Latest environment news
CSG doubts fan fears in Barwon
Peter Hannam 7:51 PM Santos Energy is seeking approval for a new waste treatment plant at its controversial pilot coal seam gas field in northern NSW without identifying how it will dispose of the briny and potentially toxic end product.
Melbourne's blast from Antarctica? If only
Peter Hannam 3:05 PM To call this week’s wintry chill across southern Australia a “burst from Antarctica” would be doing a disservice to parts of the frigid continent.
Toad plague fear in Sydney
Luke Malpass 5:35 PM Northern Sydney is facing the possibility of a toad infestation, as one Asian black-spined toad has been found in the Warringah area and residents are being alerted to keep their eyes and ears out for another.
Study shows acceleration in melting of Antarctic ice shelves
6:13 AM Satellite data from 1994 to 2012 reveals an accelerating decline in Antarctica's massive floating ice shelves, with some shrinking 18 per cent, in a development that could hasten the rise in global sea levels, scientists say.
Power sector to get special treatment under Direct Action
Peter Hannam and Lisa Cox 3:59 PM The Abbott government has proposed a major concession to the heavy-polluting electricity industry in its Direct Action climate change policy by exempting individual companies from caps on emissions.
Britain's greenhouse gas emissions fell 8.4 per cent in 2014
6:27 AM Britain's greenhouse gas emissions fell 8.4 per cent in 2014 due to a decline in fossil-fuel power generation, preliminary government data showed on Thursday.
Tree-clearing law cops a blast from the Blue Mountains
Peter Hannam The Blue Mountains City Council has joined resident groups in Sydney to renew calls for the tightening of land-clearing laws that have enabled many home owners to clear nearby bushland without a permit.
Swift parrot flying into crisis
Andrew Darby The swift parrot, Australia's fastest nectar-eater, is rapidly heading for extinction.
Australia's most-polluting power stations proving risky for investors
Lucy Cormack 12:15 AM Report author says Australia has "by far the most carbon intensive power stations globally, the least efficient of all the major economies."
Storm warning issued for south-east
Cameron Atfield A storm warning has been issued for Queensland's south-east after cells began forming west of Brisbane on Thursday afternoon.
Abbott government resists US moves against coal power
Lisa Cox, Mark Kenny The Abbott government has again put itself on a collision course with US President Barack Obama, this time over government funding for coal-fired power plants.
WikiLeaks reveals local health and environment rules under threat
Philip Dorling Australian health, environment and public welfare regulation, including plain tobacco packaging legislation will be open for challenge from largely US-based corporation, if a new deal that is part of the Trans Pacific Partnership goes through.
Clean energy industry offers to break deadlock on renewable energy target
Lisa Cox The peak body for the clean energy industry says it is prepared to accept a significant compromise on Australia's renewable energy target if the government agrees to preserve two agencies it planned to abolish.
Police dog Ulrich saves missing stroke victim Herbert Bartlett
Rachel Olding Lying in long grass next to a lake, stroke victim Herbert Bartlett was barely visible to the eyes of rescue crews.
Oil downturn slows progress in bringing solar power to mines
James Paton High oil prices spurred mining companies to look at renewable energy to cut their diesel fuel bills. With crude plunging, it's a different story today.
Voters should dump governments and generate their own power
Elizabeth Farrelly When you stand at New Zealand's northern tip you can see the seam, stretching to infinity, where two oceans meet. In history, similarly, there are times when the clash of vast forces becomes momentarily visible. For Sydney, the 1960s was such a juncture, where reactionary rissole culture, embodied as the Askin government, clashed head-on with the vectors of global change - Vietnam, rock'n'roll, Utzon.
Native vegetation 'to get the chop' in NSW
Peter Hannam The NSW Liberals have been accused of caving into their Nationals coalition partners with their plans to scrap acts protecting native vegetation and threatened species if re-elected at this weekend's poll.
Tropical rainfall on the rise as big storm events increase, study finds
Peter Hannam Rainfall is increasing in the tropics across the world with the rise attributed to more big thunderstorms, new research by an Australian-led team has found.
SolarCity launches community microgrids with Tesla batteries
Jeremy C. Owens SolarCity, well-known for rooftop solar systems, is expanding to so-called microgrids, larger power systems that can be tapped by communities when the power grid goes down.
Epic chase of pirate fisher continues
Andrew Darby Just before Christmas, the notorious pirate fishing vessel "Thunder" was found by conservationists at work in the Antarctic. Once spotted, it fled. Nearly 100 days later this epic chase off the coast of West Africa is still underway.
Heat on Australia to 're-engage' amid chill in climate negotiations
Lucy Cormack A Lowy Institute report argues that Australia may struggle to explain its position to other parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, given that the conditions for moving beyond 5 per cent have been met.
Records melt across inland Australia in unusual March heat
Peter Hannam A prolonged burst of heat across inland Australia earlier this month set late-season records at dozens of weather sites and will probably have worsened drought conditions, the Bureau of Meteorology said.
Near-perfect weather expected on polling day
Peter Hannam Weather conditions should be ideal for voting across NSW on Saturday, ensuring that turnout is unlikely to be influenced by the heavens.
Biggest polluters set to miss deadline for action on climate change
Alex Nussbaum and Alex Morales Less than a week before the United Nations deadline for countries to file greenhouse-gas pledges necessary to keep a global climate change deal on track, it looks like most of the world is missing in action.
Martin Ferguson steps up attack on Luke Foley over CSG
Peter Hannam Martin Ferguson, a former trade union chief and resources minister in the Rudd-Gillard Labor governments, says he has no plans to exit Labor, despite attacking his party’s coal seam gas policies in NSW.
Sydney weather: rain hits commuters
Commuters are facing a miserable trip home after a rain front passed over the city on Tuesday afternoon
'Take it or leave it', government tells renewable energy industry
Lisa Cox Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane has told the clean energy industry that the government's latest offer on the renewable energy target is a "take it or leave it" position.
Q&A;'s bush bash: Farmers demand halt to coal-seam gas mining to safeguard food and water security
Lisa Cox It was the question that drew cheers from the audience.
Arctic melt leading to weakest Gulf Stream in a 1,000 years
Stefan Nicola Gulf Stream water currents in the Atlantic Ocean have slowed to the weakest in as long as 1,000 years, threatening shifts in US and European weather, as well as coastal sea levels including in New York and Boston.
Hunter Valley industries call for protection from coal mine expansion
Peter Hannam Horse breeders and wine and tourism groups want permanent protections to be passed within 100 days of the new parliament.
Putting a price on species survival
Lucy Battersby Saving the tiny but beautiful yellow-and-black-striped southern corroboree frog from extinction in the next five years will cost $3.7 million, and it is only one of 20 species that Zoos Victoria want to save.
