The Conversation

The rising climate crisis presents an existential threat to humanity yet our government and political system are on a go-slow response. Is this issue too hard for humans to solve? Judith Brett, Emeritus Professor of Politics, La Trobe University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

People who switch from gas to reverse-cycle air conditioning to heat their homes still want to feel comfortable. Some don’t. Home electrification programs must tackle the causes of the problem. Alan Pears, Senior Industry Fellow, RMIT University Nicola Willand, Senior Lecturer, School of Property, Construction and Project Management, RMIT University Sara Vihaji, Lecturer, School of Engineering, RMIT University Trivess Moore, Senior Lecturer, School of Property, Construction and Project Management, RMIT University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A group of agricultural and soil scientists has serious concerns about the way credits are awarded for soil carbon sequestration in Australia. Aaron Simmons, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, University of New England Annette Cowie, Adjunct Professor, University of New England Beverley Henry, Adjunct Associate Professor, Queensland University of Technology Brian Wilson, Professor, University of New England David Pannell, Director, Centre for Environmental Economics and Policy, The University of Western Australia David Rowlings, Professor, Queensland University of Technology Elaine Mitchell, Research Fellow, Queensland University of Technology Matthew Tom Harrison, Associate Professor of Sustainable Agriculture, University of Tasmania Peter Grace, Professor of Global Change, Queensland University of Technology Raphael Viscarra Rossel, Professor of Soil & Landscape Science, Curtin University Richard Eckard, Professor & Director, Primary Industries Climate Challenges Centre, The University of Melbourne Warwick Badgery, Research Leader Pastures an Rangelands, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

If you were pregnant or parenting during Australia’s 2019–20 summer of smoke and fire, chances are you felt acutely anxious – and grappling with impossible responsibility. Mary Lou Rasmussen, Professor, School of Sociology, Australian National University Celia Roberts, Professor of sociology, Australian National University Louisa Allen, Professor, Faculty of Education and Social Work, University of Auckland Rebecca Williamson, Research Officer, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Holding climate change to 1.5 might be possible – but in the best case, we’ll blow past the limit first and then backpedal. Pep Canadell, Chief Research Scientist, Climate Science Centre, CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere; Executive Director, Global Carbon Project, CSIRO Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Australia’s environment does not have sufficient legal protection from climate change, as outlined in a new report from the Climate Council Australia. David Karoly, Professor emeritus, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Citizen science is coming of age. The data are pouring in from observations by naturalists and birders. Erin Roger, Sector Lead, CSIRO Cameron Slatyer, Project Manager, Atlas of Living Australia, CSIRO, CSIRO Dax Kellie, Science Lead | Data Analyst, CSIRO Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

If a whale comes across a patch of kelp, it may well start playing with it. This practice may also be useful to rid whales of unwanted passengers. Olaf Meynecke, Research Fellow in Marine Science, Griffith University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

You might look at the task ahead of weaning ourselves off fossil fuels and despair. But we’ve changed energy sources many times before – and it’s never a straightforward process. Liz Conor, ARC Future Fellow, La Trobe University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Volunteers have been collecting and sorting washed-up rubbish on the beach for years. Thanks to their efforts, we have data on whether container deposit schemes help the issue. Kay Critchell, Lecturer in Oceanography, Deakin University Michael Traurig, PhD Researcher, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Antarctic sea ice is now nearly 9% below norma. But the dramatic decline is not universal around the continent, which makes it difficult to predict the overall impact of climate change. Inga Smith, Associate Professor in Physics, University of Otago Andrew Pauling, Research Fellow in Physics, University of Otago Greg Leonard, Senior Lecturer in Surveying, University of Otago Maren Elisabeth Richter, Assistant Research Fellow, University of Otago Max Thomas, Senior Research Fellow, University of Otago Pat Langhorne, Professor Emerita in Physics, University of Otago Wolfgang Rack, Associate Professor for Remote Sensing and Glaciology, University of Canterbury Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

New research reveals how trees respond to extreme heat. Most trees lose more water than models predict. Some species cope better than others. Access to water will be critical for the hot summer ahead. Renée M Prokopavicius, Postdoctoral Researcher in Plant Ecophysiology, Western Sydney University Belinda Medlyn, Distinguished Professor, Ecosystem Function and Integration, Western Sydney University David S Ellsworth, Professor of Plant Eco-physiology, Western Sydney University Mark G Tjoelker, Professor and Associate Director, Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Global efforts to cut emissions fall well short of what’s needed to avoid dangerous warming. It’s becoming essential to develop carbon-removal strategies to get to net zero. Christian Turney, Pro Vice-Chancellor of Research, University of Technology Sydney Lennart Bach, Associate Professor, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania Philip Boyd, Professor of Marine Science, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Nature positive is the new rallying cry to reverse environmental decline. But it could easily become greenwash – if we’re not careful. Martine Maron, Professor of Environmental Management, The University of Queensland Megan C Evans, Senior Lecturer, Public Sector Management, UNSW Sydney Sophus zu Ermgassen, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Oxford Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The Varroa mite is here to stay. This will have wide-ranging impacts on beekeeping and the crops that rely on honey bee pollination in Australia. Cooper Schouten, Project Manager - Bees for Sustainable Livelihoods, Southern Cross University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

We’ve wasted a lot of time delaying climate action. As the damage becomes ever clearer, it’s time to accelerate the transition. Mark Howden, Director, ANU Institute for Climate, Energy and Disaster Solutions, Australian National University Frank Jotzo, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy and Head of Energy, Institute for Climate Energy and Disaster Solutions, Australian National University Ken Baldwin, Inaugural Director, ANU Grand Challenge, Zero-Carbon Energy for the Asia Pacific, Australian National University Kylie Catchpole, Associate Professor of Solar Engineering, Australian National University Kylie Walker, Visiting Fellow, Australian National University Lachlan Blackhall, Entrepreneurial Fellow and Head, Battery Storage and Grid Integration Program, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

After a chance discovery in the lab, this team used IVF to make hundreds of coral babies for restoration projects in New South Wales. So far the IVF babies are doing well in the wild. Meryl Larkin, PhD Candidate, Southern Cross University David Harasti, Adjunct assistant professor, Southern Cross University Kirsten Benkendorff, Professor, Southern Cross University Stephen D. A. Smith, Professor of Marine Science, National Marine Science Centre, Southern Cross University Tom R Davis, Research Scientist - Marine Climate Change, Hunter New England Local Health District Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Despite its importance, water management has been largely absent from the election campaign. But using trading markets to improve freshwater quality in smaller catchments deserves wider debate. Julia Talbot-Jones, Senior lecturer in Environmental Economy, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Yigit Saglam, Senior Lecturer in Economics, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Newcomers in Australia found and took rich pastures made by Aboriginal fire. Without fire, pastures would revert to forest or scrub. Bill Gammage, Emeritus Professor, Humanities Research Centre, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

We’ve become so good at using the Earth’s resources we’re endangering the systems we rely on. Katherine Richardson, Professor in Biological Oceanography, University of Copenhagen Xuemei Bai, Distinguished Professor, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.