Environment

Prosperity and climate action can go hand-in-hand

9 October

Protecting nature and combating climate change need not come at the expense of Australia’s prosperity, a global summit has been told. Climate change, energy, environment and water department secretary David Fredericks says his department is...[Read More]

Hybrids demoted to make way for electric Uber rides

9 October

Hybrid cars will no longer qualify as “green” vehicles on Uber’s rideshare service in Australia after the tech giant announced changes to prioritise electric cars on its platform. Uber executives announced the changes at a London event on...[Read More]

Making the Most of Your Solar Panels

29 August

Solar energy offers a sustainable and cost-effective solution to powering your home, 12-volt setup, or caravan. The benefits of harnessing the sun’s energy are substantial, ranging from reduced electricity bills to minimising your carbon...[Read More]

Google links solar farm deal to help big data go green

20 December

A business-critical data centre specialist and a global renewable energy provider are teaming up with tech giant Google to build new generation capacity in Australia’s energy grid. Data centre firm AirTrunk, Swedish energy giant OX2 and Google on...[Read More]

War on urchins aims to save kelp forests

22 February

Ravenous sea urchins that are destroying kelp forests will be turned into farm fertiliser under a plan that will also boost some of Australia’s most valuable fisheries. In some parts of the Great Southern Reef, which wraps around the bottom half...[Read More]

Methane-eating organism a shapeshifter

18 January

A microorganism that feeds on methane to reduce the release of gas into the atmosphere is also a shapeshifter, a study has found. The microorganism, known as Candidatus Methanoperedens nitroreducens (or Ca. M. nitroreducens), is a critical life form...[Read More]

Sweet breakthrough in bio-manufacturing

18 January

Australian researchers are unlocking the secrets of sugarcane for future aviation fuel, plastics, rubbers and food additives. Gary Schenk from the University of Queensland has focused on an enzyme to speed up the slowest step in processing sugar...[Read More]

Rotting carp ‘plague’ after major floods

11 January

A carp “plague” has descended on flood-hit parts of the Murray-Darling Basin, creating headaches for farmers and concerns about the impact on native fish. Dairy farmer Heather Campbell, who manages about 200 cows on a property at Cohuna in...[Read More]

Mixed outlook for agriculture in 2023

14 December

It’s a mixed outlook for agriculture in the coming year, with grains and lamb expected to perform well while the number of dairy farmers leaving the industry takes a toll. Rural Bank’s 2023 outlook also listed global economic challenges and...[Read More]

Businesses forced to show emissions action