Climate calling

The government has announced a suite of major tobacco industry reforms as they fight the serious health impacts of smoking. But at the same time, the Albanese government are being accused of neglecting the health of the environment, with the Greens and Independents attacking Labor's climate policy.

Australians are being told to expect warmer and drier conditions this summer. But the Bureau of Meteorology is still holding out from declaring a El Nino event - for the moment.

Former Defence Force Chief Admiral Chris Barrie, from the Australian Security Leaders Climate Group, tells SBS's Biwa Kwan that while he was pleased when there was a change of government in in May last year, he's been pretty disappointed with their performance so far regarding climate change.

The G20 has issued its strongest statement yet in Russia's invasion of Ukraine, condemning the use of force for territorial gain. But while reaching a consensus on Ukraine dominated the G20 meeting, economic development - and climate change – also figured prominently on the agenda.

Torrential rains have flooded homes and roads in Greece on Tuesday (September 5). Storm Daniel has battered western and central Greece since Monday (September 4), prompting hundreds of calls to emergency services to pump out water just days after a deadly wildfire which burned for over two weeks was brought under control in the north of the country.

Kenya generates more than 70 per cent of its energy from renewable sources like geothermal, hydro, wind and solar energy. As solar energy also becomes more attractive for industrial and home use, the east African nation has responded by removing duties on the import of products like solar panels and inverters. With Africa's first climate summit beginning in Nairobi this week (5 September}, Kenyan...

South Australia and Victoria face a heightened risk of blackouts this summer as the nation's east coast swelters under El Nino conditions. That's according to a new report calling for urgent investment in renewables to avoid a power crisis over the next decade.

Mass evacuations are currently underway in the US state of Florida as Hurricane Idalia approaches the Gulf Coast.

Holidays are a time to relax and set aside worldly cares... but when your destination is at risk of wildfires, flooding or heatwaves, the warming climate may bring those cares back to the fore. During the northern hemisphere's summer, Greece, Italy, Algeria and Tunisia combined lost more than 1,350 square kilometers to blazes that affected 120,000 people in late July. And here in Australia, we are...

A grim forecast of a poorer, less productive and hotter nation forms the core of the latest Intergenerational Report. The document released by the Federal Government looks 40 years into the future, delivering a stark warning about the economic challenges ahead.

The federal government has delivered an updated plan for the management of the Murray Darling Basin, one of Australia's most complicated and important river systems. South Australia, Queensland and New South Wales have all agreed to the new plan - but Victoria has refused to sign on.

Australians are being urged to prepare for what may be the most significant bush fire season since the deadly 2019-2020 Black Summer fires. Large areas of the country are at an increased risk due to reduced rainfall, above-average temperatures and changing weather patterns. Authorities have issued a message to Australians to get prepared now.

There's been a new agreement reached on a plan to manage the Murray Darling Basin, the nation's largest and most complex river system. The plan aims to ensure water promised for the Basin will be returned to the environment - but under a longer time frame.

Tropical Storm Hilary is no longer a hurricane but it still carries what forecasters call “life-threatening” rain as it heads toward Southern California. It's being described as an 'unprecedented' weather event, and is the first time such a storm has threatened the state in nearly a century.

The devastating wildfires on the Hawaiian island of Maui have emphasised the need for communities to be given adequate warnings about impending disasters. So how do different countries do that? And how does Australia compare?

The death toll from devastating wildfires in Hawaii has risen to 36 but authorities fear that figure could go even higher as search and rescue teams reach areas currently not safe to go to. The US government has declared a state of emergency so Hawaii can access federal aid.

Eight South American countries, along with nations from the Caribbean, Africa and Asia, have called on industrialized nations to do more to protect the world's tropical forests. But some leaders gathered for a summit in Brazil have faced criticism for not pledging to halt deforestation in the Amazon.

At least six people have been killed in wildfires on the Hawaiian island of Maui. Widespread fires have forced people to flee into the ocean, injured at least two dozen people, and destroyed a historic town.

New research has found that even during traditionally cooler weather patterns, mass bleaching in the Great Barrier Reef is occurring. It's causing great concern for the world’s biggest coral reef system among climate watchers. But they stress, it's not too late to reverse the damage.

An Amazon Forest Summit in Brazil is bringing together leaders from Amazonian countries to address urgent protection measures for the rainforest and its people. Brazil's Minister for Environment is calling for evidence-based policies, as Indigenous tribes seek laws to ensure their survival.

An Amazon Forest Summit in Brazil is bringing together leaders from Amazonian countries to address urgent protection measures for the rainforest and its people. Brazil's Minister for Environment is calling for evidence-based policies, as Indigenous tribes seek laws to ensure their survival.

A draft report by UNESCO shows that the Great Barrier Reef will not be added to the list of endangered World Heritage sites. While the government hails it as a positive sign, it is only a temporary relief as Australia needs to show progress within six months or the reef may end up in the list.

Italian health authorities have intensified their weather warnings as Southern Europe endures another brutally hot week. Temperatures are expected to top 40 degrees in several cities.

Fire authorities looking to avoid a repeat of the devastating bushfires of 2019 and 2020, are investigating how cultural burning can become a more accessible service. Representatives from eleven Local Aboriginal Land Councils have come together with other fire mitigation groups, to discuss how their practices can reduce fire hazards and promote land regeneration.

The catastrophic bushfires affecting North America, Europe and China are a chilling reminder of the Black Summer of 2019-2020 in Australia. With forecasts of a dangerous bushfire season ahead for this country, medical experts are warning of the dangers from smoke which blanketed many parts of Australia during that summer.