The Conversation

New Zealand cities grow mostly through building houses on undeveloped land. But this removes fertile soil and undermines the food production and other ecological functions city dwellers depend on. Shannon Davis, Lecturer in Landscape Planning, Lincoln University, New Zealand Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

United Nations efforts to advance a global treaty on plastic pollution echo past multilateral agreements that tackled ozone layer depletion and acid rain. Deborah Lau, Ending Plastic Waste Mission Director, CSIRO Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Muttonbird ‘wrecks’ are becoming more common. Despite speculation about many possible causes, the evidence points to changes in the Arctic ocean ecosystem from where the birds migrate to Australia. Lauren Roman, ARC DECRA Fellow, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

For Australia to shift to a net zero economy, its big polluters need to cut emissions. A get-out clause buried in the policy makes it unlikely that they will, and the result will be devastating. Andrew Macintosh, Professor and Director of Research, ANU Law School, Australian National University Don Butler, Professor, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

For a decade, debate has raged over Dark Emu’s account of Aboriginal agriculture. But ancient food production in Australia is more complex than labels like farming or hunter-gathering suggest. Michael Westaway, Australian Research Council Future Fellow, Archaeology, School of Social Science, The University of Queensland Alison Crowther, Senior Lecture in Archaeology, The University of Queensland Nathan Wright, Lecturer in archaeology, University of New England Robert Henry, Director, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland Rodney Carter, Traditional Owner, Indigenous Knowledge Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Apartment residents need more sustainable, climate-adapted designs. They shouldn’t have to depend on costly, high-emissions air conditioning to remain comfortable and healthy. Nicole Cook, Lecturer, School of Geography and Sustainable Communities, University of Wollongong Sophie-May Kerr, Research Associate, City Futures Research Centre, UNSW Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

In this podcast, former Labor climate change minister Greg Combet joins The Conversation to discuss net-zero, and Australia's future as a "renewable energy superpower". Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

In 1997, John Howard chose expansion of Australian fossil fuels over Pacific concerns about climate change. Will Albanese finally mend the rift? Wesley Morgan, Research Fellow, Griffith Asia Institute, Griffith University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Back when there were Arctic alligators and turtles, ‘polar stratospheric clouds’ kept their world warm. Research suggests these clouds contribute to the ‘missing warming’ in climate models. Katrin Meissner, Professor and Director of the Climate Change Research Centre, UNSW, UNSW Sydney Deepashree Dutta, Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Cambridge Martin Jucker, Lecturer in Atmospheric Dynamics, UNSW Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

If big money is going to invest in clean energy and technology, the rules have to be clear. Australia’s launch of a green finance strategy last week was a good start but there is further to go. Alison Atherton, Program Lead, Business, Economy and Governance at the Institute for Sustainable Futures., University of Technology Sydney Gordon Noble, Research Director, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Growing awareness of sexual harassment and discrimination in the field prompted an international survey and research into potential solutions. Sarah Hamylton, Associate professor, University of Wollongong Ana Vila Concejo, Associate professor, University of Sydney Hannah Power, Associate Professor in Coastal and Marine Science, University of Newcastle Shari L Gallop, Service Leader - Coastal, University of Waikato Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

One barrier to climate action has been our own psychology and reluctance to take action. But as the crisis intensifies, some of these barriers have evaporated. Jeff Rotman, Senior Lecturer in Marketing and Consumer Psychology & Co-Director of the Better Consumption Lab, Deakin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Controlling invasive sea urchins is expensive. Why not make it profitable by fishing for them and selling their roe as a delicacy? John Keane, Research Fellow (Dive Fisheries), University of Tasmania Scott Ling, Associate professor, University of Tasmania Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The river wasn’t merely a physical entity – it was a symbol of spiritual and cultural significance, serving as the the life force which flows through Country. David Waldron, Senior Lecturer in History, Federation University Australia Kelly Ann Blake, Gherrang/Biodiversity Project Officer, Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation, Indigenous Knowledge Shannen Mennen, Project Officer Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation, Indigenous Knowledge Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

When Australia’s government and opposition argue over how to get to net zero emissions, nuclear power is the flashpoint. The argument against nuclear is stronger, but not for the obvious reason. Reuben Finighan, PhD candidate at the LSE and Research Fellow at the Superpower Institute, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Any plan to dam or extract water from some of Australia’s last wild rivers must carefully consider the consequences. Prawn, mud crab and barramundi fisheries could suffer in the Gulf of Carpentaria. Éva Plagányi, Senior Principal Research Scientist, CSIRO Laura Blamey, Senior Research Scientist, CSIRO Michele Burford, Professor - Australian Rivers Institute, and Dean - Research Infrastructure, Griffith University Robert Kenyon, Marine Ecologist, CSIRO Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Giant eddy currents in the sea spread heat. But if trapped in place, they can cause marine heatwaves deadly to sea life. And there’s a big one shaping up off Sydney right now. Moninya Roughan, Professor in Oceanography, UNSW Sydney Amandine Schaeffer, Senior lecturer, UNSW Sydney Junde Li, Postdoctoral research associate Shane Keating, Associate Professor, UNSW Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Normally, many bushfires ease overnight, as temperatures fall and moisture in the air rises. But these are not normal times, as Queensland’s early-season fires are showing Calum Cunningham, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Tasmania David Bowman, Professor of Pyrogeography and Fire Science, University of Tasmania Grant Williamson, Research Fellow in Environmental Science, University of Tasmania Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Storms are the greatest threat to beach erosion, not sea level rise, research reveals. This is the longest continuous beach monitoring survey in the Southern Hemisphere. Thomas Oliver, Senior lecturer, UNSW Canberra, Australian Defence Force Academy Bruce Thom, Emeritus Professor, University of Sydney Roger McLean, Emeritus Professor, UNSW Canberra, Australian Defence Force Academy Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

In May, the Northern Territory government greenlit the mammoth Beetaloo Basin fracking project. But they did so based on a report with optimistic projections on offsets and emissions. Bill Hare, Adjunct Professor, Murdoch University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.