Latest green news
Chilly warning from scientists on impact of Antarctica changes
PETER HANNAM Evidence of climate change in parts of Antarctica is as dramatic as anywhere in the world and has a potentially big impact for Australia, scientists say.
'Highly significant' heat wave smashes Australian records
PETER HANNAM 10:59pm Blistering heat that formed over the Nullarbor at the end of December and continues over parts of inland Australia was a “highly significant” event, the Bureau of Meteorology said.
Japan's whaling fleet on the run
ANDREW DARBY 5:55pm Activist ships are clinging grimly to the wake of the Japanese factory ship, Nisshin Maru, after it was caught processing minke whales in the Antarctic.
Heatwave decimates flying fox colonies
3:43pm Dead flying foxes have been falling from the sky in droves because of the heatwave sweeping south-east Queensland.
Sea Shepherd urges Canberra to act on Japan's whaling
2:12pm Anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd is urging the Australian government to take action to stop the Japanese whale slaughter in protected Antarctic waters.
Fatal whale stranding in New Zealand
9:57am Most of the 39 pilot whales stranded in Golden Bay on New Zealand's South Island will be put down because it is almost impossible to refloat them.
Melbourne summer still on the way: Bureau of Meteorology
DEBORAH GOUGH 10:07am After a cold blast on Sunday saw the temperature drop 10 degrees in seven minutes, Melburnians have cause to question: where is our summer?
Whaling activists find Japanese fleet
ANDREW DARBY 1:28pm Activists from Sea Shepherd Australia have found the Japanese whaling fleet and disrupted the hunt, renewing the Antarctic conflict.
China reaffirms support for solar PV industry
8:13am China pledges further support support for its ailing solar power industry as the government seeks to revive a sector struggling with with overcapacity and falling prices.
China to assign credit ratings based on environmental performance
8:17am China, the world's biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, will assign credit ratings to companies in industries with heavy pollution or overcapacity based on their efforts to protect the environment.
Drought-struck farmers plead for Interest Rate Subsidy
Georgie Stone NSW farmers in drought-affected areas are urging the government to reinstate the interest rate subsidy, an axed program that helped stop them from falling into deeper debt.
Danger massive new resorts will be death by 1000 cuts to Great Barrier Reef
Nina Karnikowski, Sheriden Rhodes Massive new tourism resorts with price tags of more than $5 billion on the Great Barrier Reef have raised concerns the fragile World Heritage-listed region is in danger of being loved to death.
Queensland boils as temperature climbs to a high of 45.4 degrees
CAMERON ATFIELD Heat records have tumbled across south-east Queensland as the region sweltered through one of its hottest days. A predicted maximum temperature of 41 degrees failed to materialise for Brisbane, however, with the high of 38.7 degrees reached at 1.21pm.
Sharks may target human beings in WA: Kim Hames
Liam Ducey Acting Premier Kim Hames has defended his Government's shark mitigation policy and says big sharks may be deliberately targetting human beings.
WA turns down US shark tagging offer
ALEISHA ORR An offer by an American group to carry out a shark tagging and research expedition in Australia has been rejected by the West Australian government.
Government to foot $400,000 Antarctica bill
Lucy Carroll and Andrew Darby The bill to rescue dozens of tourists, scientists and journalists on the Russian research vessel Akademik Shokalskiy in Antarctica will reach $400,000, the federal government says.
When is a tongue not a tongue? When it's a brush
PETER HANCOCK Perth's most important bird species are often not those with the most beautiful plumage or sweetest song – they are the "quiet achievers" in nature's cycle.
Two-headed calf born in Morocco
A two-headed calf has been born in the Moroccan village of Sefrou, 20 kilometres from the mountainous town of Fez.
Action stations on the ACT's thin yellow line
BEN WESTCOTT As a dedicated band of ACT men and women train to take on bushfires - and stay alive - our reporter battles to keep up.
Climate change: It's hot - and not just in the kitchens of bickering MPs
PETER HANNAM Rising temperatures are inevitable, say the experts, so brace yourself for more.
Political row heats up after report of Sydney's hottest year
Peter Hannam, David Wroe Sydney in 2013 had the hottest year since observations started in 1859, with a slew of records broken including the hottest day and the fewest cold nights.
Record sparks hot debate on Tony Abbott's climate policy
Peter Hannam and David Wroe Australia smashed its previous annual heat record in 2013, sparking renewed political debate about climate change.
Bugs do battle at the big house on the hill
Gardening staff at Parliament House are saving taxpayers thousands of dollars by using bugs to fight bugs instead of spraying plants with pesticide.
Antarctica rescue: Xue Long calls for help after becoming stuck while trying to help Akademik Shokalskiy
ANDREW DARBY Chinese polar resupply ship Xue Long has flagged for the first time that it may need help, after spending days among Antarctic pack ice after coming to the aid of private expedition ship Akademik Shokalskiy.
Canberra's up and down 2013 confirmed as second-hottest
HAMISH BOLAND-RUDDER Canberra’s second-warmest year on record was a rollercoaster ride of weather extremes, which included severe frosts, record hot days, as well as long dry spells interspersed with days of heavy rain.
US's Kerry to make climate pact a priority
His goal is to become the lead broker of a global, legally binding climate treaty in 2015 that will commit the United States and other nations to historic reductions in fossil fuel pollution.
2013 confirmed as Australia's hottest year on record
PETER HANNAM Australia smashed its previous annual heat record in 2013, with a summer heatwave and spring hot spell among the outstanding periods of unusual warmth.
Temperatures soar as tides rise to flood city streets
Alexandra Back, Matthew Kelly Streets in Tempe and Haberfield were flooded and water splashed onto the wharves around Circular Quay as king tides hit much of Australia's coastline on Thursday morning.
Rescued sea turtle a long way from home
BRIDIE SMITH A green sea turtle estimated to be at least 90 years old was the surprise guest among holidaymakers gathered at Ninety Mile Beach over New Year's Eve.
Scientists developing irukandji early warning system
Cleo Fraser Swimmers could be warned a week in advance of the arrival of deadly irukandji stingers after researchers found a way to pinpoint when the jellyfish would arrive at a certain spot.
Heatwave could see Brisbane reach 40 degrees
Kim Stephens and Cameron Atfield Brisbane is predicted to hit 40 degrees on Saturday in a heatwave that will see the state's southeast swelter.
Mild new year for Melbourne as Australian temperatures soar
Alexandra Back and Stephen Cauchi Australia's record-setting run of hot weather is likely to continue into the new year with temperatures in some parts tipped to peak just shy of 50 degrees in the coming days.
Canberra's blast of wind short-lived but damaging
HAMISH BOLAND-RUDDER The temperature bounced, the wind roared, and the SES received multiple calls for help as two air masses collided over Canberra in a “unique” blast of weather that lasted just 60 minutes in the early hours of Thursday.
Cat decapitated in The Basin, 40 rabbits stomped on in Garfield: police investigating
Stephen Cauchi Two appalling animal cruelty incidents - the decapitation of a cat and 40 rabbits killed by being stomped on - have marred the start of the New Year in Victoria.
Australia weather: temperatures set to peak just shy of 50 degrees
Alexandra Back Australia's record-setting run of hot weather is likely to continue into the new year with temperatures in some parts tipped to peak just shy of 50 degrees in the coming days.
Maurice Newman's flat-earth thinking ignores climate change facts
David Karoly Opinion Maurice Newman is chairman of the Prime Minister's Business Advisory Council. He must have thought that December 31 was April Fool's Day when he wrote an opinion piece in The Australian headed "Crowds go cold on climate cost".
Climate change: Planet to warm by 4 degrees by 2100
PETER HANNAM Temperatures are on course to rise at least 4 degrees by the end of the century, according to research that finds earlier climate models projecting smaller increases are likely to be wrong.
Cyclone Christine smashes Pilbara coast
Tropical cyclone Christine is battering the Pilbara coast, forcing people to take shelter as it brings strong winds, heavy rain and dangerous storm tides.
Operator defends use of aerial shark patrols
LEESHA MCKENNY Harry Mitchell can list more than a dozen reasons why he disagrees with a state government report that branded his line of work costly and inefficient when it comes to protecting beachgoers from sharks.
Sydney Harbour sea creatures go potty for wall of man-made homes
Alexia Attwood Resembling cut-in-half flower buckets, a series of marine pots are being fastened to sea walls in Sydney's waterways in an attempt to attract starfish and crabs back to the battered urban environment.
Black Caviar's brother: what is laminitis?
Laminitis is a severe debilitating disease that affects the horse's foot. It occurs suddenly, often without warning, and often as a consequence of other diseases.
Suicide song: cicada sex racket risks death for chance at love
Peter Munro The male cicada's mating call is as romantic as an AC/DC concert. It's more a slap in the face than sweet serenade. This summer's bumper crop is so overwhelming some National Parks rangers have taken to wearing earplugs.
New Year's Eve set for ideal weather conditions
Megan Levy Sydney is set for a dry New Year's Eve - in terms of the weather at least.
Shark alarm: aerial patrols are inefficient says report
LEESHA MCKENNY Aerial shark patrols of the NSW coastline are ''inefficient and expensive'', a government report says.
Black Range: Seeds sown amid the ashes restore forest to life
DARREN GRAY A thick wall of green surges upwards either side of the gravel mountain road. In many places the forest looks almost impenetrable, but every so often a wallaby suddenly emerges from the bush and hops across the road.
Drinking water: Call for halt to coal mining as contamination level increases
PETER HANNAM Iron concentrations in a rivulet that feeds the Woronora Reservoir have doubled since the expansion of the Metropolitan Colliery, to levels which exceed Australian Drinking Water Guidelines by 30 per cent, a study has found.
Brisbane just misses out on hottest day of year
CAMERON ATFIELD Dangerous storms are set to provide an unwelcome form of relief from Brisbane's hot conditions, with two cells bearing down on the city's metropolitan area.
Wild winds whip Sydney, causing bureau to issue weather warning
LEESHA MCKENNY Sydney woke up to gale-force winds on Sunday, with a severe weather warning issued as gusts reaching 91km/h buffeted the city.
Japan to tap smart meters, fuel cells to tackle climate change
Japan plans smart meters in every residence and factory by the early 2020s and 5.3 million fuel cells in homes by 2030 to tackle climate change, according to a report to be submitted to the United Nations.
Lost croc found in Cardwell
CAMERON ATFIELD So, a man walks into a police station carrying a crocodile.
Garden songster has a sweet tooth
PETER HANCOCK The melodious call of the singing honeyeater is a regular feature of Perth's dawn chorus in spring and early summer.
Science
Fossilised seal bone discovered off Beaumaris beach is about six million years old
BRIDIE SMITH It was its odd shape that made the fossilised piece of bone stand out on the sea floor. Seasoned amateur diver Ross Wilkie hadn't seen anything like it before. So he did what any collector would do. He plucked it from its watery world and took it home.
Fire warning as temperatures set to soar Saturday
CAROLINE ZIELINSKI Victorians are being urged to prepare for a dangerous fire day on Saturday, with temperatures predicted to soar to more than 40 degrees in parts of the state.
Love-nest antics downright bizarre
NICKY PHILLIPS Polygamy, orgies and death after five-second sex. Nicky Phillips has seen it all.
Cool, wet weather an eerie reminder of Christmas past
MEGAN LEVY Christmas Day revellers who had hoped to spend a sunny day on Sydney's beaches had their plans thwarted once again this year, with the heaviest rain in more than a month drenching the city on Wednesday.
Sydney weather: rain expected for Christmas Day and Boxing Day
MEGAN LEVY Revellers who are planning to hit the beach or the backyard cricket pitch on Christmas Day have been urged to start the action early.
UN steps up diplomacy ahead of 2014 climate summit
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appointed former Ghana President John Kufuor and former Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg as special envoys on climate change to drum up support for a planned global conference in September.
Customs ship should be sent to disrupt Japanese whaling: Bob Brown
TOM ARUP An Australian government ship should be sent to disrupt Japanese whaling in a similar fashion to the Sea Shepherd, the environment group's local head Bob Brown says.
Canberra Christmas weather could dampen spirits late in the day
HAMISH BOLAND-RUDDER Canberrans planning a Christmas lunch or dinner outdoors should enjoy perfect temperatures, but might need to have the brollies at the ready as the forecast shows the chance of showers.
