The Conversation

Trees evolved many times around the world. Greg Jordan, Associate Professor, University of Tasmania Matilda Brown, PhD, University of Tasmania Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Research into Queensland's Darling Downs area has found social stress caused by housing pressure, population shifts and the 'two-speed economy' of coal seam gas. Will Rifkin, Chair in Applied Regional Economics and Director, Hunter Research Foundation Centre, University of Newcastle Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Dingoes increase cattle yields, mountain lions reduce car crashes and vultures eat organic waste: like them or not, predators help humans. Christopher O'Bryan, PhD Candidate, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland Eve McDonald-Madden, Senior lecturer, The University of Queensland James Watson, Professor, The University of Queensland Neil Carter, Assistant Professor, College of Innovation and Design, Boise State University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The federal government is confident that states will sign up to the National Energy Guarantee, with a final decision now timetabled for August. Michael Hopkin, Section Editor: Energy + Environment, The Conversation Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

We all know that tap water is better than buying bottled water, from an environmental standpoint at least. But what should you drink it out of? A single-use bottle, used multiple times, might be best. Trevor Thornton, Lecturer, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University Simon Lockrey, Research Fellow, RMIT University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Ipswich Council has stopped recycling and it's likely that others around Australia will follow suit. Ian A. MacKenzie, Senior Lecturer in Economics, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

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.