The Conversation

Researchers even found textile fibres in very remote lakes with limited human presence. David Hamilton, Professor, Griffith University Justin Brookes, Director, Water Research Centre, University of Adelaide Mohammad Hassan Ranjbar, Research Fellow, Griffith University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The Darwin woodland is home to endangered species and important for the Larrakia people. The development approval requires habitat offsets – yet the minister herself has publicly doubted offsets work. John Woinarski, Professor of Conservation Biology, Charles Darwin University Lorraine Williams, Larrakia Traditional Owner, Indigenous Knowledge Martine Maron, Professor of Environmental Management, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Microplastic pollution in lakes could affect the food web, all the way to people fishing and harvesting mussels, as well as sources of drinking water. Deniz Ozkundakci, Associate Professor of Lake and Freshwater Science, University of Waikato Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

20 years ago, solar and wind were expensive enough to make nuclear seem like an option for Australia. With cheap renewables a reality, there’s simply no point to domestic nuclear. John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A new report outlines a comprehensive strategy for Australia to reduce the carbon footprint of our homes while making them more comfortable and affordable. Ralph Horne, Associate Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research & Innovation, College of Design & Social Context, RMIT University Julie Lawson, Adjunct Professor, Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University Louise Dorignon, Vice-Chancellor Postdoctoral Research Fellow, RMIT University Trivess Moore, Senior Lecturer, School of Property, Construction and Project Management, RMIT University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Disturbing news about the potential for widespread crop failure as the climate changes should send shockwaves through governments around the world. Time to rethink global trade and food security. Douglas Bardsley, Associate professor, University of Adelaide Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Climate change is relentless and largely predictable, but it is influenced by natural variability. This means the largest temperature rise usually comes at the end of an El Niño event. Kevin Trenberth, Distinguished Scholar, NCAR; Affiliate Faculty, University of Auckland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

In recent years, Indonesia has slashed the rate of deforestation. That’s why this new crackdown on researchers is so surprising. Bill Laurance, Distinguished Research Professor and Australian Laureate, James Cook University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Can we engineer oceans to store more carbon dioxide in the fight against climate change? A new bill before parliament seeks to regulate such activity, but holds back on research incentives. Kerryn Brent, Senior Lecturer, Adelaide Law School, University of Adelaide Jan McDonald, Professor of Environmental Law, University of Tasmania Manon Simon, Research Fellow, University of Tasmania Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

We’ll need some new transmission lines to make Australia’s grid ready for the green energy shift. But there are clever ways of making more use out of our existing network. Lasantha Meegahapola, Associate Professor, RMIT University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Offsets are meant to restore land elsewhere to make up for lost habitat. Developers can make payments to the state to cover the costs of this work, but a new study finds there’s usually a shortfall. Jonathan Rhodes, Professor of Ecology, The University of Queensland Shantala Brisbane, PhD Candidate, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Humans must kill animals in many cases, but they can still modify their behaviours to improve the welfare of animals while they are alive. Benjamin Allen, Wildlife ecologist, University of Southern Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Many hoped the economic recovery from COVID would steer global development towards a greener footing. But CO₂ emissions from China, the world’s biggest emitter, are worse than before the pandemic. David Stern, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Khalid Ahmed, Visiting Fellow, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Farmers have been using dogs to protect their livestock from predators for thousands of years – and it’s still one of the best methods around. Christopher Johnson, Professor of Wildlife Conservation, University of Tasmania Linda van Bommel, Ecologist, University of Tasmania Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

From the hottest global average day, to the highest average sea surface temperature and the lowest Antarctic sea ice extent - here’s why so many climate records are breaking, all at once. Kimberley Reid, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Atmospheric Sciences, Monash University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Some were quick to point the finger at climate change when floods hit eastern Australia in February and March 2022, in the lead up to the federal election. But it’s not that simple, scientists say. Andrew King, Senior Lecturer in Climate Science, The University of Melbourne Kate R Saunders, Lecturer, Monash University Kimberley Reid, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Atmospheric Sciences, Monash University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The Indonesian president’s visit to Australia could lead to closer co-operation on the energy transition, with Australia supplying lithium for Indonesia’s electric vehicle and battery production. Arianto Patunru, Fellow, The Arndt-Corden Department of Economics, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The El Niño is a reminder that bushfires are part of Australian life. But whether or not this fire season is a bad one, Australia must find a better way to manage bushfires. Kevin Tolhurst AM, Hon. Assoc. Prof., Fire Ecology and Management, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

South-west Australia relies on groundwater for three-quarters of its water use. But a new study of the region’s caves has found a drying climate is having a dramatic impact on this precious resource. Stacey Priestley, Research Scientist, Environment Business Unit, CSIRO Andy Baker, Professor, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney Pauline Treble, Research Scientist, Environment Research Group, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

In the late 1980s, well diggers in Mali struck a rich source of naturally-created hydrogen. Now prospectors are scouring South Australia, looking for natural hydrogen. Linda Stalker, Senior principal research scientist, CSIRO Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.