Latest environment news
August smashes global heat record as giant El Nino builds
Peter Hannam 10:45 AM Global temperature records continue to tumble, with August easily the hottest in 124 years of data, Japan's Meteorological Agency says.
Turnbull likely to move subtly on climate
Tom Arup 9:25 AM Those hoping that Malcolm Turnbull's sudden rise to the prime ministership will usher in an immediate and radical overhaul of Australia's climate change position should take a deep breath.
The card-carrying Labor member who'll change her vote
Peter Hannam 10:08 AM Michelle Wright is the type of voter Liberal MPs who backed Malcolm Turnbull had in mind when they toppled Tony Abbott as the country's prime minister.
'Down under, they call it front stabbing': world reacts to ousting of 'Paul Abbott'
Melanie Kembrey 10:36 AM How the world reacted to Australia's leadership change.
58 metres - how much sea levels would lift if we burn all fossil fuels
Peter Hannam Burning all available fossil fuels would "eliminate" the giant ice sheets of Antarctica and lift sea levels by 58 metres, enough to inundate major coastal cities, according to US and Europe-based researchers.
Southern Ocean soaks up more greenhouse gases, curb warming
The vast Southern Ocean around Antarctica has started to soak up more greenhouse gases from the atmosphere in recent years, helping limit climate change, after signs its uptake had stalled - but that may not be good for acidification trends.
California keeps ban on importing kangaroo products
Steve Jacobs 2:45 AM An attempt by the Australian government and kangaroo industry to have California repeal its ban on the trade in kangaroo skins and meat has failed.
Using up Earth's fossil fuels would destroy all ice, research says
Justin Gillis 4:29 PM Burning all the world's deposits of coal, oil and natural gas would raise the temperature enough to melt the entire ice sheet covering Antarctica, driving the level of the sea up by more than 48.7 metres, scientists reported on Friday.
Scientist slams 'shortsighted' vote on Murray Darling water purchases
Nicole Hasham 3:48 PM Water bought by the federal government to help coax the Murray-Darling Basin back to health has been capped at 1,500 billion litres, locking in a highly contentious aspect of efforts to save the nation's longest river system.
Climbing for climate change
Andrew Taylor 5:00 PM By climbing three mountains while world leaders meet to discuss climate change, trailblazer Tim Jarvis hopes to influence the outcome of the talks in Paris.
How to avoid a swooping magpie
Emma Kelly The thought of an aggressive magpie can be enough to cause nightmares for some. But there are ways to protect yourself.
Where Canberrans are being swooped
Emma Kelly Spring may have only just sprung but Canberrans are already falling prey to swooping magpies around the capital.
Chihuahua not on pelican menu at reserve's daily feed
Clare Colley A wonderful bird is the pelican - it even eats small dogs.
'Waves are battering my home': Marshall Islands Foreign Minister slams Peter Dutton after climate joke
Nicole Hasham Marshall Islands Foreign Minister Tony de Brum has slammed Immigration Minister Peter Dutton for joking that rising seas will swamp low-lying Pacific islands, inviting him to watch waves that pound his home and terrify his grandchildren.
A high 'as big as Australia' to lift temperatures
Peter Hannam A high-pressure system "as big as Australia" could bring Sydney's warmest patch of weather since April, while most of the country will go for a week with little rain.
High 'as big as Australia' sends winter into retreat
Peter Hannam A high-pressure system "as big as Australia" will bring Melbourne's warmest patch of weather in more than five months, while most of the country is likely to go for a week with little rain.
Dutton jokes about rising sea levels swamping Pacific islands
Nicole Hasham Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has been caught on tape joking about low-lying islands being swamped by rising seas in a 23-second exchange that risked offending Indigenous people, ethnic leaders and Australia's Pacific neighbours in one fell swoop.
More than 100,000 flee floods in Japan after once-in-50-years rain
Issei Kato Unprecedented rain in Japan unleashed heavy floods that tore houses from their foundations, uprooted trees and forced thousands from their homes.
He's the bastard we've been waiting for for years
Marcus Strom Blue in colour, a bastard to catch and from north Australia, a new species of fish has been discovered.
Toby's second chance: from dead meat to police veteran
Patrick Begley Toby the Clydesdale cross was dead meat until a mounted police officer rescued him. Today he's one of the force's best horses.
Two charts that show how Australia's climate is changing
Peter Hannam The past 15 years have been well above average for warmth across most of Australia, but there's one area that's missed out.
Record heat 12 times more likely than record cold
Peter Hannam Record hot days are now 12 times more likely in Australia than cold extremes, and the ratio is increasing as rising greenhouse gases trap more heat, according to new research.
Sperm whales use different dialects to 'click' with social clans
Lucy Cormack Learning the local slang can be a challenge for humans when fitting into a new neighbourhood, but it seems the same can be said for sperm whales.
Sydney water supply faces coal mine threat
Peter Hannam Protections for Sydney's water supply could be traded off for underground coal mining, contradicting advice from the state's experts.
Australia's fail on climate change report card
Lucy Cormack 'Shocking but expected': A report has revealed that Australia's record on combating climate change and carbon emissions is very poor compared to other OECD countries.
Spring weather finally on way as Melbourne sheds winter coat
Allison Worrall In good news for all except hay-fever sufferers, Victoria's weather is finally starting to shed its winter coat for spring.
Dead whale calf investigated at coal terminal
Lisa Cox A dead humpback whale calf has been found caught in the propeller of a tug boat at a coal terminal on the Great Barrier Reef, in an incident set to inflame concerns about environmental risks to the marine area.
Ambassador Kim Beazley defends kangaroo exports in California
Nick O'Malley A ban on the use of kangaroo parts in California is set to come back into effect at the end of the year unless it is permanently scrapped. Nick O'Malley reports.
Climate Change Authority chair Bernie Fraser resigns
Nicole Hasham The chair of the Abbott government's climate change advice agency, Bernie Fraser, has resigned without explanation.
Giant funnel-web spider find gets scientists excited
Katie Burgess Australian National University scientists have discovered a possible new species of funnel-web spider.
'Tropical train' generates record numbers of cyclones
Peter Hannam Meteorologists are churning through the alphabet to come up with new names, as the "tropical train" spawns yet another cyclone.
