The Conversation

Varroa mites and small hive beetles are threatening Australian honey producers. Here’s how backyard beekeepers, and everyday honey lovers, can help. Cornelia Sattler, Research Fellow in Ecology & Videographer, Macquarie University Théotime Colin, Post-doctoral Researcher in Bee Ecology, Macquarie University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Hot sunny days can make footpaths, bike lanes and city streets unbearable. If we want people to ditch the car, we’re going to need more trees, research shows. Judy Bush, Senior DECRA Research Fellow, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Penalties are crucial. Without them, automakers have no incentive to supply fuel-efficient, low-CO₂ emitting vehicles to the Australian market. Anna Mortimore, Lecturer, Griffith Business School, Griffith University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

As China seeks to expand its influence in our region, Pacific leaders have questioned Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s climate action stance. Wesley Morgan, Research Associate, Institute for Climate Risk and Response, UNSW Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Managed retreat can be traumatic and hard. But with good planning, the land left behind can serve new purposes, and make public what was once private. Christina Hanna, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Planning, University of Waikato Iain White, Professor of Environmental Planning, University of Waikato Pip Wallace, Senior lecturer in Environmental Planning, University of Waikato Raven Cretney, Senior lecturer in Environmental Policy, Lincoln University, New Zealand Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Dozens of Australian mammal species have declined and gone extinct since European colonisation – and introduced predators are often blamed. But evidence is lacking. Arian Wallach, Future Fellow in Ecology, Queensland University of Technology Erick Lundgren, Postdoctoral Fellow in Ecology, University of Alberta Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The Coalition reveals plans to review Australia’s 2030 emissions reduction target if they win government at the next federal election. Tony Wood, Program Director, Energy, Grattan Institute Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

We don’t want to admit it, but our beloved pet dogs do a lot of environmental damage, from killing or terrifying wildlife to emissions from pet food. Bill Bateman, Associate Professor, Behavioural Ecology, Curtin University Lauren Gilson, Research Associate, Behavioural Ecology, Curtin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Reserving gas for domestic use on Australia’s east coast as the Coalition proposes is a good idea, though surprisingly left-leaning. But why is the benefit so small? Samantha Hepburn, Professor, Deakin Law School, Deakin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The Greens broadly failed to make the most of its greater presence in parliament this term. Here’s what it should do differently. Kate Crowley, Adjunct Associate Professor, Public and Environmental Policy, University of Tasmania Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

New research examined coral restoration projects worldwide to calculate what it would actually cost to bring back what’s already been lost. Corey J. A. Bradshaw, Matthew Flinders Professor of Global Ecology and Node Leader in the ARC Centre of Excellence for Indigenous and Environmental Histories and Futures, Flinders University Clelia Mulà, PhD student in Marine Ecology, The University of Western Australia Giovanni Strona, Doctoral program supervisor, University of Helsinki Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Electric cars charged with locally made electricity can boost Australia’s energy security. That’s great – if we avoid relying on just one EV producing nation Hussein Dia, Professor of Future Urban Mobility, Swinburne University of Technology Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Soil erosion, water pollution, waste production and the loss of biodiversity are among multiple pressures degrading New Zealand’s environment. Christina McCabe, PhD Candidate in Interdisciplinary Ecology, University of Canterbury Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A new study found parts of Antartica could pass a tipping point for mass ice sheet losses as soon as 2050 – pushing sea levels 2 metres higher by 2300 than currently predicted. Chen Zhao, ARC DECRA Senior Research Fellow, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania Ben Galton-Fenzi, Principal Scientist, Australian Antarctic Division Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Labor’s promised subsidies for home batteries have to be well targeted. If not, they could simply make rich households richer. Rohan Best, Senior Lecturer, Department of Economics, Macquarie University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Australian seafood is vital to our culture and diets, and the national economy. We must take steps now to ensure aquaculture thrives in a warmer world. Caitie Kuempel, Lecturer, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University Marina Christofidis, PhD HDR Student & Water Infrastructure Analyst, Griffith University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Calculating the dual effect of rising seas and sinking land gives coastal communities a more accurate projection of the impacts of sea-level rise. Jesse Kearse, Postdoctoral Researcher, Geophysics, Kyoto University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Biosecurity policies may seem onerous and expensive – but they are working to prevent new species from pushing native species out in the Antarctic. Rachel Leihy, Ecologist, Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Melodie McGeoch, Professor of Ecology, Monash University Steven Chown, Director, Securing Antarctica's Environmental Future and Professor of Biological Sciences, Monash University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Street trees often grow in appalling soil, have little root space, are rarely watered and get aggressively trimmed. But this tough species rises to the challenge. Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Cost of living is trumping climate at this election, but the issue won’t disappear. Here’s what major parties are offering – and what we actually need. Johanna Nalau, Senior Lecturer, Climate Adaptation, Griffith University Madeline Taylor, Associate Professor of Energy Law, Macquarie University Tony Wood, Program Director, Energy, Grattan Institute Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.