The Conversation

Critical minerals are well named. They’re critical to the green transition – and sought by the US and China. Who will Australia sell to? Marina Yue Zhang, Associate Professor, University of Technology Sydney David Gann, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Development and External Affairs, and Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford Mark Dodgson, Visiting Professor, Imperial College Business School, and Emeritus Professor, School of Business, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The phrase ‘net zero’ has a long history. Ruth Morgan, Associate Professor of History, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Migratory birds could bring the lethal bird flu variant that is assailing the rest of the world’s birds. Michelle Wille, Senior research fellow, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

We developed My Climate View to help Australian farmers and producers better understand the risks and opportunities they face over the next 50 years. Road-testing with farmers was vital. Stephen Snow, Research Scientist, CSIRO Aysha Fleming, Senior Research Scientist, CSIRO Yuwan Malakar, Research Scientist, CSIRO Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

There’s already demand for critical minerals and solar panels. But what about green hydrogen? Kylie Turner, System Lead, Sustainable Economies, Climateworks Centre Luke Brown, Head of Policy and Engagement, Climateworks Centre Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A new report from the Transport Energy/Emission Research consultancy examines Australia’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard, finding it was weakened by late changes. Robin Smit, Adjunct Professor, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Using DNA sequencing, the origins of one of the world’s most common insects, the German cockroach, have been traced back to Asia. Learning more about this urban pest can help us fight it effectively. Theo Evans, Associate Professor of Applied Entomology, The University of Western Australia Qian Tang, Research Associate in Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Native forest logging was meant to be over in Victoria. Why are the chainsaws still going? 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 Kita Ashman, Visiting fellow, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

When Labor took office, it promised to reverse nature’s decline. But that looks more and more like greenwashing Megan C Evans, Senior Lecturer, Public Sector Management, School of Business, UNSW Sydney Brendan Wintle, Professor in Conservation Science, School of Ecosystem and Forest Science, The University of Melbourne Hugh Possingham, Professor of Conservation Biology, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Are wombats the accidental heroes of the Australian bush? After the Black Summer bushfires, we set up 56 cameras to capture animal activity in areas with and without wombat burrows to find out. Grant Linley, PhD Candidate in Ecology, Charles Sturt University Dale Nimmo, Professor in Ecology, Charles Sturt University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

For decades, Australia has sold uranium – but said no to nuclear reactors. That’s set to change, whether in nuclear submarines or even in plans for power plants. Ian Lowe, Emeritus Professor, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The majority of 25 surveyed developments around New Zealand lacked healthy, ecologically meaningful vegetation. Applying biodiversity targets for medium-density housing could turn this around. Yolanda van Heezik, Professor of Ecology, University of Otago Christopher K. Woolley, Post-doctoral Researcher in Ecology, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Jacqueline Theis, PhD Candidate (Ecology), University of Otago Maibritt Pedersen Zari, Senior Lecturer in Sustainable Architecture, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Without a green energy transition Australia won’t meet its emissions reductions promises. But despite punching above its weight for years, the electricity sector isn’t transforming quickly enough. Alison Reeve, Deputy Program Director, Energy and Climate Change, Grattan Institute Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Workers tunnelling through mountains and redirecting rivers, powering and irrigating the nation. We think of the Snowy scheme as a successful nationbuilding project – but it wasn’t always that way Belinda Smaill, Professor of Film and Screen Studies, Monash University Kate Fitch, Senior Lecturer, Communications and Media, Monash University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Most Australians don’t need to be persuaded of the benefits of rules that require owners to stop their pet cats roaming outside their properties. Only 8% of those surveyed were against this policy. Jaana Dielenberg, University Fellow, Charles Darwin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

New research has mapped public submissions to the National Adaptation Plan. With a cross-party inquiry getting under way, four imagined futures are emerging that present a way forward. Raven Cretney, Postdoctoral Fellow, Environmental Planning, University of Waikato Christina Hanna, Lecturer, Environmental Planning, University of Waikato Iain White, Professor of Environmental Planning, University of Waikato Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

What’s in the budget for the environment? Lots for green industry, little for conservation Timothy Neal, Senior lecturer in Economics / Institute for Climate Risk and Response, UNSW Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Allowing our spent lithium batteries to be exported free of charge could mean forfeiting a potential $3 billion onshore reprocessing industry. Yasir Arafat, Senior Research Associate, Edith Cowan University Daryoush Habibi, Professor and Head, Centre for Green and Smart Energy Systems, Edith Cowan University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Reintroducing locally extinct species is a challenging affair, but with the right partnerships everyone can help make it happen. Sean Buckley, Lecturer in Molecular Ecology and Environmental Management, Edith Cowan University Luciano Beheregaray, Matthew Flinders Professor of Biodiversity Genomics, Flinders University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

States are once again turning to desalination to secure freshwater supplies. The problem is, they’re often choosing the wrong spot for ecosystems and fisheries Jochen Kaempf, Associate Professor of Natural Sciences (Oceanography), Flinders University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.