The Hopeful Return of Polar Whales
The bleak history of whaling pushed many species to the brink of extinction, even in the remote waters of the north and south poles. Over 1.3 million whales were killed in just 70 years around Antarctica alone.
Greenwashing: Can You Trust That Label?
Producers and retailers of everything from toilet paper to homes want you to believe that their product is “green”. More are “greenwashing” their products. Greenwashing is the misleading claims of environmental benefits...
Creative Destruction: The Covid-19 Economic Crisis Is Accelerating the Demise of Fossil Fuels
Creative destruction “is the essential fact about capitalism”, wrote the great Austrian economist Joseph Schumpeter in 1942.
Global Emissions Are Down By An Unprecedented 7% — But Don’t Start Celebrating Just Yet
Global emissions are expected to decline by about 7% in 2020 (or 2.4 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide) compared to 2019 — an unprecedented drop due to the slowdown in economic activity associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Climate Sceptic or Climate Denier? It's Not That Simple and Here's Why
Climate change is now climate crisis and a climate sceptic now a climate denier, according to the recently updated style guide of The Guardian news organisation.
Preserving Cultural and Historic Treasures In A Changing Climate May Mean Transforming Them
With global travel curtailed during the COVID-19 pandemic, many people are finding comfort in planning future trips.
4 Energy-Saving Lessons From The First Lockdown Which May Help You Save Through The Winter
The gold standard of research in science is the randomised controlled trial. The COVID-19 restrictions may at times seem random and most certainly feel like a trial. But are they controlled enough to learn from?
How Australia's Biggest Renewables Project Will Change The Energy Game
Australia doesn’t yet export renewable energy. But the writing is on the wall: demand for Australia’s fossil fuel exports is likely to dwindle soon, and we must replace it at massive scale.
Restoring California's Forests To Reduce Wildfire Risks Will Take Time, Billions of Dollars and Broad Commitment
As California contends with its worst wildfire season in history, it’s more evident than ever that land management practices in the state’s forested mountains need major changes.
How The Climate Impact of Beef Compares with Plant-Based Alternatives
I am wondering about the climate impact of vegan meat versus beef. How does a highly processed patty compare to butchered beef? How does agriculture of soy (if this is the ingredient) compare to grazing of beef?
To Build A Better World After COVID-19 Launch A Fossil-Free Future
Demand for fossil fuels collapsed during the COVID-19 pandemic as lockdown measures were introduced. In the second quarter of 2020,
How To Protect People In The Great Lakes Region From Climate Extremes
Summer temperatures in Chicago normally peak in the low 80s, but in mid-July 1995 they topped 100 F with excessive humidity for three days straight.
Could COVID-19 Lead To A Better Future?
It’s an uncomfortable but inescapable historic fact that great pandemics often bring about social reform.
World's Response To Coronavirus Has Slashed CO2 Emissions – Here's How To Keep Them Down
How do you respond to a crisis? It’s obvious that the response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been dramatically different to anything provoked by repeated scientific warnings about climate change.
How Social Tipping Points Could Limit Global Warming
Achieving the Paris Climate Agreement goal of keeping global warming to 1.5°C requires a worldwide transformation to carbon-neutral societies within the next 30 years.
'Sea-level Rise Won't Affect My House' – Even Flood Maps Don't Sway Florida Coastal Residents
To get people to stop and pay attention, successful advertising delivers information simply and with an emotional hook so that consumers notice and, hopefully, make a purchase.
Can An Underwater Soundtrack Really Bring Coral Reefs Back To Life?
Noisy reefs are a very good thing. So good, in fact, that we might be able to use the sound of healthy coral reefs to improve the quickly increasing number of degraded ones.
Animal Response To A Wildfire is Astounding. These Are The Tricks They Use To Survive
Have you ever wondered how our native wildlife manage to stay alive when an inferno is ripping through their homes, and afterwards when there is little to eat and nowhere to hide?
6 Positive Climate Change News Stories From 2019
Climate researchers have not given up hope and authors were asked to highlight some more positive stories from 2019.
How Comedy Can Help Us Tackle The Climate Crisis
Society’s defining issues are rarely presented as raw facts and stats, and climate change is no exception.
The Climate Crisis: 6 Steps To Making Fossil Fuels History
In shouting “system change not climate change”, young people understand that the 3-4℃ warmer world we’re headed for would be far more painful, costly and disruptive than any short-term costs or inconvenience we face from taking rapid, bold action.
Why A Measured Transition To Electric Vehicles Would Benefit The US
Climate plans are the order of the day in the presidential primary campaign because carbon pollution is a global threat of unique proportions.
3 Ways Cities Can Prepare For Climate Emergencies
Cities are on the front line of climate change. While their footprints cover a mere two per cent of the Earth’s surface, they consume 78 per cent of global energy and account for over 60 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions.
How Green Roofs Can Protect City Streets From Flooding
Spring and summer 2017 were among the wettest on record in eastern North America.
The Lessons We Need To Learn To Deal With The Creeping Disaster Of Drought
Droughts are a natural feature of the Australian environment. But the Millennium drought (or “Big Dry”), which ran from 1997 to 2010, was a wake-up call even by our parched standards.
As Communities Rebuild After Hurricanes, Wetlands Can Significantly Reduce Property Damage
The devastating impacts of Harvey, Irma, Jose and Maria across the United States and the Caribbean provide tragic reminders of the catastrophic risks we face on our coasts.
A Little Humour May Help With Climate Change Gloom
This year, three studies showed that humour is useful for engaging the public about climate change.
Making Life-or-death Decisions Is Very Hard – Here's How We've Taught People To Do It Better
When faced with a rapidly advancing fire threatening a community, it can be hard to know how best to save lives.
Climate Change Means We Can't Keep Living and Working In Glass Houses
How do we go about designing buildings today for tomorrow’s weather? As the world warms and extreme weather becomes more common, sustainable architecture is likely to mean one major casualty: glass.
Why No Country Is Sufficiently Prepared The Climate Crisis
There’s little that the left and the right agree on these days. But surely one thing is beyond question: that national governments must protect citizens from the gravest threats and risks they face.
It Takes A Lot Of Water To Feed Us, But Recycled Water Could Help
Australians eat a lot of water – the water that is used to produce our food. New findings from our Foodprint Melbourne study estimate that more than 475 litres of water is used to grow each person’s food every day.
How Architects and Engineers Need To Design Buildings Differently As The Climate Changes
In the past seven years, four major disasters have caused serious disruptions in the Northeast and Midwest United States.
5 Tips For Surviving In An Increasingly Uncertain World
A recent study showed that North Americans are becoming less tolerant of uncertainty.
Pope Affirms Catholic Church's Duty To Indigenous Amazonians Hurt By The Climate Crisis
The Catholic Church “hears the cry” of the Amazon and its peoples. That’s the message Pope Francis hopes to send at the Synod of the Amazon, a three-week meeting at the Vatican that ends Oct. 27, 2019..
Extinction Rebellion's Car-free Streets Showcase The Possibility Of A Beautiful, Safe And Green Future
Standing in the middle of a usually busy central London street during Extinction Rebellion’s protests, the air noticeably cleaner, the area quieter, I was struck by the enormity of the challenge ahead of us.
Why We Need To Treat Wildfire As A Public Health Issue In California
Deadly fires across California over the past several years have shown how wildfire has become a serious public health and safety issue.
How Your Garden Could Help Stop Your City Flooding
Urban flooding represents the most common yet severe environmental threat to cities and towns worldwide. Future changes in rainfall extremes are likely to increase this threat, even in areas that could become drier.
The Future of Water

The world’s supply of cheap and clean fresh water will likely plummet as the climate warms and populations boom. Can we find ways to conserve, cut waste, and find new sources before it’s too late?
The Solution To Hidden Hunger In Many Developing Countries Lies Just Offshore
Globally, about two billion people suffer from “hidden hunger” – a chronic deficiency of vitamins and minerals.
Leave 'em Laughing Instead Of Crying: Climate Humor Can Break Down Barriers And Find Common Ground
Climate change is not inherently funny. Typically, the messengers are serious scientists describing how rising greenhouse gas emissions are harming the planet on land and at sea, or assessing what role it played in the latest wildfire or hurricane.
How Fires Weaken Amazon Rainforests' Ability To Bounce Back
The flames consuming the Amazon rainforest this year have alarmed the world, renewing concerns about one of the planet’s most biodiverse regions and the release of large amounts of carbon into the atmosphere
Hope And Mourning In The Anthropocene: Understanding Ecological Grief
We are living in a time of extraordinary ecological loss. Not only are human actions destabilising the very conditions that sustain life, but it is also increasingly clear that we are pushing the Earth into an entirely new geological era, often described as the Anthropocene.
Good Communication Is A Key Part Of Disaster Response
Behind the scenes during hurricanes and other disasters, scores of public information officers in state and local government agencies are fixed to their screens – often in 24-hour shifts
The Amazon's Tallest Tree Just Got 50% Taller – and Scientists Don't Know How
Sometimes even the largest natural wonders can remain hidden from human view for centuries.
To Save Honey Bees We Need To Design Them New Hives
Honey bees are under extreme pressure. The number of honey bee colonies in the US has been declining at an average rate of almost 40% since 2010.
Grooming Beaches For "Natural Beauty" Messes Up Beach Biodiversity
Attempts to maintain the “natural beauty” of Southern California beaches are actually having a massive negative impact on the beach ecosystem overall, a new study warns.
Bamboo Architecture: Bali's Green School Inspires A Global Renaissance
Bali’s Green School recently celebrated its first decade of educating toddlers through teenagers (and their digital nomad parents) about eco-ethical design and cooperative living.
We Have The Blueprint For Liveable, Low-carbon Cities. We Just Need To Use It
Over the past seven years more than 100 research projects at the Co-operative Research Centre for Low Carbon Living, in collaboration with industry across Australia, have pondered a very big question
When The Heat Is On, We Need City-Wide Plans To Keep Cool
The recent spate of heatwaves through eastern Australia has reminded us we’re in an Australian summer.
Peru's Ancient Water Systems Can Help Protect Communities From Shortages Caused By Climate Change
Water is essential for human life, but in many parts of the world water supplies are under threat from more extreme, less predictable weather conditions due to climate change.
We Built A Network Of Greenhouses And Rain Shelters To Simulate What Climate Change Will Do To Soils
As most of the science community knows, the climate emergency is here now. Weather extremes such as droughts and heatwaves are increasing in frequency and intensity and are measurably exacerbated by climate change.
How Conserving Nature's Umbrella Species Could Benefit Whole Habitats
In conservation, charismatic mammals and birds such as the black rhinoceros and the capercaillie get a lot of attention, while others, like invertebrates, are often ignored.
5 Ways To Shift Consumers Towards Sustainable Behaviour
Most people want to be sustainable, but have a hard time taking the necessary actions.
How Agriculture Can Both Feed People And Fight Climate Change
Imagine “carbon emissions”, and what springs to mind? Most people tend to think of power stations belching out clouds of carbon dioxide or queues of vehicles burning up fossil fuels as they crawl, bumper-to-bumper, along congested urban roads.
Aloe Has A Trick That Thirsty Crops Could Use
The aloe plant’s ability to survive extended periods of drought could contribute to more resilient crops.
Understanding Christians' Climate Views Can Lead To Better Conversations About The Environment
In their second round of debates, Democratic presidential candidates called for aggressive measures to slow climate change.
Can Animals Adapt Fast Enough To The Climate Crisis?
Climate change is outpacing the ability of birds and other species to adapt to their changing environment, researchers report.
How To Design Cities Where People And Nature Can Both Flourish
Bringing nature back into our cities can deliver a truly impressive array of benefits, ranging from health and well-being to climate change adaptation and mitigation.
Think It's Hot? The Human Body Is Already Close To Thermal Limits
I am a scientist who researches climate hazards. I have published research on the potential for a catastrophic cyclone-heatwave combo in the global south.
Animals Will Struggle To Adapt Fast Enough To Cope With Climate Change
The blackcurrant harvest on my allotment is highly dependent on the weather. In 2018 the UK had a hot, dry summer and the currants were sweet and plentiful.
With Smart Action, Hope Isn’t Lost For Coral Reefs
Management that takes evolution and adaptation into account can help rescue coral reefs from the effects of climate change, according to a new study.
Climate Change: Having The Right Combination Of Tree Personalities Could Make Forests More Resilient
Every tree in a forest has a neighbour. In many forest neighbourhoods, the same species are often found living together, especially when the growing conditions are similar. Sometimes these neighbours are close and sometimes far apart, but collectively they form part of a community, with some species naturally being more dominant than others, especially in terms of biomass production.
As Flood Risks Increase Across The US, It's Time To Recognize The Limits Of Levees
New Orleans averted disaster this month when tropical storm Barry delivered less rain in the Crescent City than forecasters originally feared.
8 Ways To Halt A Global Food Crisis
There are serious challenges to global food supply everywhere we look.
The Private Sector, Agriculture And Climate Change. Connecting The Dots
Agriculture plays a key role in food security in Africa. It is also crucial to the economic sector, accounting for between 40%-65% of jobs.
How Did Elephants Evolve Such A Large Brain? Climate Change Is Part Of The Answer
Elephants have long captivated our attention, partly because of their sheer size and majesty. But we’re also struck by their complex behaviour.
Biodiversity Helps Coral Reefs Thrive – And Could Be Part Of Strategies To Save Them
Coral reefs are home to so many species that they often are called “the rainforests of the seas.”
How Artificial Intelligence Is Changing the Way We Farm
The next great agricultural revolution is here. Wine growers have a neat, if unusual, trick for making more flavorful wine — don’t water the vines
Biomining The Elements Of The Future
Biomining is the kind of technique promised by science fiction: a vast tank filled with microorganisms that leach metal from ore, old mobile phones and hard drives.
How To Feed A Growing Population Healthy Food Without Ruining The Planet
If we’re serious about feeding the world’s growing population healthy food, and not ruining the planet, we need to get used to a new style of eating.
Cities Turn To Desalination For Water Security, But At What Cost?
Removing salts and other impurities from water is really difficult. For thousands of years people, including Aristotle, tried to make fresh water from sea water.
How Can Trees Really Cool Our Cities Down?
In cities around the world, trees are often planted to help control temperatures and mitigate the effects of the “urban heat island”. But while trees have been called “nature’s air conditioners”, in practice, scientists often have difficulty demonstrating their cooling properties.
We Can't Save Everything From Climate Change – Here's How To Make Choices
Climate change is already occurring, with impacts that will become more intense for decades into the future.
5 Ways Communities Are Coping With Climate Anxiety
This summer, wildfires erupted in California, torrential rains flooded parts of Japan, and record-breaking temperatures led to a number of heat-related deaths around the globe. Disasters like these are augmented by climate change, and scientists say extreme weather like this will increase and worsen as climate change accelerates. And it’s impacting our mental health.
This Solar-Powered Still Can Make Fresh Water From Salty Water
Local people collect water from a muddy waterhole in 2006 in San Marcos Tlacoyalco. The Tehuacan Valley South-East of Mexico City has long experienced severe water shortages. Drought and climate change have contributed to this but recent industrial growth has also strained the very limited ground water resource. Water resources in the area are largely based on a weekly delivery by truck as well as collecting water from small pools known as Jagueys.
Working With Nature Can Help Us Build Greener Cities Instead Of Urban Slums
A more strategic approach to urban growth can ensure our cities maintain adequate green space and become low-carbon, efficient and affordable.
Better Ways To Foster Solar Innovation And Save Jobs Than Tariffs
Far from protecting U.S. interests, the tariffs are bound to stifle the current solar boom, destroying American jobs and dragging down clean energy innovation. As economists who research climate and energy policies that can foster a greener North American economy, we argue the government should instead create targeted subsidies that support innovation and lower costs across the supply chain.
What These 6 Clouds Can Reveal About The Weather
You don’t need a supercomputer to predict how the weather above your head is likely to change over the next few hours – this has been known across cultures for millennia. By keeping an eye on the skies above you, and knowing a little about how clouds form, you can predict whether rain is on the way.
Sustainable Shopping: How To Stay Green When Buying White Goods
Most of us have a range of white goods (refrigerators, washing machines, etc.) in our homes. These white goods provide a host of benefits, but they also have significant environmental impacts, and it’s important to consider these when using and choosing white goods.
What To Do When You're Suffering From Climate Trauma
To maintain our capacity to address climate change, we need to recognize and address the trauma it creates.
A Fresh Start For Climate Change Mitigation In New Zealand
The election of the sixth Labour-led government heralds a new direction for climate change policy in New Zealand. As part of the new government’s 100-day priority plan, it pledged to set a target of carbon neutrality by 2050 and to establish the mechanisms to phase out fossil fuels.
Can Cities Get Smarter About Extreme Weather?
Remember the movie “Moneyball”? The Oakland A’s are struggling, financially and on the baseball field.Then they introduce an innovative system for figuring out which players will improve team performance.
Does Eating Grass-fed Beef Help Fight Climate Change?
Beef gets a bad press, environmentally speaking. We’re bombarded with reports highlighting its high carbon footprint accompanied by images of belching cows and devastated rainforests.
Study Shows Wetlands Can Significantly Reduce Property Damage
A 12-year “hurricane drought” during which no major hurricanes formed in the Atlantic ended dramatically in 2017. The devastating impacts of Harvey, Irma, Jose and Maria across the United States and the Caribbean provide tragic reminders of the catastrophic risks we face on our coasts.
6 Ways To Save California’s Trout And Salmon
A new report indicates that almost half of native California salmon, steelhead, and trout species are on track to be extinct in the next 50 years.
How Australian Farmers Are Adapting To Climate Change
2016-17 has been a great year for Australian farmers, with record production, exports and profits. These records have been driven largely by good weather, in particular a wet winter in 2016, which led to exceptional yields for major crops
How Farmers Can Profit Economically And Politically By Addressing Climate Change
President Trump, congressional Republicans and most American farmers share common positions on climate change
Species Driven By Climate Change Are On The Move And Changing Almost Everything
Last year in Paris, for the very first time, English sparkling wine beat champagne in a blind tasting event.
When Should Climate Prompt Us To Abandon Land?
An ever-changing climate can put certain regions in the crosshairs of coastal flooding, heavy rain, erosion, and other risks.
Managing Water Is Key To Adapting African Agriculture To Climate Change
African nations have overwhelmingly included climate resilient agriculture in their indicative pledges to the United Nations. And agriculture is seen as a major focus through a common position of the African Union on climate adaptation.
How To Talk To Climate Change Doubters About Global Warming
Conversations about climate change often derail into arguments about whether global warming exists, whether climate change is already happening, the extent to which human activity is a cause and which beliefs are based in evidence versus propaganda.
How Red States Are Mitigating Climate Without Calling It Climate Change
President Donald Trump has the environmental community understandably concerned.
How The Warming World Could Turn Many Plants And Animals Into Climate Refugees
Finding the optimum environment and avoiding uninhabitable conditions has been a challenge faced by species throughout the history of life on Earth.
A Local View Helps Fight The Effects Of Climate Change
In 2011, a marine heatwave hit the west coast of Australia leading to ten days of above average sea temperatures.
Why The World Needs To Consider How To Manage The End Of The Fossil Fuel Era
At the UN Climate Negotiations in Paris the world agreed to keep global warming to well below 2°C, above pre-industrial levels.
These Hottest Years Will Soon Be Our New Normal And Then Some
The soaring temperatures of recent hottest years on record will be the norm by 2040, with Australia first to feel the heat.
Why Rural Communities Need to Talk About Climate Change
Educating rural communities can help them prevent permanent damage to the environment. There is a common misconception that you can’t talk about climate change in rural communities because the issue is considered too polarizing...
Will Climate Change Too Fast For Grasses That Feed The World To Adapt?
People depend on grass crops for food, but new research raises concerns that if climate changes too fast, grasses won’t adapt fast enough to keep pace.
These Global Bright Spots Offer Climate Hope
Scientists show how humans can improve poor people’s lives by reversing practices that destroy the environment and fuel climate change.
How South Florida Is Adapting To Climate Change
With every passing year, Southeast Florida faces more pressure to adapt to climate change. The region already experiences the effects of climate change, such as flooding on sunny days during the highest tides of the year