Peter Hannam

Peter Hannam

Peter Hannam is Environment Editor at The Sydney Morning Herald. He covers broad environmental issues ranging from climate change to renewable energy for Fairfax Media.

Royalties from coal and other minerals jumped in the past year, and the NSW government is banking on more.

Coal rebound tipped to bolster coffers for years

NSW's addiction to coal royalties shows no sign of easing after a surge in coal prices lifted expected royalties for the state by $839 million over four years.

Perisher snow cannons going full throttle.

'Remarkable' high pressure shielding much of Australia from winter's wrath

Farmers and ski resort operators are watching synoptic charts with growing anxiety.

A family cools off in a stream during a heat wave last month in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Tropics in trouble as climate change turns deadly: study

Rising temperatures and humidity will make the world's tropics increasingly unliveable by pushing more people to the thresholds of their physical tolerance and beyond, a new international study finds.

Chief Scientist Alan Finkel has never worked as hard in his life, which is no mean feat.

'The perfect person to have in this place at this time'

The chief scientist is struggling to solve one of Australia's most intractable problems.

Coal's role in the electricity mix points to an increase before a later drop, according to the Finkel review.

Emissions on wrong trajectory to hit Paris goal: report

Australia's greenhouse gas emissions could return to 2005 levels by 2030 without new government action, contrary to the scenario modelled by the Finkel review, according to a new report by respected analyst Hugh Saddler.

Rain is heading back to Sydney but nothing like the levels being seen up north.

Sydney has already reached its June rainfall average, and there's more to come

One NSW town has copped nearly 300 millimetres in three days - and it's not over yet.

Sarah Ciesiolka, a peanut farmer near Santos' Narrabr CSG project.

'Sitting ducks': Santos' CSG gaps highlighted by farmers, agencies

Santos' main environment statement on its proposed $3 billion coal seam gas project in north-west NSW lacks key data on groundwater impacts, salt disposal, air pollution and biodiversity, government agencies have found.

Brumbies in the high grasslands near Kiandra in the Snowy Mountains.

Battle over high-country brumbies about to heat up

A long-simmering dispute over brumbies in the Kosciusko National Park is set to heat up with the Berejiklian government ready to ditch a plan to reintroduce shooting to control feral numbers, a local advocate of the animals says.

Chief Scientist Dr Alan Finkel has presented his electricity market report to the COAG leaders meeting in Hobart on Friday.

'Catastrophic': Alan Finkel auditions for the role of Australia's chief political scientist

ANALYSIS

Australia's chief scientist has steered a politically pragmatic course in his landmark energy report.

Lighting up the night: more of the wet weather ahead.

'Dreary': Sydney can expect rain for the next seven days

Sydney can expect breaks in the dreary weather but showers and bouts of heavier rain are likely to linger well through the long weekend.

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