The Conversation

Over the past three years, Earth’s climate system has accumulated an average of 11 Hiroshima bombs’ worth of excess energy per second. And it’s showing in the current surge in ocean temperature. Steve Turton, Adjunct Professor of Environmental Geography, CQUniversity Australia Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The 2021 Pacific Northwest heatwave outstripped even the most severe climate prections. A new study simulated 45,000 years of weather at Seattle Tacoma airport to try and figure out why. Damien Irving, Climate Data Scientist, CSIRO James Risbey, Researcher, Oceans and Atmosphere, CSIRO Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

And what about the old water-bottles-on-the grass trick? Does that actually work? Melissa Starling, Postdoctoral researcher, University of Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A new survey finds Australians care deeply about the environment but many are not aware of the full extent of biodiversity loss. Liam Smith, Director, BehaviourWorks, Monash Sustainable Development Institute, Monash University Jaana Dielenberg, University Fellow, Charles Darwin University Kim Borg, Research Fellow at BehaviourWorks Australia, Monash Sustainable Development Institute, Monash University Rachel Morgain, Senior Research Fellow, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

When the roads flooded around Lismore, it left supermarket shelves empty for months. Keeping everyone fed took a huge community effort. Now we need to make food supply secure. Fiona Berry, Research Principal, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney Jean S. Renouf, Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, Southern Cross University Sheriden Keegan, PhD Scholar, Griffith University Somayeh Sadegh Koohestani, PhD student, University of Technology Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A new report from the Grattan Institute shows most households can save thousands of dollars by getting off gas and switching to electric appliances. Esther Suckling, Research Associate, Grattan Institute Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Different grasses respond to and cope with winter in different ways. Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Less gold in the mines. Unrest in the camps. And a new fishery for the giant Murray cod which decimated their population. The 19th century gold rush has left a bad environmental legacy. Paul Humphries, Associate professor in ecology, Charles Sturt University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

One day we’ll look back in amazement that wood heaters were once tolerated in cities right next to houses, schools and hospitals. Bill Dodd, Knowledge Broker, Centre for Safe Air (NHMRC CRE), University of Tasmania Bin Jalaludin, Conjoint Professor, School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Fay Johnston, Professor, Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Marine life known as zooplankton might be the biggest problem with getting carbon cycling right in climate models. The potential variations in carbon uptake are greater than global transport emissions. Tyler Rohr, Lecturer in Southern Ocean Biogeochemical Modelling, IMAS, University of Tasmania Anthony Richardson, Professor, The University of Queensland Elizabeth Shadwick, Team Leader, Oceans & Atmosphere, CSIRO Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Urban rivers and creeks have bounced back from early colonial use as convenient waste dumps. But the restoration work isn’t done yet, as Melbourne’s Darebin Creek shows. Oliver A.H. Jones, Professor, RMIT University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Tree-changers can get a bad rap for not managing their properties well. So will this lead to more absentee neighbours who let weeds run rampant? Nicholas Gill, Associate Professor in Geography, University of Wollongong Anna Lewis, Research Program Manager, University of Wollongong Laurie Chisholm, Associate Professor in Remote Sensing, University of Wollongong Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

When Peter Singer first published Animal Liberation in 1975, he wasn’t aware of climate change. But the new book, Animal Liberation Now, argues eating plants will reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Peter Singer, Professor of Bioethics in the Center for Human Values, Princeton University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

It’s 2023 and residents in remote First Nations communities still suffer from regular power disconnections. The fix is simple: put solar on every roof. But there are challenges to overcome first. Simon Quilty, Senior Staff Specialist, Alice Springs Hospital. Purple House Medical Advisor. Honorary ANU., Australian National University Brad Riley, Research Fellow, Australian National University Lee White, Fellow, Australian National University Norman Frank Jupurrurla, Warumungu Elder and Director of the Julalikari Council Aboriginal Corporation, Tennant Creek, Indigenous Knowledge Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Bike riders wear helmets and high-vis vests to reduce their vulnerability on the road. Problem is a new study finds this dehumanises cyclists, putting them more at risk of aggression from drivers. Sarah Collyer, Research Associate, Caring Futures Institute, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University Mark Limb, Lecturer in Urban and Regional Planning, Queensland University of Technology Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

New research has unravelled the mystery of why sea sponges die when the water gets too warm. The cause of death appears to be the sudden loss of microbes that usually act to detoxify sponge tissue. Emmanuelle Botté, Research Officer, UNSW Sydney Heidi M. Luter, Research Scientist, Australian Institute of Marine Science James Bell, Professor of Marine Biology, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

China and Russia have been blocking international plans to protect marine life in East Antarctica. Will next week’s special meeting in Chile break the deadlock? Australia hopes so. Lynda Goldsworthy, Research Associate, University of Tasmania Marcus Haward, Professor Tony Press, Adjunct Professor, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

We are on a trajectory that takes Earth across thresholds humans have never experienced, into a climate where Antarctica’s ice shelves can no longer exist, leading to several metres of sea-level rise. Timothy Naish, Professor in Earth Sciences, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The Overview Effect describes the transformative impact of seeing Earth from space and feeling profoundly connected to our planet and concerned for it. That’s at odds with the impact of space tourism. Ariane Moore, PhD Candidate in Philosophy, University of Tasmania Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

2016 was the world’s warmest year on record, due in part to a very strong El Niño event. But 2023 (and 2024) could beat that record – what should we expect? Kevin Trenberth, Distinguished Scholar, NCAR; Affiliate Faculty, University of Auckland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.