The Conversation

It shouldn’t take sustained public outrage to stop environmentally destructive projects. Nature positive offers us a way forward. Peter Burnett, Honorary Associate Professor, ANU College of Law, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Yes we need land for solar panels, wind farms, batteries, pumped hydro, transmission lines and so on. But the amount of land is surprisingly small, when you do the sums. Here’s why. Andrew Blakers, Professor of Engineering, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

In Australia, the taxpayer has footed the bill for the forever chemical clean-up so far. But this will have to change. Sarah Wilson, PhD Candidate in Quantum Technology & Innovation Governance, Institue for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney Rachael Wakefield-Rann, Senior Research Consultant, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Symbiosis is so much part of life on Earth that it has shaped the evolution and structure of cells. It’s happening almost everywhere we look, including inside our gut. Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Four years of persistent ozone holes have sparked concern about what more UV is doing to Antarctic ecosystems. Sharon Robinson, Distinguished Professor and Deputy Director of ARC Securing Antarctica's Environmental Future (SAEF), University of Wollongong, University of Wollongong Laura Revell, Associate Professor in Environmental Physics, University of Canterbury Rachele Ossola, Postdoctoral fellow, Colorado State University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The rights-of-nature movement emerged as a response to economic pressures on ecosystems. But the success of projects depends on how well legal liability is defined. Viktoria Kahui, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Economics, University of Otago Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The more plastic, the more waste we produce. It sounds simple, but this discovery could help us find ways of ending plastic pollution. Kathryn Willis, Postdoctoral Researcher, CSIRO Britta Denise Hardesty, Senior Principal Research Scientist, Oceans and Atmosphere, CSIRO Katie Conlon, Ph.D., Researcher, Portland State University Win Cowger, Research Director, Moore Institute for Plastic Pollution Research, University of California, Riverside Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Many in the wider community still see sugar gums as risky trees that drop dangerous branches. But there is much to appreciate and admire about Eucalyptus cladocalyx. Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

All the evidence – colonial accounts and records, First Peoples’ testimony and scientific data – points to the existence of widespread tall, dense forests 250 years ago. David Lindenmayer, Professor, Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University Chris Taylor, Research Fellow, Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University Elle Bowd, Research Fellow, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University Philip Zylstra, Research Associate, University of New South Wales, and Adjunct Associate Professor, Curtin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

When diners were asked why they don’t order plant-based meat dishes, it turns out they have many different reasons. David Fechner, Research Fellow, Social Marketing, Griffith University Bettina Grün, Associate Professor, Institute for Statistics and Mathematics, Vienna University of Economics and Business Sara Dolnicar, Research Professor in Tourism, School of Business, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The recent climate case win in the European Court of Human Rights by a group of older Swiss women has real implications for a number of current cases before New Zealand courts. Vernon Rive, Associate Professor of Law, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Some 7,000 years ago, West Antarctica’s ice sheet retreated, most likely driven by warmer ocean currents slipping under the ice. This could happen again – unless we cut emissions fast. Dan Lowry, Ice Sheet & Climate Modeller, GNS Science Holly Kyeore Han, NASA Postdoctoral Fellow, NASA Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The 2023 megafires burnt more than 84 million hectares of desert and savannah in northern Australia. That’s larger than the whole of NSW, or more than three times size of the UK. Rohan Fisher, Information Technology for Development Researcher, Charles Darwin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

We compiled maps of bushfires and prescribed burns in southern Australia from 1980 to 2021 to see how fire activity is changing habitat for 129 threatened species such as mountain pygmy possums. William Geary, Lecturer in Quantitative Ecology & Biodiversity Conservation, The University of Melbourne Dale Nimmo, Professor in Ecology, Charles Sturt University Julianna Santos, Research fellow in Ecology and Conservation Science, The University of Melbourne Kristina J Macdonald, PhD Candidate, Deakin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Pollution on land inevitably ends up in the sea. Policy makers must stop working in silos and instead consider the indirect consequences human impacts on land have for marine environments. Rebecca Gladstone-Gallagher, Lecturer in Marine Science, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Conrad Pilditch, Professor of Marine Sciences, University of Waikato Simon Francis Thrush, Director of the Institute of Marine Science, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Bleached coral draws our attention, but marine heat does damage to many unseen parts of these ecosystems. John Turnbull, Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Sydney Emma Johnston, Professor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), University of Sydney Graeme Clark, Senior Research Fellow, Marine Biology, University of Sydney Steph Gardner, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, School of Life and Environmental Science, University of Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Overall, coastal habitat restoration greatly increases animal numbers and diversity. But not all projects deliver the goods and we need to find out why. Michael Sievers, Research Fellow, Global Wetlands Project, Australia Rivers Institute, Griffith University Christopher Brown, ARC Future Fellow in Fisheries Science, University of Tasmania Rod Connolly, Professor in Marine Science, Griffith University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Flash floods are getting more common, as warmer air can hold more moisture. But there are other changes leading to more inland flooding on the east coast. Milton Speer, Visiting Fellow, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney Lance M Leslie, Professor, School of Mathematical And Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Sometimes it seems the night is just buzzing with insects. But are there really more insects out at night? We analysed all the evidence on insect activity across the day–night cycle to find out. Mark Wong, Forrest Fellow, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia Raphael Didham, Professor of Ecology, The University of Western Australia Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Existing laws and regulations failed to prevent asbestos contamination of mulch. What’s missing is mandatory certification of recycled products so users can be sure they’ve been tested and are safe. Salman Shooshtarian, Senior Lecturer, School of Property, Construction and Project Management, RMIT University Peter S.P. Wong, Professor and Associate Dean, School of Property, Construction and Project Management, RMIT University Tayyab Maqsood, Associate Dean and Head of Project Management, RMIT University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.