps, and old-growth forests are less flammable. Philip Zylstra, Research Fellow, flammability and fire behaviour, University of Wollongong Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Just because something is advertised as 'flushable' doesn't mean you should put it in your toilet. Ian Wright, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Science, Western Sydney University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Those "itchy bites" are actually reactions to mozzie spit. Cameron Webb, Clinical Lecturer and Principal Hospital Scientist, University of Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Will the renewable energy transition end up creating yet more greenhouse emissions, as we ramp up the manufacture of wind turbines and solar cells? Not if their manufacture is itself powered by renewables. Mark Diesendorf, Honorary Associate Professor, UNSW Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

AGL has announced plans to use coal to make hydrogen fuel at its Loy Yang A station in Victoria's Latrobe Valley. Wait, isn't coal made of carbon, not hydrogen? Yes, but here's how the process works. Jessica Allen, Researcher and Lecturer in Low and Zero Emission Energy, University of Newcastle Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

New Zealand has ruled out new permits for offshore oil and gas exploration as a step towards a transition to a carbon-neutral future. James Renwick, Professor, Physical Geography (climate science), Victoria University of Wellington Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Record-breaking April heat is likely to continue for at least another month. Jonathan Pollock, Climatologist, Australian Bureau of Meteorology Andrew B. Watkins, Manager of Long-range Forecast Services, Australian Bureau of Meteorology Catherine Ganter, Senior Climatologist, Australian Bureau of Meteorology Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

An annual assessment of the health of Australia's environment shows mostly stable conditions in 2017, but ecosystems on land and at sea suffered ever higher temperatures. Albert Van Dijk, Professor, Water and Landscape Dynamics, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University Madeleine Cahill, Oceanographer, CSIRO Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Footage of sheep transport conditions have shocked many, but live export has a long history in Australia. Nancy Cushing, Associate professor, University of Newcastle Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Every year councils around Australia compete to prove they have the best-tasting tap water in the country. Ian Wright, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Science, Western Sydney University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Across large ares of Australia, rocky outcrops are being obliterated to open up more land for farming. But many of these "bush rocks" are refuges for fragile ecosystems. Damian R. Michael, Senior Research Officer, Australian National University David Lindenmayer, Professor, The Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Government pressure on AGL to keep its Liddell power plant open past 2022 ignores the sensible, cost-effective plan to replace it. Kriti Nagrath, Senior Research Consultant, University of Technology Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Dogs don't follow the rules on larger animals living longer. A 70kg Great Dane is lucky to reach seven years, but a 4kg Chihuahua can live for 10 years or more. Susan Hazel, Senior Lecturer, School of Animal and Veterinary Science, University of Adelaide Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A proposal that all imported vegetable seeds be treated with fungicide has drawn outrage from Australia's organic producers, who fear losing their certification. Karen Barry, Senior Lecturer, Plant Pathology, University of Tasmania Alistair Gracie, Associate Professor in Horticultural Science, University of Tasmania Jason Scott, Senior Lecturer, University of Tasmania Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.