Australia risks losing race for carbon competitiveness
Some want emissions safeguards expanded to cover more industrial plants as a step towards an economy-wide carbon limit and price, but others warn of job losses.
environmental issue
REDcycle’s parent company to be wound up
The company behind Australia's failed REDcycle recycling scheme will be wound up after it left stockpiles of soft plastics across the country.
Trust on the line in battle over plastic stockpiles
Coles and Woolworths have offered to deal with mountains of soft plastic stockpiled by a failed recycling scheme amid a push to have it wound up.
Car pollution kills 11,000 Aussies, hospitalises more
More than 11,000 Australians are dying prematurely each year from vehicle pollution, according to a new study that calls for more cuts to car emissions.
When Aussies can expert EV prices to finally drop
A record number of electric cars are hitting Australia's second-hand market, forcing down prices. But experts say more drops are needed to increase adoption.
Landlocked moulting penguins just need a little space
Penguins are about to strip off at beaches across southern Australia, ramping up the pint-sized seabird's exposure to predators, including domestic dogs.
Australia a ‘powder keg’ for grassfires after big wet
Every time Australia has had prolonged periods of wet weather, deadly fires have followed. Experts say the death of this La Nina will likely end the same way.
We found 29 threatened species are back from the brink in Australia. Here’s how
Australia’s natural world is in deep trouble. Many of our species are getting rarer. Some are now perilously close to extinction, while entire ecosystems face collapse.
War on urchins aims to save kelp forests
Plagues of sea urchins will be harvested and turned into fertiliser under a plan to regenerate kelp forests and boost farming and fisheries at the same time.
Billion-dollar rail deal to take trucks off the road
A major transport company has signed an 11-year deal to put more shipments on Australian railways, cutting trucks and carbon emissions.
Queensland reveals plans to power electric car trend
More Australian petrol stations will be turned into electric vehicle recharging hubs as Ampol ramps up its local rollout and EV numbers double.
Electric vehicle tax hearing recharges political row
A battle between state and federal governments over how electric vehicle owners will be charged for using roads continues inside and outside the courtroom.
Silent ‘life and death’ risk lurking in electric cars
Electric cars are too quiet to be safe, according to lobby groups and researchers, who say urgent policy changes are needed in Australia to protect pedestrians.
Flower-driven ‘madness’ behind rare orchid black market
The theft of 900 threatened orchids from a conservation park is evidence of a lust among collectors that's pushing some species further towards the brink.
Space the buzz word as farmers and investors talk tech
Scientists, farmers, inventors and business leaders are coming together to discuss ways to improve efficiency and profits in agriculture and food production.
Torres Strait flooding fears as sea-level peak imminent
Traditional owners in the Torres Strait say rising sea levels continue to damage their islands, with fears an imminent tidal peak could inundate communities.
Petrol car ban will force Aussie drivers to go electric
Australians drivers may not be able to buy a new petrol or diesel car in 2035 after restrictions on their sale was approved in Europe.
Rise in plastic trash reflects worrying consumer trend
An annual report that details what clean-up volunteers are finding in the environment is further proof that Australia's plastics crisis is worsening.
Queensland study shows snakes can be good listeners
Australian researchers have shown a lack of external ears is no barrier when it comes to the hearing abilities of snakes.
Legal fight to save tropical savanna in Top End
An environmental conservation body is taken legal action against the Northern Territory government over its plans to clear tropical savanna to plant cotton.
Heavy-duty trucks go electric for Queensland trial
Electric trucks capable of carrying huge payloads will be driven on Queensland roads for three months in the latest zero-emission transport trial.
Crucial court battle to set road tax for electric cars
How much electric vehicle drivers will pay to use Australian roads, and who will charge them, could be determined during an upcoming high-profile court case.
Mess still unfolding after plastic recycling scandal
The catastrophic failure of Australia's soft plastics recycling scheme shocked customers. Months on, the mess is unfolding as a fight brews over the clean up.
Coal mine rejection not broad precedent, says minister
Tanya Plibersek has defended her decision to block Clive Palmer's proposed coal mine in Queensland on the edge of the Great Barrier Reef.
Push to wind up company behind plastic recycling scheme
A court will be asked to wind up the company behind a soft plastics recycling scheme that's left mountains of waste across the country.
Australia nears electric car milestone but trails peers
More than 83,000 electric cars are being driven in Australia, a new report shows, but their adoption might not be fast enough to meet climate goals.
More electric deliveries set to hit Australian roads
The country's largest fleet of electric vehicles is growing, with Australia Post revealing a new electric truck trial and plans to phase out petrol motorbikes.
Thieves swipe rare orchids from WA conservation garden
Up to 900 of Western Australia's rarest orchids have been stolen from a conservation garden in a devastating blow for two species teetering on the brink.
Car industry crashes past climate target amid warnings
Research shows the automotive industry could exceed its 1.5-degree climate target by 75 per cent and electric vehicles alone will not meet the goal.
Global plastics crisis deepens despite rising concerns
The world's plastics crisis continues to worsen as manufacturers pump out vast amounts of new, single-use items and shun more costly recycling, a report says.
Spiky sea urchin impact comparable to crown-of-thorns
Scientists say problems posed by invasive sea urchins on Australia's southern reefs are comparable to the crown-of-thorns starfish on the Great Barrier Reef.