Environment


RAPID REACTION: Koala protected under national environment law – experts comment

Mon Apr 30, 2012

Environment Minister Tony Burke announced his decision on Monday, April 30, 2012, to list koala populations in Queensland, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory as vulnerable on the national list of threatened species.

ROUND-UP: Wind farms affect local temperature (Nature Climate Change*) – an expert responds

Fri Apr 27, 2012

Embargo lifted at 3am AEST Monday 30 April As wind farms spring up across the country in a bid to generate more renewable energy, new research from the US suggests that the wind farms themselves may be having a local warming effect on the climate.

RAPID REACTION: National Greenhouse Accounts released – experts respond

Tue Apr 17, 2012

The Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency has today released the latest National Greenhouse Accounts which compare Australia’s emissions to our Kyoto Protocol obligations. The Accounts show Australia’s carbon pollution is currently tracking at 104 per cent of 1990 levels. Australia’s Kyoto Protocol target is to limit emissions to108 per cent of 1990 levels, [...]

BACKGROUND BRIEFING: Planet Under Pressure – live from London

Wed Mar 28, 2012

ONLINE BRIEFING – Thursday March 29 at 9.30am AEDT Note: The State of the Planet declaration from the conference was released on 29th March. Download the declaration here. More than 80 Australian scientists are in London this week attending a major international conference on the state of the planet and the most pressing issues faced [...]

ROUND-UP: Australia’s megafaunal extinction – cause and effect (Science*) – experts respond

Mon Mar 26, 2012

Australian research provides evidence for the theory that human hunters were primarily responsible for the disappearance of Australia’s giant vertebrates about 40,000 years ago. The research also concludes that the extinction caused changes to the Australian landscape. A Perspectives piece by a New Zealand author accompanies the research paper. Scientists involved in the research are [...]

ROUND-UP: Fukushima one year on – Japanese experts respond

Fri Mar 9, 2012

On March 11 last year a magnitude 9.0 (Mw) earthquake hit off the coast of Japan triggering a powerful tsunami and resulting in the most serious nuclear accident since Chernobyl. Over 15,000 people were confirmed dead as the tsunami inundated a total area of approximately 561 km2 (217 sq mi) in Japan. A series of [...]

RAPID REACTION: South East Australian floods -experts respond

Tue Mar 6, 2012

As flood waters continue to affect towns across NSW and Victoria, experts discuss the role of La Nina and how urban planning contributes to floods.

ROUND-UP: Fukushima one year on – experts respond

Tue Mar 6, 2012

On March 11 last year a magnitude 9.0 (Mw) earthquake hit off the coast of Japan triggering a powerful tsunami and resulting in the most serious nuclear accident since Chernobyl. Now, one year after the disastrous events unfolded, nuclear and disaster experts examine the current situation and what lessons can be learnt.