The Conversation

A new book about what we consume and what it is doing to us raises lots of good points, but lacks a little on the ‘what is to be done’ question. Marc Hudson, PhD Candidate, Sustainable Consumption Institute, University of Manchester Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Cooling off this summer will be more expensive than ever, putting at risk the very young, the elderly and people with health conditions. Larissa Nicholls, Research Fellow, Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University Halley McCann, Researcher at the Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University Karyn Bosomworth, Vice-Chancellor's Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University Yolande Strengers, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

After three years in which global carbon emissions scarcely rose, 2017 has seen them climb by 2%, as the long-anticipated peak in global emissions remains elusive. 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 Vanessa Haverd, Senior research scientist, CSIRO Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Foodbanks were originally established as a temporary measure to alleviate food insecurity. But have they become an excuse for governments not to deal properly with the problem? Nick Rose, Lecturer, William Angliss Institute Susan Booth, Casual Academic, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

BHP has distanced itself from moves to strip environment groups of their tax deductibility status. Why does the Big Australian see value in defending them? Samantha Hepburn, Director of the Centre for Energy and Natural Resources Law, Deakin Law School, Deakin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Some remote Australian communities have access to drinking water for only nine hours a day but can use ten times the average of urban households. Cara Beal, Senior research fellow, Griffith University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

While other countries race into the distance, Australia is still on the starting grid when it comes to electric cars. Why so slow? Because we don't have a proper recharging network. Graciela Metternicht, Professor of Environmental Geography, School of Biological Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Danielle Drozdzewski, Senior Lecturer in Human Geography, UNSW Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

In1850, the Micronesian island of Nahlapenlohd was the scene of Pohnpei state's first battle involving cannons and muskets. Less than two centuries later, it has sunk beneath the waves. Patrick D. Nunn, Professor of Geography, Sustainability Research Centre, University of the Sunshine Coast Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The federal government is considering watering-down laws against importing illegal timber, but this flies in the face of international evidence. Beatriz Garcia, Lecturer, Western Sydney University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

'Fast liquor', aged in months rather than decades, is the holy grail for distillers who are trying techniques ranging from using special barrels to blasting their brew with ultrasound. Chris Thompson, Associate Dean (Education) - Science, Monash University Boon Mian Teo, Lecturer, Monash University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Iconic Stan Smiths can be styled with almost anything, but most white sneakers are costly to the environment. Lucky for us, there are many sustainable alternatives that are just as cool. Lisa Heinze, PhD candidate Sustainability, Fashion & Everyday Life, University of Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

This year is poised to go down as the hottest non-El Niño year ever recorded, with record low polar ice and extreme weather that left many regions battling bushfires and hurricanes. Andrew King, Climate Extremes Research Fellow, University of Melbourne David Karoly, Professor of Atmospheric Science, University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A group of fewer than 800 orangutans in northern Sumatra has been recognised as a new species - and they are already under threat from deforestation. Colin Groves, Professor of Bioanthropology, Australian National University Anton Nurcayho, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

If warmer weather is your sign to reach for the pesticide, think again. From better soil to your own army of beneficial bugs, here are five reasons to put down the insect spray. Lizzy Lowe, Postdoctoral fellow, Macquarie University Cameron Webb, Clinical Lecturer and Principal Hospital Scientist, University of Sydney Kate Umbers, Lecturer in Zoology, Western Sydney University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

In the push to lower emissions and reduce energy prices, agricultural waste could be Australia's secret weapon. Bernadette McCabe, Associate Professor and Principal Scientist, University of Southern Queensland Craig Baillie, Director (National Centre for Engineering in Agriculture), University of Southern Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Australia is among nations calling for a 1 million square km marine park off East Antarctica. But Russia and China remain opposed, and a recent summit yet again failed to seal the deal. Cassandra Brooks, Assistant Professor Environmental Studies, University of Colorado Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Another round of UN climate negotiations kicks off in Bonn this month. With a Trump-shaped cloud hanging over the Paris Agreement, what approach can we expect Australia to adopt this time around? Marc Hudson, PhD Candidate, Sustainable Consumption Institute, University of Manchester Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Australia is among seven countries contributing to more than half of the world's biodiversity loss. Yet next month, a crucial network of long-term research sites will lose funding. Noel D Preece, Adjunct Principal Research Fellow at Charles Darwin and, James Cook University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Australia has ratified an agreement to phase out hydrofluorocarbons, a manmade compound once hailed as the saviour of the ozone layer. What went wrong? Jenny Fisher, Senior Lecturer in Atmospheric Chemistry, University of Wollongong Stephen Wilson, Associate Professor, University of Wollongong Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Extreme weather events are inevitably followed by disease outbreaks. So why not team health professionals with climate experts? Aparna Lal, Research Fellow, Australian National University Rebecca Colvin, Knowledge Exchange Specialist, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.