The Conversation

Researchers have collated measurements made by satellites, field sensors and people, to get a picture of the nature's recovery while we've been in lockdown. Albert Van Dijk, Professor, Water and Landscape Dynamics, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

We should stop developing into high-risk areas, as the associated land clearing is too significant to our ecosystems and may still result in houses being lost. 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 SueAnne Ware, Professor and Head of School of Architecture and Built Environment, University of Newcastle Thayaparan Gajendran, Associate Professor, School of Architecture and Built Environment, University of Newcastle Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The Trump presidency has been a godsend for an Australian government apparently uninterested in significant climate action. But with Trump well behind in the polls, that's set to change. Matt McDonald, Associate Professor of International Relations, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Investment in gas will not herald Australia's economic recovery. It's likely to hinder it. Samantha Hepburn, Director of the Centre for Energy and Natural Resources Law, Deakin Law School, Deakin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Good downpours in eastern Australia this year have been good for crops and some dams. But when it comes to drought, Australia is not out of the woods yet. Lynette Bettio, Senior Climatologist, Australian Bureau of Meteorology Shannon Symons, Hydrologist, Australian Bureau of Meteorology Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The Japanese government will retire its fleet of old, inefficient coal-fired generation by 2030. If Japan's commitment to coal weakens, our exports can expect a big hit. Llewelyn Hughes, Associate Professor of Public Policy, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A clean energy transition is vital in Australia, but big projects like Forest Wind must take local communities with them. Tom Morton, Associate Professor, Journalism, Stream Leader, Climate Justice Research Centre, University of Technology Sydney James Goodman, Professor in Political Sociology, University of Technology Sydney Katja Müller, Postdoctoral Researcher in Anthropology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg Riikka Heikkinen, PhD Candidate, University of Technology Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The "last glacial period" saw huge, rapid climate changes. Our new research found they happened all around the world, and each time within just a few decades. Ellen Corrick, PhD Candidate, University of Melbourne John Hellstrom, U-Series Geochemistry Specialist, University of Melbourne Russell Drysdale, Associate Professor , University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The National Farmers' Federation has called on the Morrison government to commit to net-zero greenhouse gas emission by 2050. Richard Eckard, Professor & Director, Primary Industries Climate Challenges Centre, University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Reducing our intake of discretionary foods such as cakes, biscuits, pizza and hot chips is the best way we can make our diets more sustainable. Brad Ridoutt, Principal Research Scientist, CSIRO Agriculture, CSIRO Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

For non-Indigenous Australians, the last summer of bushfires seemed to mark the end times. Indigenous Australians have a long perspective on history, which offers hope. Ann McGrath, Professor, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A new global standard on tailings dams aim to prevent mining disasters like the Brazil dam collapse in 2019 – but there's more to do. Deanna Kemp, Professor and Director, Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining, The University of Queensland John Owen, Professorial Research Fellow, The University of Queensland Nick Bainton, Associate Professor, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Since 1989, the balloon industry has relied on a problematic study that claimed balloons degraded “at about the same rate as oak tree leaves” after six weeks. We put it to the test. Morgan Gilmour, Adjunct Researcher in Marine Science, University of Tasmania Jennifer Lavers, Lecturer in Marine Science, University of Tasmania Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A federal government plan to increase soil carbon stores is a folly that misunderstands the technology. Robert Edwin White, Professor Emeritus, University of Melbourne Brian Davidson, Senior Lecturer, Department of Agriculture and Food Systems, University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

They're a familiar sight on forest walks and long drives, but tree ferns are more fascinating than you may have realised. Gregory Moore, Doctor of Botany, University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The president of Kiribati plans to raise its low-lying islands to fight, not flee, sea level rise. Here's why it's an expression of human dignity. Patrick D. Nunn, Professor of Geography, School of Social Sciences, University of the Sunshine Coast Roselyn Kumar, Adjunct Research Fellow in Geography and Social Sciences, University of the Sunshine Coast Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Twenty of these freshwater fish species have a 50% or greater probability of extinction within the next 20 years. Mark Lintermans, Associate professor, University of Canberra Hayley Geyle, Research Assistant, Charles Darwin University Jaana Dielenberg, Science Communication Manager, The University of Queensland John Woinarski, Professor (conservation biology), Charles Darwin University Stephen Beatty, Research Leader (Catchments to Coast), Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University Stephen Garnett, Professor of Conservation and Sustainable Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Despite this year's coronavirus lockdowns, more CO2 has accumulated in the atmosphere than during the same period in 2017 or 2018. Zoe Loh, Senior Research Scientist, CSIRO Helen Cleugh, Senior research scientist, CSIRO Climate Science Centre, CSIRO Paul Krummel, Research Group Leader, CSIRO Ray Langenfelds, Scientist at CSIRO Atmospheric Research, CSIRO Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The deteriorating Western Grassland Reserve in Victoria represents a failure of imagination. When the grasslands are steeped with history and culture, imagine its potential. Adrian Marshall, Academic, Landscape Architecture and Urban Ecology, University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

With tarantula-like orchids and giant bananas, New Guinea is officially the most floristically diverse island in the world. Bruce Webber, Principal Research Scientist, CSIRO Barry J Conn, Researcher, University of Sydney Rodrigo Cámara-Leret, Researcher, University of Zürich Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.