Australian climate and environment in focus
Climate and environment reporting supported through philanthropic grants to the Guardian Civic Journalism Trust
Second wave of South Australia’s toxic algal bloom could be imminent, scientist warns
Algae levels have skyrocketed near tip of Eyre Peninsula and could spread in colder months ahead, oceanographer says
‘Gone forever’: political anger after NSW Aboriginal heritage site bulldozed for power lines
The rock shelter was destroyed by contractors building transmission lines for the Central-West Orana renewable energy zone
Landlord inaction on energy upgrades stops renters saving $20bn on power bills in a decade
Heavy rain and storms expected in Australia’s south-east as severe weather warning issued for Tasmania
Endangered sawfish at risk from plan to double water extraction from WA’s Fitzroy River, advocates say
The Martuwarra Fitzroy catchment is home to four of the world’s five sawfish species, which rely on large groundwater-fed pools to survive the dry season
‘Disastrous’ plan to allow fracking on South Australia’s Limestone Coast is a broken promise, locals say
Labor moves to overturn moratorium on fracking in groundwater-dependent region two years earlier than planned and just weeks after state election
Australia’s housing affordability expected to worsen and homelessness soar under fossil-fuelled future
Rents will rise and homelessness quadruple in a decade unless serious steps to cut emissions are taken, University of Sydney researchers find
Don’t reach for the bug spray: scientists find insects may feel pain after crickets nurse sore antennae
The behavioural cue of ‘flexible self-protection’ is a way to establish whether an animal feels pain, scientists say
Supermarket foods claiming to be ‘natural’ or ‘sustainable’ mostly just using marketing terms, researchers find
Survey of 27,000 Australian supermarket items found some products boasting environmental benefits had significantly higher emissions than unlabelled counterparts
Oil-based products are everywhere, from fertiliser to fashion. What are the alternatives?
Substituting the petrochemicals that underpin everyday life is challenging, but there are ways to produce what we need without fossil fuels
Second-driest April on record for NSW as likely El Niño brings threat of dry year ahead
There is some uncertainty about El Niño but if the ‘elephant in the room’ arrives it could bring more dry weather, experts say
How to conserve your dragon – and avoid losing Australia’s most imperilled reptile for a second time
Melbourne zoo’s new breeding centre hopes to safeguard the future of the critically endangered Victorian grassland earless dragon
Can we fix it? Shifting from fast, throwaway hardware to a sustainable DIY culture
Hand and power tools can be surprisingly wasteful and polluting. Experts drill down on eco-friendly alternatives that still get the job done
Hot weather and hungry datacentres lift Australia’s energy demand to record highs but batteries quell prices
Rise in electricity demand in first quarter of 2026 was moderated by record output from rooftop solar
Australia is the world’s fourth-largest black truffle producer. Now scientists may have unearthed why
Understanding truffles is a ‘tricky proposition’ because most of the magic occurs underground
‘A history of the Earth’: Twelve Apostles revealed to be as old as 14m years
Tectonic plate movements over millions of years have lifted and tilted the layers, with records of ancient earthquakes in the rocks
Mouse plague hits WA grain farmers as numbers surge in SA: ‘You literally can’t get away from them’
CSIRO researcher says there are reports of up to 4,000 mouse burrows per hectare in parts of Western Australia
One Japanese town sorts waste into 40 different categories. How does Australia’s recycling compare?
Kerbside wheelie bins have been used in Australia since the 1980s but the recycling rate is stuck at 44%. Will another recycling bin make a difference?
Victorian councils rubbish statewide mandate that all homes must have four wheelie bins
Local governments have until 1 July next year to introduce a four-bin recycling system, but some councils – and waste experts – say it’s unnecessary
Sydney councils fear new datacentres could cause blackouts, block housing and affect locals’ health
Datacentres ‘directly competing’ with possible residential builds near public transport, one council tells NSW inquiry, amid growing concerns
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