The Conversation

Extreme winds from thunderstorms have downed transmission towers from Victoria to Western Australia in recent years. What’s going on? Andrew Dowdy, Principal Research Scientist, The University of Melbourne Andrew Brown, Ph.D. student, The University of Melbourne Andrew King, Senior Lecturer in Climate Science, The University of Melbourne Claire Vincent, Senior Lecturer in Atmospheric Science, The University of Melbourne Michael Brear, Director, Melbourne Energy Institute, The University of Melbourne Pierluigi Mancarella, Chair Professor of Electrical Power Systems, The University of Melbourne Todd Lane, Professor, School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, The University of Melbourne, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Huge open-cut mining pits would be turned into reservoirs to hold water for renewable energy storage. It would give the sites a new lease on life and help shore up our low-emissions future. Timothy Weber, Research Officer for School of Engineering, Australian National University Andrew Blakers, Professor of Engineering, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

In our market-driven world, calculating the economic value of the environment can be a useful tool in garnering support for environmental protection. Rachel Baird, Senior Lecturer , University of Tasmania Natalie Stoeckl, Professor of Economics, University of Tasmania Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Australia’s main grid has 40,000 km of transmission lines. Building another 10,000 km quickly is proving hard. Magnus Söderberg, Professor & Director, Centre for Applied Energy Economics and Policy Research, Griffith University Phillip Wild, Senior Research Fellow, CAEEPR, Griffith University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

By lifting their gaze to the treetops rather than poking around on the ground, researchers discovered eight new species of masked bees. James B. Dorey, Lecturer in Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong Amy-Marie Gilpin, Lecturer in Invertebrate Ecology, Western Sydney University Olivia Davies, Flinders University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

We need every tool at our disposal to stop feral cats and foxes from decimating Australia’s incredible wildlife after fires. Artificial refuges show promise. Darcy Watchorn, PhD Candidate, Deakin University Chris Dickman, Professor Emeritus in Terrestrial Ecology, University of Sydney Don Driscoll, Professor in Terrestrial Ecology, Deakin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Human health depends on having a liveable planet and this is inextricably linked to food systems. Dora Marinova, Professor of Sustainability, Curtin University Diana Bogueva, Research Fellow, Curtin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Western Sydney residents whose homes often get hotter inside than outside during heatwaves have learnt to be resourceful in adapting to the increasing heat. Abby Mellick Lopes, Associate Professor, Design Studies, Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building, University of Technology Sydney Cameron Tonkinwise, Professor, School of Design, University of Technology Sydney Stephen Healy, Associate Professor, Human Geography and Urban Studies School of Social Sciences/ Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

More efficient water use is one of the most cost-effective steps we can take to cut emissions. Steven Kenway, Research Group Leader, Water-Energy-Carbon, The University of Queensland Liam Smith, Director, BehaviourWorks, Monash Sustainable Development Institute, Monash University Paul Satur, Research Fellow for Water Sensitive Cities, Monash Sustainable Development Institute, Monash University Rob Skinner, Professorial Fellow, Monash Sustainable Development Institute, Monash University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Transmission towers bent like soft plastic when extreme winds whipped through Victoria last week. Fixing it means asking hard questions. Bruce Mountain, Director, Victoria Energy Policy Centre, Victoria University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The recent Port Hills fires highlight the increasing wildfire risks caused by climate change. Reducing the threat is going to take a shift in strategy, investment and community engagement. Nathanael Melia, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow – Climate Science, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The best strategy to protecting Earth’s coral reefs is to dramatically cut greenhouse gas emissions. But in the meantime, we must urgently make corals more resilient. Kate Marie Quigley, DECRA Research Fellow (James Cook University), Principal Research Scientist (Minderoo Foundation), James Cook University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Australian vehicle emissions are even worse than official figures show and are likely to fall even further behind the rest of the world unless much more ambitious policies are adopted. Robin Smit, Adjunct Professor, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

From sacrificial bark to fire-germinating gumnuts to stealthy buds the eucalyptus has evolved an arsenal of protective measures. Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

One of the world’s largest programs to eradicate multiple predators and pests has started to restore the island and its once vast nesting colonies to their former glory. Jeremy Bird, Research Associate, Ecology and Biodiversity, University of Tasmania Justine Shaw, Senior Research Fellow in Antarctic and island conservation science, Queensland University of Technology Richard Fuller, Professor in Biodiversity and Conservation, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

We’re all familiar with fire. But do you really know what it is and how it starts? Here’s the chemistry of fire – and why Australia is so prone to going up in flames. Jason Dutton, Professor of Chemistry, La Trobe University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Exposure to asbestos can cause the same cancer in dogs as it does in humans. Recent cases of asbestos-contaminated mulch highlight the need to better protect our pets. Chiara Palmieri, Professor, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

We’ve brought some species back from the brink – but more and more are being threatened. Here’s why Frédérik Saltré, Research Fellow in Ecology for the ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Flinders University Corey J. A. Bradshaw, Matthew Flinders Professor of Global Ecology and Models Theme Leader for the ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Flinders University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Green anacondas are the world’s heaviest snakes, and among the longest. it’s remarkable this hidden species has slipped under the radar until now. Bryan G. Fry, Professor of Toxicology, School of the Environment, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

There are two approaches to producing low-emission hydrogen, and public acceptance (or rejection) of each method will be important for hydrogen and its place in the energy transition. Mitchell Scovell, Research Scientist, CSIRO Andrea Walton, Social Scientist, CSIRO Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.