Environment
How is Australia tracking towards net zero?
What happened in Morocco?
The NSW power play: Eraring explained
Is Japan’s nuclear wastewater dump safe?
Poorer, hotter, older: The Government’s crystal ball
Welcome to Earth’s new chapter
Dumping carbon at the bottom of the ocean

2023 global carbon emissions on track to reach their highest ever
Global analysis has found carbon emissions are likely to rise to their highest level ever in 2023, with Australia’s emissions trending up.

Fire ants in northern NSW for the first time
Fire ants have been found in northern NSW for the first time, triggering a national response plan to control and eradicate ants in the area.
Thousands of students skip school for climate strike
Thousands of school students across Australia are taking a sick day from school today to strike for stronger climate action.

Why 2 Degrees of Warming is a Big Deal for Coral

How To Save The World’s Oldest Rainforest

Climate: Australia ranks where!? The governments fighting climate change

Would you have children in a climate crisis?
More people are choosing not to have children in a climate crisis because of “eco-anxiety”, according to a review by PLOS Climate.

Is Australia on track to reach net zero by 2050?
Last year, the Australian Government legislated to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2050.

Plibersek wages war on millions of feral goats
Feral goats in Australia will be targeted under a new framework aimed at protecting the nation’s endangered species.

Nearly 60 homes destroyed in Queensland fires
Queensland bushfires have caused the destruction of nearly 60 homes. Most of these have been in the town of Tara in the Western Downs region.

High Court strikes down EV road charge
EV road charges in Australia were dealt a blow on Wednesday, after the High Court struck down a charge being used in Victoria since 2021.

Federal Court sides with Plibersek on coal mine decision
The Federal Court has dismissed a case against Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek over the climate impact of coal mines.

Emergency bushfire warnings active in eastern Victoria
Hundreds of firefighters are battling multiple bushfires in eastern Victoria.

New push for pets on public transport
What are the rules for pets on public transport? There’s been a new push to expand pet access on buses, ferries, and trains in Sydney.

Is Australia prepared for bushfire season?
Australia’s first-ever ‘bushfire preparedness’ summit is underway in Canberra.

E-scooter parking rangers deployed on Melbourne streets
Parking rangers will now be included in Melbourne e-scooter trial. It’s to reward good riders for considerate and safe parking.

It’s official: the BoM has confirmed El Niño is underway
The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has confirmed an El Niño weather event is officially underway.

California opens lawsuit against oil companies
California has commenced a lawsuit against some of the world’s biggest oil companies, alleging they hindered climate action in the state.

Thousands are believed dead in Libya after a heavy storm burst dams
Thousands are believed dead, and thousands more feared missing, after a heavy storm collapsed dams in Libya.

Sydney has been covered in a blanket of smoke. Why?
Controlled burns are taking place across Sydney to minimise the risk of future bushfires. This is why it’s smoky in Sydney right now.

Indonesia has lifted trade restrictions on Australian livestock
What’s lumpy skin disease? Indonesia has lifted restrictions on Australian livestock after they say the disease was discovered on cattle.

Uncontrolled fires are spreading through the Northern Territory
Uncontrolled fires are spreading through the Northern Territory, posing a potential threat to a nearby town.

Scientists say June to August was the world’s hottest period ever
The report, conducted by the Copernicus Climate Change Service, said the June-August period was the warmest “by a large margin”.

Australia’s biggest coal-fired power station will stay open. Why?
The NSW Government has announced it will work to keep Australia’s largest coal-fired power station open longer.

Japan has begun releasing nuclear waste water into the Pacific
Japan has started pumping treated nuclear waste water into the Pacific Ocean. It’s the result of a nuclear accident in 2011.

Ecuadorians have voted to end oil drilling in a protected area of the Amazon Rainforest
Yasuní National Park is one of the most biodiverse regions in the world. It’s also home to a number of Indigenous communities.

Montana young people win court case over climate harm
A group of young people have won a court case against the U.S. state of Montana, arguing climate inaction violates their rights.

Maui fires “likely the largest natural disaster in Hawai’i state history”, Governor says
What fuelled the Maui fires? The fires have ravaged the Hawaiian Island, resulting in almost 100 deaths and thousands of evacuations.

Victoria will ban gas in new homes from next year
Victoria will ban gas in new homes from next year. It’s part of a plan to limit emissions, and to save on household budgets.

Why is Melbourne having more earthquakes? Here’s what to know.
Three earthquakes have struck Melbourne and regional Victoria in the last two months. Here’s why.

New Zealand will be the first country to ban thin plastic bags used for fruit and vegetables
New Zealand will ban thin plastic bags used for fruit and vegetables, becoming the first country to do so. Here are the details.

The UK has set a new renewable energy record
New data has shown wind was the highest-used energy source in the first three months of 2023 in the UK. Here’s the breakdown

Two coal mines, including the China Stone coal mine, have been cancelled by Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek
Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has cancelled two coal mines after they failed to address environmental concerns.

A major renewable energy project will be delayed by up to two years – why?
Why is Snowy 2.0 being delayed? There are many reasons for the delay, which could impact Australia’s renewable energy transition. Here’s why.

The BOM says Australia is on “El Niño watch”: what does that mean?
The BOM says Australia is under an ‘El Niño watch’. It means there is about a 50% chance an El Niño ‘event’ will occur this

Paris has voted to ban e-scooters from their streets
Almost 90% of people in Paris voted to ban e-scooters in the city. Why was opinion so strong? And when will the ban begin? Here’s

Europe will ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2035
Petrol and diesel cars will be banned in Europe by 2035. This will be to meet its climate targets, but there’s a clause for one

Italy wants to ban lab-grown meat to help its farmers
The Italian Government has approved a proposal to ban synthetic animal products such as lab-grown meat in a bid to support its farmers.

Labor and the Greens have reached a compromise on climate legislation
The Greens have compromised with Labor over the climate change bill, which will now see it be passed into law.

We’re not on track to limit climate change: IPCC report
A major new IPCC climate change report warns the world is not on track to avoid dangerous and irreversible warming. How can we change course?

La Niña is officially over (again)
Australia’s third consecutive La Niña is officially over, according to The Bureau of Meteorology.

“Primed to Burn”: A new report warns Australia is in for a dangerous bushfire season
Australia faces a dangerous bushfire season due to years of rain creating a vegetation “powder keg.” Climate change worsens the risk.

Sea ice levels in Antarctica have reached a record low
Antarctica’s sea ice hits new low, predictions of decline. Climate change and why it matters.

Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has rejected a coal mine proposed by Clive Palmer
Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek rejects Central QLD Coal’s mine near Great Barrier Reef, citing pollution risks. First major coal project refused by Fed Environment Minister

There were record levels of renewable energy in the last 3 months of 2022
Australia’s latest quarterly report by the AEMO shows record-breaking levels of wind and solar generation and all-time lows for coal generation. Batteries played a key

Natural disasters cost the Australian economy $5 billion in 2022
This was largely due to reduced activity in industries such as mining, agriculture, and retail trading.

The world’s oceans were the hottest on record in 2022
The world’s oceans recorded their warmest year ever in 2022, surpassing the previous record set in 2021. More than half of the main ocean regions

Australia’s biggest polluters will be forced to reduce emissions by 5% every year until 2030
Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen has announced a Federal Government plan to lower carbon emissions for Australia’s largest emitters.

A review has recommended changes to the government’s carbon credit system
The review said the ACCU scheme is “essentially sound” and was “fundamentally well-designed when introduced”.

The ozone layer is on track to make a full recovery by 2066
A report commissioned with support from the United Nations has found that weakened areas of the ozone layer could be fully recovered by 2066.

Single-use plates and cutlery will be banned in England
The UK Government has confirmed they will ban some single-use plastics in England, following an inquiry launched in November 2021.

Flood relief has been announced for WA and the NT
The Australian, Western Australian, and Northern Territory governments have announced disaster relief will be made available for those affected by the recent “unprecedented” floods.

Emperor penguins are at “risk of possible extinction” by 2100 due to climate change
About two-thirds of Antarctic species are expected to significantly shrink in size by 2100 due to insufficient conservation efforts addressing climate change.

Solar power in Europe has increased by almost 50% this year
Solar power sources have increased by nearly 50% in capacity in Europe this year, according to a new report. Energy from new solar power sources

A global agreement has been reached to protect 30% of the world’s land and waters by 2030
A United Nations conference has concluded with a global agreement to protect 30% of earth’s land area and 30% of its marine area by 2030.

Here’s what Victorian politicians are promising on climate change
Like many state and territory governments, Victoria has its own targets for emissions reduction and for the use of renewable energy.

Australia’s revenue from coal exports rose by $73 billion in the last financial year
Revenue from Australian coal exports rose by $73 billion in the 2021/22 financial year, according to the Australia Institute, a policy research and advocacy organisation.

Sorry, Victorians: you’re set for a week of “winter-type cold fronts”
The Bureau of Meteorology has warned yesterday was “the last warm day across Victoria for a while” due to “a series of winter-type cold fronts”.

The Government will establish a new Environmental Protection Agency
The Government will establish an Environment Protection Agency (EPA) to enforce Australia’s environment protection laws.

A climate change protester who blocked the Harbour Bridge in April has been sentenced to at least 8 months in prison
A climate change protester who blocked part of the Harbour Bridge in April has been sentenced to a minimum of eight months and a maximum

The Federal Government has delivered the first ever climate change statement
It says Australia is not on track to meet its new emissions reduction targets

A UN report says the Great Barrier Reef should be added to the “in danger” list
The decision follows a visit to the reef by international conservation experts in March.

Australia’s climate is 1.47°C warmer than a century ago
That’s according to a new report from the CSIRO and the BOM.

Parliament is set to approve a tax discount for electric cars
A tax discount on electric vehicles is set to pass into law after the Federal Government reached an agreement with the Senate crossbench.

A compensation fund has been agreed to at the UN climate summit
There are no specifics yet on who will pay or how the fund will work.

“Islands like this one won’t survive… so we’ll recreate them virtually.”: Tuvalu has announced it plans to fully recreate itself online in case it’s submerged by rising sea levels
Tuvalu, a small nation in the Pacific Ocean, has announced it plans to become the “first digital nation”. This comes as it prepares to be

Australia has been ranked one of the lowest countries for its climate change action
Australia has ranked in the bottom 10 of high-emitting jurisdictions in the latest Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI).

A soft plastics recycling program used by supermarkets has been paused indefinitely
REDcycle, an organisation that recycles soft plastics for Coles and Woolworths, has announced it will pause its collection program.

Should the richest nations compensate the developing world for climate change?
That’s up for debate at this month’s climate conference.

For the first time, renewable energy contributed nearly 70% of power to Australia’s main grid
For a brief period on Friday, more than two-thirds of Australia’s main energy grid was generated by renewable sources.

An annual climate change conference for world leaders will begin on Sunday
World leaders will gather in Egypt from Sunday for an annual climate change conference, known this year as COP27.

“A Fraud”: an academic who worked on the Federal Government’s Emissions Reduction Fund says it lacks integrity
An expert who worked on the Federal Government’s Emissions Reduction Fund, which pays people and businesses to pollute less, has said it lacks integrity and

A new report says a third of Australian companies with net zero targets are on track to miss them
A new report has found one in three large Australian companies with targets to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 are on track to fail. Commissioned
Mike Cannon-Brookes has failed in his bid to buy AGL and shut down its coal plants
Australian tech billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes has announced he and his partners will walk away from their plan to acquire AGL, Australia’s largest energy company, and
Australia’s largest coal-fired power plant will shut down seven years early
Origin Energy says it plans to close the Eraring power station in NSW in 2025, seven years earlier than originally planned. Eraring is Australia’s largest
Iceland is set to end whaling by 2024
Iceland is set to end whaling by 2024 amid a drop in demand for whale meat and ongoing controversy. Iceland is one of the few
The Tongan Government has asked for “immediate assistance” after a volcano eruption
The Tongan Government has asked for “immediate assistance” after a massive underwater volcano erupted over the weekend, followed by a tsunami. Most communications to the
PEP 11 will no longer proceed
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced Petroleum Exploration Permit 11, known as PEP 11, will not go ahead. During a press conference in Terrigal on
Hold my bath bomb
Cosmetic brand Lush has announced it will stop using Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Snapchat until the platforms “provide a safer environment for users.” In a
A tenth of the global fish population is on the brink of collapse
The Global Fishing Index, published by the Minderoo Foundation, has found a tenth of the global fish population is on the brink of collapse, after