Latest environment news
December heatwave shatters records
Lucy Cormack The hottest night in 15 years was just part of the sweltering conditions that have hit south-eastern Australia.
Is leftover logging leaving a fire risk on the NSW south coast?
Lucy Cormack Residents on the NSW south coast have expressed alarm at "metres high" piles of logs, leaves and branches left on forest floors after logging, as the bushfire season approaches.
10c for a bottle? NSW, have your say
Lucy Cormack NSW is one step closer to implementing a container deposit scheme, a targeted approach to the 160 million beverage containers littered in communities across the state every year.
Miners accused of 'playing Russian roulette' in Sydney water catchment
Peter Hannam Environmental groups say the Baird government is "playing Russian roulette" in Sydney's water catchment by approving coalmining without a full understanding of its impacts, taking a "damage first, fix later" approach.
2016 may break annual global heat records for third year in a row
Peter Hannam The remarkable global heat for 2015 is not yet over and already forecasters are predicting next year will be hotter again - marking three years in a row of record annual warmth.
NSW mining, CSG proposals to face closer scrutiny of benefits
Peter Hannam Companies lodging proposals for new mining and coal seam gas projects will have their claims of resulting benefits more closely examined following the release of new planning guidelines.ill
Doctors disappointed with NSW government on air pollution standards
Lucy Cormack NSW will adopt air pollution standards that do not meet the levels recommended by the WHO.
Sydney's Christmas Day looks good for barbies though beach may be cool
Peter Hannam Sydney is in for a hot few days but the mercury should ease back to milder conditions on Christmas Day.
What it was really like inside the negotiating room at Paris climate conference
Peter Hannam For negotiators engrossed in months or even years of arcane, technical wrangling for a new global climate agreement, the sudden involvement of political leaders in the talks in Paris was both a curiosity and a distraction.
Sydney weather: Bureau of Meteorology confirms Kurnell was hit by a tornado
The extreme thunderstorm that tore through Kurnell was consistent with being an mid-intensity tornado with wind gusts well above the previous strongest recorded four decades ago in NSW.
Sydney tornado: 'shards of glass become flying missiles ... the scariest of tornadoes'
Marcus Strom Unless you've been inside a 200kmh blast of wind it's hard to imagine the tremendous natural force behind it.
An historic deal to tackle climate change
Tom Arup, Peter Hannam in Paris Almost 200 countries have struck a grand bargain to take collective action on climate change, as the Paris summit delivers the first global agreement to cut greenhouse gas pollution in almost two decades.
Analysis: Paris delivers. Can Turnbull?
Tom Arup With the Paris summit wrapping up having delivered an historic global climate agreement, questions will inevitably turn to whether Malcolm Turnbull will use the international momentum to advance the climate debate back home
Analysis
Comment: Well done on the Paris deal, but the real test still to come
Peter Hannam Is the Paris climate summit, as the French phrase goes, "the mountain that gives birth to the mouse"?
A quick guide to the Paris climate deal
Tom Arup What you need to know about the Paris climate deal.
Canberra Zoo animals have a very human Christmas
Katie Burgess All the animals received their gifts a day early. So what did they unwrap?
Sydney to have a cool and dry Christmas Day
Kieran Gair Sydney can expect a cool, comfortable and dry Christmas this year, with the mercury predicted to reach a top of 25 degrees.
The animals at RSPCA ACT celebrate Christmas
Jil Hogan 11:45 PM They may not have found their forever homes yet, but Santa didn't forget the animals at the RSPCA ACT on Christmas Day.
Max still leads the pack as Canberra's weird dog names revealed
Matthew Raggatt 11:30 PM Don't be surprised if you hear Max yelled across Canberra's backyards this Christmas holidays.
Falling number of waterbirds in Australia's east sounds alarm
Bridie Smith 12:15 AM The number of waterbirds that call the eastern third of Australia home has dropped to the second lowest level on record, sounding alarm bells for the health of the wider ecosystem as drought conditions take hold.
How is Christmas Day in Canberra looking?
Katie Burgess Christmas Day in the capital is shaping up to be glorious. Boxing Day, not so much.
Fears for koalas under logging overhaul
Lucy Cormack Koala populations in NSW have declined by at least 33 per cent in the last 20 years and, on current trends, could be extinct in the state by 2055.
Canberra's cutest animal stories of 2015
Natasha Rudra Here are the cutest, the most heartwarming and the downright terrifying animal stories we reported on.
Unna the orca becomes third cetacean to die in six months at Texas SeaWorld
After two beluga deaths at SeaWorld, San Antonio, questions are being raised after death of an orca on Monday.
Sea snakes thought to be extinct suddenly spotted in Western Australian reef
Elahe Izadi "We were blown away, these potentially extinct snakes were there in plain sight," a scientist says.
ACT Greens support reforms to 'clunky' energy efficiency ratings system
Greens MLA Shane Rattenbury has backed calls from Canberra architects for a bolstered energy efficiency ratings system in the ACT.
Shark 'lands on surfer Dean Norburn's board' at Bondi Beach
Megan Levy "Mate, I lost about 100 heartbeats I reckon in that split second, and got a few more grey hairs."
Sydney weather: city records hottest December night in 15 years
Megan Levy Sydney sweated through its hottest December night in 15 years overnight, but a cool change - and a good drenching - is on its way.
Residents on alert near Newcastle after fires breached containment lines
Michael Koziol Fires breached containment lines in two NSW locations on Sunday morning as temperatures climbed above 35 degrees in parts of the state and Sydney.
Warm weekend to make way for cool change by Christmas Day
Clare Colley Canberrans can expect a cool change from Monday after a warm and windy weekend.
Climate research body fights for survival
Adam Morton A leading think tank and lobby group on climate change is fighting for survival after the multi-million dollar support of its primary benefactor ran out.
RSPCA loses animal cruelty appeal
Matthew Raggatt The RSPCA will continue to push for tougher sentences after losing appeal against woman's punishment.
Pets don't make a good Christmas surprise
Georgina Connery Pets are not a good gift at Christmas unless the person knows about it.
Canada is selling its clean air to China
Ishaan Tharoor The air in China's major cities is atrocious. Last month, the smog choking parts of the country was so thick that the situation got widely described as having reached "doomsday" levels.
Weekend heat will give way to cool Christmas Day
Megan Gorrey Canberra is bracing for a hot, dry weekend but a cool change could bring light rain on Christmas Day.
And so, the heatwave begins
Marissa Calligeros As of 9am on Friday, Melbourne was the hottest capital city in Australia. And that's not about to change.
Mount Clear bushfire burns towards urban areas
As temperatures climb, firefighters are attempting to extinguish a bushfire burning into its third day south of Canberra.
