The Conversation

The first Threatened Species Strategy fizzled out last year without making a big difference to conservation. With the next strategy due to roll out this year, let's look at what needs to change. Euan Ritchie, Professor in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University Ayesha Tulloch, DECRA Research Fellow, University of Sydney Don Driscoll, Professor in Terrestrial Ecology, Deakin University Megan C Evans, Lecturer and ARC DECRA Fellow, UNSW Tim Doherty, ARC DECRA Fellow, University of Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Machines using giant fans and filters can literally suck carbon dioxide out of the air. Sounds great – but the technology faces many challenges. Deanna D'Alessandro, Professor & ARC Future Fellow, University of Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A new measure of average weather days in New Zealand puts the temperature on the rise, again. James Renwick, Professor, Physical Geography (climate science), Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

When illegal fishing is misrepresented, it leads to poor investments and misguided policies that don't help the actual problem. Britta Denise Hardesty, Principal Research Scientist, Oceans and Atmosphere Flagship, CSIRO Chris Wilcox, Senior Principal Research Scientist, CSIRO Jessica Ford, Senior Research Scientist, CSIRO Mary Mackay, Postdoctoral Fellow, CSIRO Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

China is changing, and it's time Australia's coal exporters faced up to this reality. Hao Tan, Associate professor, University of Newcastle Elizabeth Thurbon, Scientia Associate Professor in International Relations / International Political Economy, UNSW John Mathews, Professor Emeritus, Macquarie Business School, Macquarie University Sung-Young Kim, Senior Lecturer in International Relations, Discipline of Politics & International Relations, Macquarie School of Social Sciences, Macquarie University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Communities living at the margins are often more vulnerable to disaster risk, a problem likely to be exacerbated by climate change. Jonatan A Lassa, Senior Lecturer, Humanitarian Emergency and Disaster Management, College of Indigenous Futures, Arts and Society, Charles Darwin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Of the five cuisines examined, packaging from burger meals was responsible for the most emissions. Robert Crawford, Associate Professor in Construction and Environmental Assessment, University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Rather than breathing in and out through the mouth, fish use a one-way system, passing water in one direction over their gills. Culum Brown, Professor, Macquarie University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

An aggressive US climate policy rollout could provide a much needed dose of reality to the climate discourse in Canberra – and show Australia the transition can be done. Jim Orchard, Adjunct Lecturer, Monash University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The small fire and heatwave prone town of Tarnagulla got together, applied for funding and co-produced a resilience action plan so they're better prepared for the next disaster. Mittul Vahanvati, Lecturer, School of Global, Urban and Social Studies, RMIT University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Partially protected areas don't have more wildlife than unprotected areas. They consume conservation resources and occupy space that could otherwise be allocated to more effective protection. John Turnbull, Postdoctoral research associate, UNSW Carly Cook, Lecturer Head, Cook Research Group; School of Biological Sciences , Monash University Emma Johnston, Professor and Dean of Science, UNSW Graeme Clark, Senior Research Associate in Ecology, UNSW Kelsey Roberts, Post doctoral researcher at the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University (The State University of New York) Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

For the past 50 years, international animal cognition research has focused on how tool use is related to animal intelligence. But new research casts doubt on long-held assumptions. Gisela Kaplan, Emeritus Professor in Animal Behaviour, University of New England Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Humanity is destroying Earth’s ability to support complex life. But coming to grips with the magnitude of the problem is hard, even for experts. 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 Daniel T. Blumstein, Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California, Los Angeles Paul Ehrlich, President, Center for Conservation Biology, Bing Professor of Population Studies, Stanford University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Zero emission? Carbon neutral? Carbon negative? What does it mean to achieve 'net-zero' emissions? Jessica Allen, Senior Lecturer and DECRA Fellow, University of Newcastle Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

What if we had a system, like Medicare, where costly fire prevention measures were subsidised? David Bowman, Professor of Pyrogeography and Fire Science, University of Tasmania Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Untreated wastewater is responsible for the deaths of 800 children under five every day, and inflicts serious damage to the environment. Knowing where sewage ends up is vital. Jacqueline Thomas, Lecturer in Environmental and Humanitarian Engineering, University of Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Learn how cicadas, the world's loudest insects, create their cacophony, and why people in ancient Greece and ancient China admired them. Eliza Middleton, Invertebrate and behavioural ecology laboratory manager, University of Sydney Linda Evans, Associate professor, Macquarie University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Cities occupy just 3% of the Earth's surface, yet more than half the world's population live in urban environments. We need nation-wide plans to keep our cities cool so no one gets left behind. Mark Maund, Research Affiliate, School of Architecture and Built Environment, University of Newcastle Kim Maund, Discipline Head – Construction Management, School of Architecture and Built Environment, University of Newcastle Marcus Jefferies, Senior Lecturer School of Architecture and Built Environment, University of Newcastle SueAnne Ware, Professor and Head of School of Architecture and Built Environment, University of Newcastle Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Far-right Trump supporters are afraid American democracy has been overturned by their left-leaning 'opponents', even as they themselves actively undermine liberal democratic values and institutions. Jordan McSwiney, PhD Candidate, University of Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The end of coal-fired generation in Australia is inevitable. But the federal government can do more to ensure an orderly transition to renewables – avoiding price spikes and supporting workers. Daniel D'Hotman, DPhil Candidate, University of Oxford Steven Hamilton, Visiting Fellow, Tax and Transfer Policy Institute, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.