The Conversation

COP27 wraps up with Solutions Day, focusing on sustainable cities and transport, green buildings and resilient infrastructure. Climate-related disasters show the urgency of urban planning responses. Barbara Norman, Emeritus Professor of Urban & Regional Planning, University of Canberra Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A new report finds tap water in more than 500 remote Indigenous communities isn’t regularly tested. But here’s why this isn’t news to us. Bradley J. Moggridge, Associate Professor in Indigenous Water Science, University of Canberra Cara D. Beal, Associate Professor/ Principal Research Fellow, Griffith University Nina Lansbury, Senior Lecturer, School of Public Health, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The findings have big implications for how Australians prepare for extreme weather events. Wenju Cai, Chief Research Scientist, Oceans and Atmosphere, CSIRO, CSIRO Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

For many environmentalists, overpopulation is a real concern. But the planet will benefit more from tackling overconsumption by rich countries. Matthew Selinske, Postdoctoral research associate conservation science, RMIT University Leejiah Dorward, Postdoctoral research associate, Bangor University Paul Barnes, Visiting researcher, UCL Stephanie Brittain, Conservation scientist, University of Oxford Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

With Australia experiencing its third year of a La Niña weather cycle, First Nations communities continue to be disproportionately impacted by floods. Culturally safe solutions are needed. Toni Hay, Expert in Indigenous climate adaptation, Indigenous Knowledge Courtney-Jay Williams, Principal Advisor at Indigenous Climate Change, Indigenous Knowledge Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Establishing the age of K'gari (Fraser Island) confirms it emerged before the reef, despite the climate being suitable for coral growth long before then. James Shulmeister, Adjunct Professor, University of Queensland, and Professor and Head of School of Earth and Environment, University of Canterbury Daniel Ellerton, Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Geological Sciences, Stockholm University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Brush turkeys, bats, and cockroaches are crucial for the environment – including our gardens. Each have fascinating ways of coping in wet weather. Elise Oakman, PhD Candidate, University of Sydney Caitlyn Forster, PhD Candidate, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney Matthew Hall, Casual Academic, University of Sydney Mei-Ting Kao, PhD student, University of Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Long before Green Square was a huge urban renewal project it was Country known to Traditional Owners for its wetlands. Until now, those water stories have remained largely invisible. Ilaria Vanni, Associate Professor, International Studies and Global Societies, University of Technology Sydney Alexandra Crosby, Associate Professor, School of Design, University of Technology Sydney Shannon Foster, D'harawal Knowledge Keeper, PhD Candidate and Lecturer, School of Architecture, University of Technology Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres says rules around corporate emissions reporting are “wide enough to drive a diesel truck through”. Keegan Robertson, PhD Candidate and Research Assistant, Curtin University Hugh Finn, Lecturer, Curtin University Ifan Odwyn Jones, Emeritus Professor, Curtin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

At current levels of emissions, there is a 50% chance the planet will reach the 1.5℃ global average temperature rise in just nine years. Pep Canadell, Chief Research Scientist, Climate Science Centre, CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere; Executive Director, Global Carbon Project, CSIRO Corinne Le Quéré, Royal Society Research Professor of Climate Change Science, University of East Anglia Glen Peters, Research Director, Center for International Climate and Environment Research - Oslo Judith Hauck, Helmholtz Young Investigator group leader and deputy head of the Marine Biogeosciences section at the Alfred Wegener Institute, Universität Bremen Julia Pongratz, Professor of Physical Geography and Land Use Systems, Department of Geography, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich Philippe Ciais, Directeur de recherche au Laboratoire des science du climat et de l’environnement, Institut Pierre-Simon Laplace, Commissariat à l’énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA) Pierre Friedlingstein, Chair, Mathematical Modelling of Climate, University of Exeter Robbie Andrew, Senior Researcher, Center for International Climate and Environment Research - Oslo Rob Jackson, Professor, Department of Earth System Science, and Chair of the Global Carbon Project, Stanford University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A new website, based on workshops with young Australians, outlines practical ways to deal with climate distress. Phoebe Quinn, Research Fellow, The University of Melbourne Katitza Marinkovic Chavez, Research fellow, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

To get to 82% renewables by decade’s end means storage - and that’s where we hope our new atlas of sites for pumped hydro storage can help Andrew Blakers, Professor of Engineering, Australian National University Anna Nadolny, Research Officer, Australian National University Ryan Stocks, Research Officer, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The growing threat of flash flooding as a result of more intense rapid rain bursts means the city needs to update its flood defences. Hooman Ayat, Research Fellow, Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, The University of Melbourne Jason Evans, Professor, Climate Change Research Centre, UNSW Sydney Steven Sherwood, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, Climate Change Research Centre, UNSW Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Wealthy nations have been reluctant to put loss and damage on the COP27 agenda. If negotiations fail, they could ‘unravel the fragile hopes for climate solidarity’ Jacqueline Peel, Director, Melbourne Climate Futures, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Australia is an exception among developed nations in having increased energy use per person since 2005. A new consultation paper offers hope of policies that can lift the nation’s energy performance. Hugh Saddler, Honorary Associate Professor, Centre for Climate Economics and Policy, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

This year’s climate talks have been overshadowed by rising international tensions, energy crises and war. But that doesn’t mean climate action is dead. Hao Tan, Associate Professor, Newcastle Business School, University of Newcastle Alexander M. Hynd, PhD candidate, UNSW Sydney Elizabeth Thurbon, Scientia Associate Professor in International Relations / International Political Economy, UNSW Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Constructing and running buildings accounts for roughly a third of global energy use and emissions. So it’s alarming that a report to COP27 shows the sector is veering off course for net zero by 2050. Anna Hurlimann, Associate Professor in Urban Planning, The University of Melbourne Georgia Warren-Myers, Associate Professor in Property, The University of Melbourne Judy Bush, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Hosting the world’s climate negotiations could be a very big deal. But the government will need to show Australia has changed by bringing more to the table, and taking coal and gas off the menu. Wesley Morgan, Research Fellow, Griffith Asia Institute, Griffith University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Floods upend the plans of humans and wildlife – but after the water calms, it’s boom time for nature. Paul Humphries, Associate professor in ecology, Charles Sturt University Keller Kopf, Lecturer, Charles Darwin University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Melanesia’s tropical islands are home to at least 700 species of frogs – many with tiny ranges. We must safeguard these biological treasures. Paul Oliver, Postdoctoral Researcher in Biodiversity and Evolution, Griffith University Deborah Bower, Lecturer in Ecosystem Rehabilitation, University of New England Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.