The Conversation

New research reveals drowning risk increases during Australian heatwaves, especially severe heatwaves. Here’s who is most at risk and what we can all do to stay safe. Amy Peden, NHMRC Research Fellow, School of Population Health & co-founder UNSW Beach Safety Research Group, UNSW Sydney Hannah Mason, Research assistant, James Cook University Jemma King, Lecturer, Public Health Richard Franklin, Professor, James Cook University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Mounting evidence shows seismic surveys can harm a range of marine animals. Ryan Day, Senior research fellow, University of Tasmania Jayson Semmens, Professor, Sustainable Marine Research Collaboration, University of Tasmania Robert McCauley, Professor at the Centre for Marine Science and Technology, Curtin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A controversial new city project in northern California has echoes of past utopian plans – but idealism and commercial reality have always been uneasy partners. Iain White, Professor of Environmental Planning, University of Waikato Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Reducing air pollution is one of the best investments for Australians’ health, the environment, the economy and social equity. But achieving cleaner air requires a new approach from government. Deren Pillay, Researcher and Advanced Trainee in Public Health Medicine, Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania Bill Dodd, Knowledge Broker, Centre for Safe Air (NHMRC CRE), and Adjunct Researcher, Media School, University of Tasmania Bin Jalaludin, Conjoint Professor, School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A recently settled class action lawsuit against the Australian government could help drive greater disclosure of climate financial risk by governments, central banks and companies. Arjuna Dibley, Head of Sustainable Finance Hub, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Compared to roughly 80% in the US, UK and NZ, only 11% of Australian homes have high-performance windows. Installing them can transform a household’s comfort, energy use and emissions. Trivess Moore, Senior Lecturer, School of Property, Construction and Project Management, RMIT University Lisa de Kleyn, Research Fellow, Climate Change Adaptation Lab, La Trobe University Tom Simko, Senior Lecturer, School of Property, Construction and Project Management, RMIT University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Our research has found 30,000 farm dams which could be used as energy storage. Solar by day, hydro by night. Nicholas Gilmore, Lecturer in Engineering Design, UNSW Sydney Martino Malerba, ARC DECRA Fellow, Deakin University Thomas Britz, Senior Lecturer, UNSW Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Australia’s biosecurity system is on high alert for alien invaders. Here’s a hit list of eight baddies we believe pose the greatest threat to Australia’s biodiversity. Jaana Dielenberg, University Fellow, Charles Darwin University Patrick O'Connor, Associate Professor, University of Adelaide Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Burning Man turned to mud. Korea’s Scout Jamboree ended in heat, a typhoon, evacuations and recriminations. Extreme weather threatens your favourite festival. Andrew King, Senior Lecturer in Climate Science, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The loss of so many trees in Sydney’s Castle Cove represents the theft of environmental benefits and services from future generations of Australians. Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Our carbon budget is shrinking fast. We crunched the data to find pathways for G20 nations to act faster Sven Teske, Research Director, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Marine heatwaves aren’t just on the surface. They can be at their most destructive when they sweep along the seafloor. Amandine Schaeffer, Senior lecturer, UNSW Sydney Alex Sen Gupta, Senior Lecturer, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney Moninya Roughan, Professor in Oceanography, UNSW Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Alien invaders are penetrating the borders of every country in the world. Now the full extent of the problems and potential solutions have been exposed, in a new United Nations report. Andy Sheppard, Research Director CSIRO Health & Biosecurity, CSIRO Melodie McGeoch, Professor, La Trobe University Philip Hulme, Distinguished Professor in Pest Management and Conservation, Lincoln University, New Zealand Phill Cassey, Australian Research Council Industry Laureate Fellow, University of Adelaide Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A new report spans more than 300 peer-reviewed studies to present a comprehensive summary of the risks the industry creates for people’s health and wellbeing, as well as for the planet. Melissa Haswell, Professor of Health, Safety and Environment, Queensland University of Technology and Professor of Practice in Environmental Wellbeing, Office of the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Indigenous Strategy and Services) and Honorary Professor (School of Geosciences), University of Sydney David Shearman, Emeritus Professor of Medicine, University of Adelaide Jacob Hegedus, Research Assistant, University of Sydney Lisa Jackson Pulver, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor of Public Health and Epidemiology, University of Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Moths are often overlooked as the poor cousin to butterflies, but they are truly remarkable creatures. Mark Stevens, Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Adelaide Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Tall. Straight. Abundant flowers. And a stunning trunk. What’s not to like about the spotted gum? Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Early in the pandemic, when there was much less traffic on the roads, people took to their bikes. But since then, fewer people are cycling, with rates now lower than in 2011. Matthew Mclaughlin, Adjunct Research Fellow, The University of Western Australia Peter McCue, PhD Candidate, School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Once again, First Nations in the Murray-Darling Basin have been shortchanged in water reform and shortchanged in the water market. It’s time to listen and actually deliver tangible outcomes. Grant Rigney, Indigenous Knowledge Erin O'Donnell, Senior Lecturer, Melbourne Law School, The University of Melbourne Fred Hooper, Indigenous knowledge holder, Indigenous Knowledge Lana D. Hartwig, Adjunct Research Fellow, Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Australia’s grid will likely get through this angry summer without falling to pieces. But our market operator is worried about the summers after that. Tony Wood, Program Director, Energy, Grattan Institute Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

New or improved flood protection can give a false sense of security – the so-called ‘levee effect’. But climate change is unpredictable, meaning ‘residual risk’ always exists and must be planned for. Xinyu Fu, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Planning, University of Waikato Iain White, Professor of Environmental Planning, University of Waikato Rob Bell, Teaching Fellow, Environmental Planning Programme, University of Waikato Silvia Serrao-Neumann, Associate Professor of Environmental Planning, University of Waikato Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.