The Conversation

This week, nations are hashing out new goals for climate finance at the COP29 talks. Loss and damage is finally on the agenda – but the chance of major new funding is low Imraan Valodia, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Climate, Sustainability and Inequality and Director, Southern Centre for Inequality Studies, University of the Witwatersrand Julia Taylor, Researcher in Climate and Inequality, University of the Witwatersrand Katrina Lehmann-Grube, Associate Researcher in Climate Change and Inequality, University of the Witwatersrand Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

New research reveals a third of Australia’s freshwater fishes are at risk of extinction. That means 35 species should be added to the national list of 63 threatened species, bringing the total to 98. Mark Lintermans, Adjunct associate in freshwater fisheries ecology and management, University of Canberra Jaana Dielenberg, University Fellow in Biodiversity, Charles Darwin University Nick Whiterod, Science Program Manager, Goyder Institute for Water Research CLLMM Research Centre, University of Adelaide Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Your electric water heater uses a lot of electricity overnight. Shifting it to soak up solar could be a win-win. Baran Yildiz, Senior lecturer in Renewable Energy Engineering, UNSW Sydney Hossein Saberi, Research Associate in Renewable Energy Engineering, UNSW Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Frequent fuel-reduction burning appears to prime ecosystems for major disruption when the next wildfire hits. Don Driscoll, Professor in Terrestrial Ecology, Deakin University Kristina J Macdonald, Postdoctoral research fellow, Charles Darwin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The stench of a rare corpse flower make us retch. But you’re not the target – the plant wants to lure carrion beetles and flesh flies Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

As world leaders gather at COP29 to consider reducing emissions, the latest global carbon budget shows CO₂ emissions from fossil fuels are still going up, not down, despite some promising signs. Pep Canadell, Chief Research Scientist, CSIRO Environment; Executive Director, Global Carbon Project, CSIRO Corinne Le Quéré, Royal Society Research Professor of Climate Change Science, University of East Anglia Glen Peters, Senior Researcher, Center for International Climate and Environment Research - Oslo Judith Hauck, Helmholtz Young Investigator group leader and deputy head, Marine Biogeosciences section at the Alfred Wegener Institute, Universität Bremen Julia Pongratz, Professor of Physical Geography and Land Use Systems, Department of Geography, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich Pierre Friedlingstein, Chair, Mathematical Modelling of Climate, University of Exeter Robbie Andrew, Senior Researcher, Center for International Climate and Environment Research - Oslo Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Your EV battery is much larger than a home battery. But until now, Australian drivers haven’t been able to run their homes off their cars – or sell power back to the grid. That’s about to change. Syed M Nawazish Ali, Research Fellow in Transport Electrification, RMIT University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

New Zealand food manufacturers are beginning to embrace the circular economy but are up against a lack of government support, customer awareness and low-emission freight options. Sitong Michelle (Michelle) Chen, Senior Lecturer in International Business, Auckland University of Technology Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The succession of authoritarian fossil fuel producers hosting international climate negotiations is a concern. We must pay attention to political influences on the talks and beware of greenwashing. Ellie Martus, Senior Lecturer in Public Policy, School of Government and International Relations, Griffith University Fengshi Wu, Associate Professor in Political Science and International Relations, UNSW Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Extreme weather is already costing vulnerable island nations US$141 billion each year. How should rich nations contribute and who should pay the most? Nina Ives, PhD Candidate in Climate Change, Auckland University of Technology David Hall, Senior Lecturer in Social Sciences and Public Policy, Auckland University of Technology Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Central Queensland has become a koala refuge. But heavy traffic on one highway is threatening a vital population of these threatened marsupials Rolf Schlagloth, Koala Ecologist, CQUniversity Australia Charley Geddes, Research technician, CSIRO Douglas Kerlin, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University Flavia Santamaria, Lecturer in Biology, CQUniversity Australia Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The central focus of COP29 negotiations is on a bigger target for climate finance – the money rich nations provide poor nations to help with their energy transition and climate resilience. Matt McDonald, Professor of International Relations, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Months of hot and dry weather, with only 23mm of rain recorded over seven months, drove some species to seek food and water in the city. Harry Moore, Adjunct Research Fellow, School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia Anna Cresswell, Adjunct Research Fellow, UWA Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Efforts to tackle the climate crisis – both in Australia and globally – are much bigger than one man. Here are ten reasons to remain hopeful. Wesley Morgan, Research Associate, Institute for Climate Risk and Response, UNSW Sydney Ben Newell, Professor of Cognitive Psychology and Director of the UNSW Institute for Climate Risk and Response, UNSW Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The rapid growth of our capital cities is creating all sorts of problems. Dispersing growth across regional city networks could ease these growth pains and make our cities more sustainable. Peter Newton, Emeritus Professor in Sustainable Urbanism, Centre for Urban Transitions, Swinburne University of Technology James Whitten, Research Fellow, Department of Architecture, Monash University Magnus Moglia, Associate Professor in Sustainability Science, Swinburne University of Technology Stephen Glackin, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Urban Transitions, Swinburne University of Technology Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

What will a Trump Presidency mean for climate policy, in the US, Australia and elsewhere? Buckle up, it’s not pretty. Christian Downie, Associate Professor, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

To prepare for more intense floods supercharged by climate change, we have to build infrastructure able to tolerate new extremes Conrad Wasko, ARC DECRA Fellow in Hydrology, University of Sydney Andrew Dowdy, Principal Research Scientist in Extreme Weather, The University of Melbourne Seth Westra, Professor of Hydrology and Climate Risk, University of Adelaide Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

We wanted to find out how much carbon and nitrogen is being released from the northern permafrost. Here’s the region’s first full greenhouse gas budget covering CO₂, methane, and nitrous oxide. Pep Canadell, Chief Research Scientist, CSIRO Environment; Executive Director, Global Carbon Project, CSIRO Gustaf Hugelius, Professor, Physical Geography, Stockholm University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Gas-fired power plants can keep energy reliable and affordable. But they should be used only when absolutely necessary. Roger Dargaville, Director Monash Energy Institute, Monash University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

New research shows how river flows in the once-mighty Murrumbidgee have dwindled over time, leaving the floodplain high and dry. But the main culprit is not climate change and we can fix it. Jan Kreibich, PhD Candidate, Centre for Ecosystem Science & Water Research Laboratory, UNSW Sydney Richard Kingsford, Professor, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.