Latest environment news
How 2015 is off the charts for global temperatures
Peter Hannam 9:45 PM If there is one chart that might finally put to rest debate of a pause or "hiatus" in global warming, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has just supplied it.
Thunderstorm 'trigger' to be pulled as instability sets in
Peter Hannam 5:00 PM A swath of eastern NSW including Sydney can expect thunderstorms over the coming week as ideal conditions set in, with only a "trigger" required to set them off.
The town that is sweltering in spring
Georgina Mitchell and Peter Hannam 11:40 AM As the rest of the country experiences spring, one regional NSW town seems to have started summer two months early.
Warkworth coal mine gets a tick but fight not over, opponents say
Peter Hannam 3:16 PM Rio Tinto's plans to extend the life of its Mt Thorley Warkworth open-cut coal mine has moved another step closer to final approval after it gained approval from the Planning Assessment Commission's review panel.
The 'other' housing crisis in Sydney's urban jungle
Lucy Cormack 4:14 PM Just 26 minutes drive from the CBD lives Mikey. But his home could be under threat and Beecroft residents are calling on the state government to lend a hand.
Land use opponents give new peace a chance
Peter Hannam As land use conflicts across NSW have become "increasingly hostile", antagonists have welcomed a new forum to defuse the tensions.
Wind farms 'resonate in the skulls' of people living nearby, says Goward
Peter Hannam A split has emerged inside the Baird government after assistant health minister Pru Goward attacked wind farm projects as making nearby residents sick from 'pressure waves'.
Labels scramble meaning of free-range eggs, say paddock producers
John Thistleton 10:06 PM How many chickens make a free-range dozen? 185 per hectare, say Long Paddock producers.
Apple goes solar power in China
Alex Nussbaum 3:25 PM Tech giant lifts its solar power production in China fivefold to go carbon neutral in the world's most polluting country.
Climate change to slam global economy
Eric Roston 2:42 PM Climate change could cause 10 times as much damage to the world economy as previously estimated, slashing global output by as close to a quarter by the end of the century.
Man's home valued at 'absolute zero' due to pollution
Joanne McCarthy and Donna Page 12:01 PM Rob Roseworne was handed a piece of paper this week which said his home and business have a market value of "absolute zero" because of toxic contamination from a nearby air force base.
Treasury officials met with Adani to discuss loans
Lisa Cox 7:59 AM The Indian company that plans to develop Australia's biggest coal mine has registered its interest in a taxpayer funded scheme to help build its infrastructure, a Senate estimates hearing has heard.
China to ban ivory trade 'within a year or so,' as pressure mounts on Hong Kong
Simon Denyer It's being welcomed as a major step towards ending the poaching crisis that is decimating Africa's elephant herds.
Knowing where the wild things are earns scientist Jane Elith top award
Bridie Smith Jane Elith knows where the wild things are. Even if she can't see them to count them, she knows where they lurk.
Chance of afternoon storms reduced but wet evening ahead
Peter Hannam Commuters may want to keep an eye on the radar this afternoon and evening, as showers and later thunderstorms are likely to sweep over Sydney.
Sunscreen could be killing coral reefs, research suggests
Mark Rowe Tourists who wear sunscreens may be contributing to the death of the Great Barrier Reef and other coral reefs around the world, new research suggests.
Canada's Justin Trudeau faces big challenges on climate change
Newly elected Canadian leader Justin Trudeau will arrive in office with a promise to improve Canada's battered environmental image, vowing a new strategy for global climate negotiations in Paris this December.
'That was scary': close encounters with lightning strikes over Sydney
Peter Munro Two people were struck by lightning in Sydney as thunderstorms delivered dark skies and rain across the city.
Head of Cecil the lion to be presented as evidence in court
Mike Saburi Prosecutors plan to present the head of Cecil the lion in court next month as part of court proceedings against a hunter charged with failing to stop the killing.
Is it ethical to have monkeys pick coconuts for us?
Justin Wm. Moyer Male pigtailed macaques can harvest 1600 coconuts - compared to just 80 for humans - a day. But they do it on a leash.
Draft climate deal 'apartheid against developing nations'
Alister Doyle South Africa on Monday criticised a draft United Nations accord on fighting climate change as a form of "apartheid" against developing nations.
Time to put a price on carbon, world leaders say, as Australia demurs
Peter Hannam Prominent global leaders say placing a price on carbon is the "most tangible sign" to send to the economy about climate change.
Climate change makes thirsty work for plants in agricultural Australia
Lucy Cormack Increased atmospheric carbon dioxide is making plants in Australia's semi-arid and subtropical regions bigger and greener. It's also making them a hell of a lot thirstier.
Sci-tech
Tiny 'micropigs' from China could be boon for science and pet sellers
Julie Makinen A Chinese biotech firm will soon sell genetically modified 'teacup' pigs that tops out around 15 kilograms.
Japan's ploy to enable whaling 'surprising'
Andrew Darby Japan has moved suddenly to fence itself off from any future challenge to its Antarctic whaling in the International Court of Justice.
Prescribed burning has limited benefits in curbing bushfires: study
Peter Hannam A recent study finds hazard-reduction burning is less about chasing hectare targets than tackling the areas where the beneficial impact is likely to be most in terms of boosting fire safety.
Sydney's asbestos dumping grounds
Saffron Howden Sydney's fringes are serving as a dumping ground for asbestos waste as unscrupulous builders and renovators seek to avoid costly and labour-intensive legal disposal.
Kangaroo on the loose causes a stir in New York neighbourhood
A pet kangaroo named Buster caused a brief stir on Saturday morning when it got loose in a New York City neighbourhood.
The sneaky act that's causing councils hell
Lucy Cormack One in three people in NSW have pulled this move in the past year.
Recovery and rebuilding, two years on from the 'Red October' bushfires
Peter Hannam As another active fire season looms, residents of the Blue Mountains town of Winmalee are reflecting on their experiences and lessons learned from a fire that tore through their lives two years ago this weekend.
