The Conversation

Australia needs a set of clear numeric targets entrenched in our highest laws, namely our constitutions. Constitutions spell out our most sacrosanct commitments. They are hard to budge once enacted. Ron Levy, Associate professor, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Seas are rising in the Torres Strait, swamping crops and graveyards. Friday’s decision by a landmark UN committee is a breakthrough for Indigenous rights and climate justice. Kristen Lyons, Professor, Environment and Development Sociology, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

You’re meant to carry out your poo, if you visit Australia’s alpine backcountry. But not many people do – and it’s leaving plenty of evidence. Pascal Scherrer, Senior Lecturer, School of Business and Tourism, Southern Cross University Isabelle Wolf, Vice Chancellor Senior Research Fellow, University of Wollongong Jen Smart, PhD student, University of Wollongong Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Our study found it wasn’t cafes with access to sugar-rich food that led to more miner aggression. In fact, gardens were where we recorded the highest amount of aggressive behaviour. Jade Fountain, PhD Student, University of Adelaide Paul McDonald, Professor of Animal Behaviour, University of New England Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

A technique called ‘energy arbitrage’ allows owners of local ‘microgrids’ to make a profit by designing the network to buy cheap power, store it and sell it back at a higher price. Soheil Mohseni, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Sustainable Energy Systems, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Alan Brent, Professor and Chair in Sustainable Energy Systems, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Termites are about to experience a significant global expansion in their prime habitat, thanks to climate change. Here’s what that means for deadwood. Alexander Cheesman, Senior Research Fellow, James Cook University Amy Zanne, Professor in Biology and Aresty Chair in Tropical Ecology, University of Miami Lucas Cernusak, Associate Professor, Plant Physiology, James Cook University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

To maintain our role as a global food bowl, Australia has to keep innovating in agricultural technology. Sam Rudd, SIEF Ross Metcalf STEM+Business Fellow - Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia Drew Evans, Associate Professor of Energy & Advanced Manufacturing, Australian Research Council Future Fellow, University of South Australia Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The number of live animals seized by the Australian Government has tripled since 2017, with blue-tongue lizards and sulphur-crested cockatoos frequently captured. Vanessa Pirotta, Postdoctoral Researcher and Wildlife Scientist, Macquarie University Justine O'Brien, Manager of Conservation Science, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, University of Sydney, UNSW Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

By 2025, factories are on track to churn out enough silicon to produce the equivalent of all installed solar – every year. Andrew Blakers, Professor of Engineering, Australian National University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

80% of carbon on land in stored in soil. Our new research investigated how erosion transports this carbon to the bottom of lakes, where it’ll never be released into the atmosphere. Alexander Francke, Research Fellow, University of Adelaide Anthony Dosseto, Professor, University of Wollongong Haidee Cadd, Research associate, University of Wollongong Tim Cohen, Associate Professor and ARC Future Fellow, University of Wollongong Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Growing fresh produce on the outskirts of a city reduces food miles and increases food security. But the foodbowls next to our our big cities are fast losing their land to urban growth. Nicky Morrison, Professor of Planning and Director of Urban Transformations Research Centre, Western Sydney University Awais Piracha, Associate Professor of Urban Planning, Director Academic Programs, Geography Tourism and Urban Planning, Western Sydney University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

It’s great news Origin is walking away from fracking and gas. But other companies are still keen to frack the Beetaloo despite climate and environment concerns. Lily O'Neill, Senior Research Fellow, The University of Melbourne Ben Neville, A/Prof and Deputy Director of Melbourne Climate Futures, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

In a warming world, a species’ ability to acclimatise to temperatures is crucial. But young ectotherms can struggle to handle the heat. Patrice Pottier, PhD Candidate in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, UNSW Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Invertebrates are “the little things that run the world”. So researchers decided to count all the ants on Earth, to help monitor how they’re coping with environmental challenges. Mark Wong, Forrest Fellow, The University of Western Australia Benoit Guénard, Associate professor, University of Hong Kong François Brassard, PhD candidate, Charles Darwin University Patrick Schultheiss, Temporary Principal Investigator, Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg Runxi Wang, PhD candidate, University of Hong Kong Sabine Nooten, Temporary Principal Investigator, Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Urban plantings are part of the solution to living in warmer cities, but most tree and shrub species in the world’s cities will struggle too. The impacts on liveability could be huge. Manuel Esperon-Rodriguez, Lecturer and Research Fellow, Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University Jaana Dielenberg, University Fellow, Charles Darwin University Jonathan Lenoir, Senior Researcher in Ecology & Biostatistics (CNRS), Université de Picardie Jules Verne (UPJV) Mark G Tjoelker, Professor and Associate Director, Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University Rachael Gallagher, Associate Professor, Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Spontaneous and often temporary initiatives drove most of the early earthquake recovery in Christchurch, offering examples for many other cities facing hazards and climate risks. Kelly Dombroski, Associate Professor in Geography, Massey University Amanda Yates, Associate Professor in Regenerative System Change, Auckland University of Technology Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Floodwater carries dense clouds of sediment, choking the lush seagrass meadows on which these gentle grazers rely. Kathy Ann Townsend, Senior Lecturer in Animal Ecology, University of the Sunshine Coast Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Cyclones, floods and other climate-linked events are threatening Indigenous heritage tens of thousands of years old. Unless we act, they’ll be gone for good. Anna M. Kotarba-Morley, Senior Lecturer in Archaeology, Flinders University Enid Tom, Kaurareg Elder and director of Kaurareg Native Title Aboriginal Corporation, Indigenous Knowledge Marcus Lacey, Senior Gumurr Marthakal Indigenous ranger, Indigenous Knowledge Shawnee Gorringe, Manager at Mithaka Aboriginal Corporation, Indigenous Knowledge Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

UK supermarket chains have dropped the use of “best before” date labels to reduce the amount of food being thrown out when it’s still perfectly edible. It’s just as big a problem in Australia. Louise Grimmer, Senior Lecturer in Retail Marketing, University of Tasmania Nathan Kilah, Senior Lecturer in Chemistry, University of Tasmania Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

SUVs made up half of all new car sales last year. They’re a drag on Australia successfully reducing its total greenhouse gas emissions. Robin Smit, Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Technology Sydney Nic Surawski, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.