The Conversation

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.

Dairy farming accounts for a quarter of New Zealand’s total emissions. Fermentation technology could help cut agricultural emissions, while also restoring water and ecological quality. Ian Mason, Research Fellow in Renewable Energy Systems Engineering, University of Canterbury Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

We wanted to find out how agencies and communities are heeding the lessons of past floods to manage the wet summer Iftekhar Ahmed, Associate Professor, University of Newcastle Thomas Johnson, Associate Lecturer, University of Newcastle Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Foods stir up river sediments and can spread contaminants across the floodplain. It’s a risk in areas with a history of industrial pollution, like Maribyrnong, but EPA test results are reassuring. Mark Patrick Taylor, Victoria's Chief Environmental Scientist, EPA Victoria; Honorary Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Kara Fry, Honorary Researcher, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Paul Leahy, Research Associate, RMIT STEM College, RMIT University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

In our land of drought and flooding rains, better water management should feature in every federal budget. The new budget delivers it – but not everyone is happy. Jamie Pittock, Professor, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Discerning whether that dark splodge in the water is a shark or just, say, seaweed isn’t always straightforward. In reasonable conditions, drone pilots get it right only 60% of the time. Cormac Purcell, Adjunct Senior Lecturer, UNSW Sydney Paul Butcher, Adjunct Professor, Southern Cross University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Uncertainty around the government’s proposed agricultural emissions pricing scheme is creating a vacuum in the public debate. Maybe it’s time to hand the reins to someone else. Zack Dorner, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Economics, University of Waikato Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Energy bills are set to rise - and rise again. The government’s efforts so far have done very little. Time for a stronger approach. Samantha Hepburn, Professor, Deakin Law School, Deakin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The nature repair market is sold as a good news story: willing land managers benefiting nature with support from the private sector. But if offsets are part of it, the reality could be very different. Megan C Evans, Senior Lecturer and ARC DECRA Fellow, UNSW Sydney Martine Maron, Professor of Environmental Management, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Sponsorship from fossil-fuel companies is worth millions to Australian sport. But growing opposition from the public and athletes themselves may force sports to rethink these deals. Emma Sherry, Professor and Co-director, Sport Innovation Research Group, Swinburne University of Technology Brian P. McCullough, Associate Professor of Sport Management and Director, Center for Sport Management and Education and the Laboratory for Sustainability in Sport, Texas A&M University Olivia Bramley, PhD Candidate, Sport Innovation Research Group, Swinburne University of Technology Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Our heavy reliance on sandbagging suggests we really don’t understand the river landscapes we inhabit. We must learn from communities that have developed better solutions to living with floods. Penny Allan, Professor of Landscape Architecture, University of Technology Sydney Andrew Toland, Senior Lecturer, School of Architecture, University of Technology Sydney Martin Bryant, Professor, School of Architecture, University of Technology Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

By playing the sounds of healthy reefs, we can draw oysters back to the barrens where their reefs once stood. Dominic McAfee, Postdoctoral researcher, marine ecology, University of Adelaide Brittany Williams, PhD Candidate, University of Adelaide Lachlan McLeod, PhD Candidate, University of Adelaide Sean Connell, Professor, Program Director of Stretton Institute, Program Director of Environment Insitute, University of Adelaide Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The budget earmarked worthwhile climate measures, but many are piecemeal. Amid record-breaking extreme weather in Australia, federal spending on climate action still falls well short. Timothy Neal, Senior research fellow in the Department of Economics, UNSW Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Halloween has become yet another consumption ritual – but you can choose to celebrate it sustainably. Olav Muurlink, Associate Professor, Social Innovation, CQUniversity Australia Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Australia must map out the best sites for generating the most electricity with the least environmental impact. Madeline Taylor, Senior Lecturer, Macquarie University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The financial troubles at New Zealand’s most famous North Island ski fields are a warning of what lies ahead for many ski resorts – and snow sports in general. Holly Thorpe, Professor in Sociology of Sport and Gender, University of Waikato Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Shade, street furniture, streetscapes – they all matter when it comes to making a footpath appealing. Fatemeh Aminpour, Associate Lecturer, School of Built Environment, UNSW Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Local councils are on the front line in a planning system that lacks an up-to-date planning framework to properly assess flood risks and prepare responses. Mark Ellis, PhD Candidate in Planning, Bond University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.