Climate Conversations

Geoff Rose (pictured), a Professor in Transport Engineering, Monash Institute of Transport Studies , Monash University, discusses the trials, challenges and opportunities of E-bikes and E-scooters in his article on The Conversation: " E-bikes and e-scooters are popular – but dangerous. A transport expert explains how to make them safer ". Geoff delves into history to tell us of an early...

Dr Philip Lawn (pictured at COP 23, where he dared mention population and was almost thrown out of the room) was the preeminent speaker at the June 14 Swanpool Environmental Film Festival . Dr Lawn's address followed the screening of the movie " Climate Extreme: At the abyss?" The small country at Swanpool (about 20 km south of Euroa) was booked out for the annual festival.

Bicycle Network CEO, Alison McCormack (pictured) pedals to work, finding both fitness and peace of mind. Her story was in the Melbourne Age: " Why cycling to work is better for your brain than walking ". " Activists like Greta Thunberg care more about fame than facts "; " Israel says Greta Thunberg has been deported after seizure of Gaza-bound ship "; " This grou...

Writing in " Now, the People! Revolution in the Twenty-First Century ", Jean-Luc Mélenchon argued that Earth's ecosystem wasn't coping with the combination of a booming population and capitalism. " As disasters loom, emergency managers say they aren’t counting on FEMA "; " The White House Gutted Science Funding. Now It Wants to ‘Correct’ Research ."; " ‘T...

Some rain has fallen in parts of Victoria, and among those celebrating were these kids (pictured). However, one Victoria farmer says: "‘ I won’t get excited until my hair is wet’: This weekend is make or break for farmers "; Podcast: " Mining in the deep blue "; " In one awful decision, Albanese has revealed his do-nothing plan "; " A carbon tax and some key poli...

Greens MP Sue Higginson (pictured) talks about rain-bombs, rivers falling from the sky during a discussion on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Radio National program, " Country Breakfast ". " Australia’s renewable energy shift to be powered by gas "; "‘ I lost everything’: Swiss residents in shock after glacier debris buries village "; " A prince, tr...

Dr Kristina Dahl (pictured) is the vice president for science at Climate Central , leading the group's scientific activities, helping design analyses that enable people throughout the world to connect their lived experiences to climate change. During the interview, Dr Dahl said: "We are all living in a 'climate-changed' world. Climate Central is an independent group of scientists and communicators...

Decisions by Australia's Labor Government through its newly minted Environment Minister, Murray Watt, have sent shudders through many, and the airwaves of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation were alive with comments and observations: " Australia's largest gas project granted extension "; " Gas is no longer a dirty word for Labor. Should it be? "; " The Woodside...

The lights recently went out across Spain, and the Australian oil and gas giant, Woodside, was quick to seize on the consequences of the disruption to drive home the importance of ensuring reliable energy supplies: " Spain’s crippling blackout shows need for gas in a greener world: Woodside CEO "; " What we lose when weather balloons don’t fly "; " 5 huge climate opportuni...

Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, claims he cares about climate change, but then supports his Environment Minister, Murray Watt, in his moves to quickly advance a major gas project off the Western Australian coast: " Murray Watt knocks back objections to Woodside’s North West Shelf extension and clears way for final decision "; " ‘Desolate’: farmers in NSW’s west battle d...

Australia's National Party was successful in recent Federal elections and subsequently has been beating its chest in celebratory joy, but not everyone feels the same way, according to this opinion piece in the Melbourne Age: " Denial is hard to grasp in the city. In flooded Taree, it’s bewildering ". " The True Cost of Pretending Climate Change Doesn’t Exist "; " Trump...

Salvador Rueda (pictured) envisages a car-free CBD for Melbourne, arguing during an event ar the city's RMIT University that Melbourne’s grid design and tram network made it suited to superblocks, and land close to train stations could be their starting point because “you don’t need the car, practically”: " Car-free superblock pioneer’s vision for Melbourne – and the one thing he forbids...

Violet Coco (pictured) has the innate ability to reach into people, touch their hearts, make them feel something, make them angry, and yet comfort them with the thought that someone is doing something about alerting the world to the terrors of climate change. Violet, a woman with the seeming innocence of a young girl, was taken to lunch by Angus Delaney, and here you can hear the audio of a story...

Sharon Brettkelly (pictured) will go to extreme lengths, in this case, heights, to get to the bottom of a good story. Sharon, who writes for The Newsroom in New Zealand, tells the story this time on The Detail: " Powering New Zealand from a Wellington wind farm ". She writes: "When rain poured into our South Island hydro lakes last week, electricity bosses heaved a huge sigh of relief. "They’re st...

Professor Tim Flannery (pictured) was one of three speakers on a Climate Council webinar tonight (May 13), facilitated by the Council's CEO, Amanda McKenzie. The webinar, which attracted hundreds of people, was entitled "After the Vote: What Australia's new parliament means for climate - and how we can make the most of it". The webinar discussed: What kind of progress should we expect under the ne...

Chinese electric car companies are building vehicles that are both nimble and fast, and denting the sales of traditional manufacturers: " This luxury car can use ‘leap mode’ for potholes – but it’s not a Ferrari "; " ‘Getting barer by the day’: drought conditions in SA and Victoria worsen, leaving rural communities in the dust "; " Govt mulled, then scratched, home solar i...

Rebecca Huntley (pictured) appeared on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's television program Q&A, questioning the viability and value of Australia's National Party . " Even as emissions level off, carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is growing faster than ever. Here’s why "; " These 3 climate misinformation campaigns are operating during the election run-up. Here’s h...

Professor David Lindenmayer (pictured). from The Fenner School of Environment & Society at the Australian National University, was the guest on a May 1 webinar organised by the " Victorian Forest Alliance ". Professor Lindenmayer discussed "Disturbance and flamability: how logging and burning makes forests more flammable". His understanding of Australian forests, their hist...

Sue B. Inches (pictured) wants to build a better world, so she is doing what she can in that she has written a book about " Environmental Advocacy ", she teaches on that topic, and also has been giving sermons about hope in challenging times, and beyond, that she advocates for people, corporations and governments at all levels to take action on the mitigation of climate change. Sue's thoughts abou...

Simon Molesworth (pictured far from the austerity of a courtroom, working on his far western New South Wales property) sees the exhibitions of old ("fun fares" as he describes them) as a means to bring an understanding of climate change to as many people as possible. The Melbourne-based barrister, who has long been involved with climate and environmental movements throughout Australia, w...

A kitchen table discussion, during Victoria's 2020 Covid-19 lockdown, resulted in the design and construction of the first Frankenstein-like "Power-Droid" by former film and television stuntman, Purven Pather, aided by his business partner and wife, Jessica Gower. The arrival of the Power-Droid was followed by the creation of the company, Equoria , which is about "Powering your...

The City of Greater Shepparton followed the earlier lead of other municipalities, declaring a "climate emergency" in 2020, passing the motion on the casting vote of the then mayor, Cr Seema Adullah. Shepparton climate activists are concerned that the new council, elected last year and whose climate credentials are unknown, will move to see that 2020 reversed, just as has been the case at...

Rob Bakes from Vote Climate One , which includes the Traffic Light Election Guide, says, "The only thing we've got left is one another; we can't rely on government." He also says, "When you look at the science, we are in real troubles, We're buggered". Rob, whose passion is as wide as it is deep, finds comfort in talking with Geelong's Mik Aidt, who runs the bay City's " The Sustainable Hour ". Th...

Daniel Lancefield (pictured), who manages the "V ictorian Clean Tech Cluster ", worked in community organisations and not-for-profits for more than 15 years in sport and the arts before joining the Victorian Cleantech Cluster as Manager in 2022. Since then, Daniel has developed a deep passion and appreciation for all things clean and green, and has an extensive network of people across c...

Taking the nuclear conversation to the people: " Online Citizen Assembly "; " The Climate Council's Climate Risk Map of Australia" ; " Weather tracker: north-west Italy braces for thunderstorms and snow "; " One brick higher "; " Victorian Liberal leader distances state party from Peter Dutton’s nuclear proposal: ‘Our focus is gas "; " Coa...