A new report found that greenhouse gas emissions have not increased in Australia in the past decade, despite a 31% economic growth over the same time period. The findings indicate that the conversion to a "green economy" does not have to be painful, and it is already happening in the Australian industry. ClimateWorks at Monash University released a report today that said stabilizing emissions levels in spite of economic growth could be achieved by reducing deforestation and increasing tree planting, improving industry energy efficiency, and slashing power emissions. The study concluded that more must be done to avoid catastrophic climate changes. Australia...

According to draft recommendations published today by the Climate Change Authority, Australia should reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30% below 2000 levels before 2025. For Australia to be credible on climate change, it will have to set a clear target for emissions for 2025. The Authority's recommendations are justified in principle, but the government will probably not accept them. The Authority pays little attention to the benefits of Australia becoming a low-emissions country and instead highlights international emissions trading. Post-2020 Target Game In the United Nations climate negotiations, every country is required to make an emission commitment for the next...

Researchers have called on scientists to examine how food efficiency measures could affect animal populations that rely on food waste and landfills to survive. The warning comes at a time when developed countries are introducing new measures to reduce food waste. For example, sending expired foods to charities rather than landfills. The authors of their paper wrote: "Scientists who work on the biology of animals species, especially those involved in conservation research, would do well to test hypotheses and make predictions about the impact of food waste on biodiversity on the planet." Iain Gordon is the lead author of the study and...

The homes of Britain are responsible for nearly a third of the nation's total energy consumption despite years of steadily improving energy efficiency. To meet the UK's carbon emission reduction targets by 2050, approximately 600,000 homes each year must be renovated in order to achieve large energy savings. At the moment, only a handful of homes are renovated each year to meet high energy-saving standards. More people need to be inspired to do the work themselves and bring their homes up to date. As pioneers in the field, homeowners who have done this can be a great example for others. They may even open up...

Food waste is a problem in many ways. It's expensive, with the average household spending over A$2,200 per year. And it threatens our food supply. In a new report, our Foodprint Melbourne Project estimated the amount of food wasted by feeding Melbourne. Our research found that the amount of food wasted in Melbourne is over 900,000 tons per year. This is more than 200 kg for each person. This amount is enough to feed over 2 million people a year*. Food waste can occur at various stages. Foodprint Melbourne Undermining sustainability This waste food requires 180 gigalitres (113 liters) of water per...

It may be a matter of snobbery. According to the British Frozen Food Federation's director general, frozen foods compare favorably with fresh food in blind taste tests. In the UK and US, there is a love-hate relationship between frozen foods retailers like Iceland. Iceland's new marketing campaign " Power of Frozen", aims to change this perception. Frozen isn't always unhealthy. Salvomassara/Shutterstock This is due in part to the price. Due to the lower production costs, frozen foods are cheaper at the point of sale. This can influence consumers' perception of quality. In the US, 4 out of 5 consumers believe frozen foods are "highly processed"....

Nairobi is the second most congested place in the world. Nairobi County is proposing car free Saturdays and Wednesdays in the two busiest areas of the city to reduce traffic. plans to add more buses, a lightweight railway, and a rapid transit system. The car-free initiative has not been given a specific date, but major roads leading into the city are being upgraded in order to accommodate the new systems. Nairobi's county government estimates that the road improvements will take six months. These changes must be made quickly and efficiently. Due to the absence of infrastructure for public transport in the city those who cannot afford...

These "protected areas" can range from enormous, strictly protected areas like US national parks through the heavily used landscapes of UK national parks to tiny urban nature reserves. Protected areas can stop or slow many of the forces threatening biodiversity, such as habitat loss, hunting, and pollution, and have been a mainstay of global conservation for decades. By August 2020, some 15% of the world's land had been protected. This was below the target, but there were enough specific commitments in place to drag the world over the line slightly late. In many ways, this is an incredible achievement and perhaps the...

We live in a world that is drowning in objects. There are televisions in every room, kitchen cabinets stuffed full of blenders, cappuccino whips, and drawers packed with small devices powered by battery - which take 1,000 times more energy to produce than they can ever deliver. In the early 1900s, disposable products like paper napkins and razors were considered low-cost. It is acceptable to discard anything, from a barely used smartphone, vacuum cleaner, or television to a three-piece set or fitted bathroom. Electronic scrap has become a serious problem. The European Union is experiencing a three-fold increase in scrapped circuit boards,...

The long-overdue move to reduce Australia's plastic pollution is underway with the introduction of single-use bags by Woolworths and Coles at their checkout counters. Queensland and Western Australia will also ban single-use bags from all retailers on July 1. It is still a very small step, and many things need to be done. In order to change people's behavior, it is important to find out what strategies are most effective for educating the public and changing their consumption habits. Read more: In banning plastic bags, we need to make sure we're not creating new problems. Research shows that fear or shock tactics, or...