The Conversation

Constructing and running buildings accounts for roughly a third of global energy use and emissions. So it’s alarming that a report to COP27 shows the sector is veering off course for net zero by 2050. Anna Hurlimann, Associate Professor in Urban Planning, The University of Melbourne Georgia Warren-Myers, Associate Professor in Property, The University of Melbourne Judy Bush, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Hosting the world’s climate negotiations could be a very big deal. But the government will need to show Australia has changed by bringing more to the table, and taking coal and gas off the menu. Wesley Morgan, Research Fellow, Griffith Asia Institute, Griffith University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Floods upend the plans of humans and wildlife – but after the water calms, it’s boom time for nature. Paul Humphries, Associate professor in ecology, Charles Sturt University Keller Kopf, Lecturer, Charles Darwin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Melanesia’s tropical islands are home to at least 700 species of frogs – many with tiny ranges. We must safeguard these biological treasures. Paul Oliver, Postdoctoral Researcher in Biodiversity and Evolution, Griffith University Deborah Bower, Lecturer in Ecosystem Rehabilitation, University of New England Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

There are fears the Northern Territory government will allow gas and other industries to extract substantially more water from the environment than is currently allowed. Sue Jackson, Professor, Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University Matthew Currell, Professor of Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, RMIT University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The sea level around Vanuatu is rising at a rate nearly twice the global average. New research tells a story of both loss and resilience. Karen E McNamara, Associate Professor, The University of Queensland Rachel Clissold, Researcher, The University of Queensland Ross Westoby, Research Fellow, Griffith University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The layouts of our cities and their transport systems were not planned with women in mind. Inflexible services and inconveniently located schools, childcare and workplaces pose daily challenges. Dorina Pojani, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Why does civil society accept a system that condemns today’s children life on a hostile planet? And what can we do about it? Christopher Wright, Professor of Organisational Studies, University of Sydney Daniel Nyberg, Professor of Management, Newcastle Business School, University of Newcastle Vanessa Bowden, Lecturer, University of Newcastle Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Australia now has a target of protecting 30% of its land and sea area. But the challenges of conserving urban biodiversity illustrate why it’s a much more complex task than a simple target suggests. Simon Kilbane, Senior Lecturer, Landscape Architecture, Deakin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

COP27 is Australia’s chance to join the global climate effort, but we’ll need to bring more to the table to be taken seriously. Wesley Morgan, Research Fellow, Griffith Asia Institute, Griffith University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Dams prevent platypus movements, which restricts the exchange of genes essential to maintaining healthy populations. Luis Mijangos, Researcher, Centre for Conservation Ecology and Genomics, Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Australian plumbing standards require apartment buildings to have systems designed for three times their actual peak water use. This can lead to costly water damage on top of inflated building costs. James Gong, Senior Lecturer in Water Engineering, Deakin University Brendan Josey, PhD Candidate, School of Engineering, Deakin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Our planet is undeniably in crisis and desperately needs COP27 to succeed. Without concrete action, we are condemning today’s children to a harsher future. Andrew King, Senior Lecturer in Climate Science, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Offsetting carbon emissions sounds great. In practice, it’s often used to maintain the high-emissions status quo. Bill Hare, Adjunct Professor, Murdoch University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The clearing of the Amazon rainforest surged to its highest levels in two decades under the Bolsonaro presidency. The newly elected Lula da Silva has vowed to halt deforestation, but it won’t be easy. Kathryn Baragwanath, Research Fellow, Australian Catholic University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

People struggling to pay their power bills may never have anticipated experiencing such hardship. It’s time to tackle energy equity head-on. Rohan Best, Senior lecturer, Macquarie University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Many surfers have seen sharks while surfing in the ocean. Yet, unlike the general public, 60% are not afraid of sharks. It’s a finding that offers an insight into attitudes to shark conservation. Brianna Le Busque, Lecturer in Psychology, University of South Australia Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

New research finds the Victorian town of Buchan never experienced catastrophic bushfires, until misguided laws banned the use burning as a way to control the land. Michael-Shawn Fletcher, Associate Professor in Biogeography, The University of Melbourne Anthony Romano, Research Assistant (Palaeoecology), The University of Melbourne Michela Mariani, Assistant Professor in Physical Geography, University of Nottingham Russell Mullett, Traditional Custodian — Kurnai, Indigenous Knowledge Simon Connor, Fellow in Natural History, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The 1982 Franklin Dam protests were a defining moment in the history of Australia’s social movements. But such campaigns may well be impossible today. Piero Moraro, Lecturer in Criminology, Edith Cowan University Deborah Williams, PhD Candidate, Murdoch University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

After storms of rain come storms of blame. But the blame game is circular. To stop disasters, we must prepare for disasters. Brian Robert Cook, Associate professor, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.