Home battery installations shattered records in April. Householders were racing to secure the biggest possible discount for the biggest possible energy storage system before changes were introduced to the federal rebate that are designed to encourage much smaller systems. (more…)
Category: Climate
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The coming famine
The short-term world food crisis caused by the conflict in West Asia is superimposed on a far graver, deeper and longer-running risk of a collapse in global food production caused by the remorseless combination of climate change and losses of soil, water and biodiversity. (more…)
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Children’s eco-anxiety can be a foundation for action
Children are watching, thinking and feeling worried, but also hopeful, about the future of the environment. Those feelings deserve to be taken seriously. (more…)
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Environment: Air pollution still kills almost eight million each year
Outdoor and indoor air pollution cause one in eight deaths, mainly in low income countries, climate change is bringing heatwaves and droughts together in hot-dry extremes, and the market has no incentive to save humanity.
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The ‘little’ things that matter – Message from the Editor
There were lots of ‘big’ stories this week, in the wider world and in P&I. The assassination attempt at the White House dinner, the anniversary of the Port Arthur massacre in Tasmania, rising debate over our place in the world in our Foreign Policy Rethink series, and constant violations of the Israel/Lebanon ceasefire. The list goes on. (more…)
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The real war is misinformation – and it’s blocking climate action
A global disinformation campaign is undermining climate action, weakening democracy and posing a direct threat to human survival, according to new security analysis. (more…)
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Fossil fuel myths are slowing the energy transition
Misleading claims about renewables, backed by the influence of the fossil fuel industry, are slowing Australia’s transition to a cleaner and more secure energy system. (more…)
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Any sane foreign policy would put climate risks, not China, at centre stage
Australia’s defence and foreign policy settings are focused on geopolitical rivalry, while far greater systemic risks – especially climate disruption – receive little strategic attention.
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We may be making Australia’s fire problem worse – not better
Research shows that logging, thinning and prescribed burning can increase forest flammability, challenging long-held assumptions about bushfire risk reduction. (more…)
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Climate policy must work for everyday Australians
In a new book out today, Thom Woodroofe argues that climate and energy policy must connect with everyday economic pressures if it is to build lasting public support.
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Environment: Australia’s expanding urban fringes at high risk of catastrophic bushfires
Urban fire risk, failing carbon markets, rising energy demand and accelerating polar change highlight the growing scale and complexity of environmental pressures.
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Turning waste into wealth
A vast “circularity gap” is driving resource depletion and risk, but closing it could unlock trillions in value and reduce pressure on the planet.
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A prime-time hit job on renewables falls apart under basic facts
Spotlight’s TV report on renewables and EVs collapses under basic fact-checking, highlighting how misinformation is shaping Australia’s energy debate. (more…)
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Study warns of terrifying Atlantic Ocean current collapse
New research shows a critical Atlantic Ocean current system is weakening faster than expected, raising the risk of irreversible climate disruption. (more…)
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Environment: Class and race fuel climate collapse in Northern Territory
From devastating floods in the Northern Territory to the global failure to curb fossil fuels and the human cost of shipbreaking, environmental damage is accelerating – and hitting the most vulnerable hardest. (more…)
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The war on renewables is really about protecting fossil fuel profits
As global fossil fuel prices surge amid conflict, attacks on Australia’s energy transition are intensifying – driven by industry interests that stand to lose from cheaper, more reliable renewables.
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We’re soaking in it
Human waste is overwhelming rivers, oceans and ecosystems worldwide, driving pollution, disease and ecological breakdown on a planetary scale. (more…)
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Logging and thinning are putting Alpine Ash forests at risk
Australia’s Alpine Ash forests are endangered and highly vulnerable to fire. Logging, thinning and burning are increasing that risk – not reducing it. (more…)
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Climate change, the community and the Coalition: going slower
The Coalition’s abandonment of net zero by 2050 marks a retreat from climate action, putting it at odds with public opinion and weakening Australia’s long-term response. (more…)
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Why “drill baby drill” won’t solve Australia’s energy problem
Calls to expand fossil fuel production ignore Australia’s real energy vulnerabilities, while electrification and renewables offer a clearer path to lower costs and greater security.
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Overpopulation is pushing Earth past breaking point
Scientific evidence shows humanity has exceeded Earth’s long-term carrying capacity, placing growing strain on the systems that sustain life and increasing the risk of global instability. (more…)
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Robodebt for the environment? AI will not fix Australia’s broken environmental laws
Using artificial intelligence to speed up environmental approvals risks entrenching flawed laws, poor data and declining biodiversity outcomes.
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Environment: Nature is in decline – and we are funding the damage
Glaciers are disappearing, biodiversity loss is accelerating, and governments continue to spend far more destroying nature than protecting it. (more…)
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Has climate policy-making gone completely off the rails?
Planning to “adapt” to 3°C of warming risks normalising catastrophic outcomes – and avoiding the urgent task of deep, immediate decarbonisation.
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A ‘small’ nuclear war would still be global catastrophe
There is no such thing as a “small” nuclear war. Even limited use would trigger mass death, famine and global collapse. (more…)
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Fuel crisis exposes decades of policy failure
Australia’s fuel crisis may have been triggered by global conflict – but it reflects decades of political failure to reduce oil dependence and plan for transition.
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Climate misinformation inquiry stops short on reform
Australia’s first inquiry into climate misinformation finds a systemic problem distorting public debate – but its strongest solutions sit outside the main report.
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Share prices, sports results … CO₂ levels? The case for reporting climate stats every day
Regular reporting of atmospheric carbon levels could make climate change more visible, understandable and actionable in everyday public life.
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The solar revolution is here – but it’s not moving fast enough
Solar and battery technology are rapidly reshaping energy systems, but policy, infrastructure and community incentives will determine how far and how fast the transition goes. (more…)
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Environment: Industry’s carbon capture fantasy is climate action’s nightmare
Carbon capture and storage continues to fail for the climate but keeps fossil fuels and profits flowing. Renewables are taking over the US power system despite Trump.