International: Australia
Oil refinery fire at key Victoria facility
Thu 16 Apr 2026
Explosions and towering flames were reported as a significant fire broke out at one of Australia’s major oil refineries.
Australia eyes new fuel supply from US, Mexico and Asia as diesel prices spike to record high
Mon 13 Apr 2026
Australia could get more fuel from the US, Mexico or its Asian neighbours, with a new government policy helping refineries bid for oil shipments as diesel prices spike to new record highs.
King Charles warns of climate change dangers in open letter on 'devastating' Northern Territory wet season
Mon 13 Apr 2026
The king says the flooding is an example of extreme weather events "becoming both more frequent and more ferocious in their impact" due to the "harsh reality of climate change".
Australia, China discuss regional energy security, Albanese says
9 Apr 2026
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he discussed regional energy security with his Chinese counterpart Li Qiang by phone on Tuesday, as China's fuel export ban exacerbates energy disruptions linked to the Iran war.
Two Australian states offer free public transport as war pushes up fuel prices
30 Mar 2026
Public transport in two Australian states will be made free to incentivise people not to drive as fuel prices soar due to the war in the Middle East.
Fake news on everything from whales to wind farms: Australia is flooded with climate misinformation
27 Mar 2026
Australia is facing a wave of misinformation and disinformation on climate change and energy. This is being fuelled by the growth in artificial intelligence and allowed to spread freely on social media, according to the findings of a Senate inquiry.
Security group warns Australia’s democracy is being threatened by ‘anti-climate-action propaganda’
25 Mar 2026
Australia’s democracy and sovereignty is being threatened by a propaganda machine aiding climate change deniers, a security group has warned.
NSW to ban new coalmines in major shake-up for $23bn industry
23 Mar 2026
A major shake-up is on the way for one Australian state’s single biggest export, which powers homes here and abroad.
Australian governments subsidising fossil fuel use by more than $30,000 a minute, analysis finds
13 Mar 2026
Australian federal and state government subsidies that encourage fossil fuel use and help drive the climate crisis will reach $16.3bn this year after leaping by nearly 10%, according to a new analysis.
If there was ever a moment for Australia’s shift to renewables and EVs, this is it
12 Mar 2026
Yes, Australia needs fuel. But the Middle East war also shows the necessity of setting ourselves up for the future.
Why your next car is a matter of national security
9 Mar 2026
COMMENT: Aussie motorists can take action to limit theirs and Australia’s exposure to the Middle East conflict.
Tiny, lost and constipated: what a baby turtle told Australian scientists about warming seas
6 Mar 2026
The arrival of loggerheads in New South Wales shows these ‘sentinels of climate change’ are being forced into unknown territory.
Western Australian communities want mandatory payments from new renewable developments
6 Mar 2026
The West Australian government wants to make new wind and solar farms pay into community funds, but host towns say more work needs to be done to make sure the payments actually happen.
Australia-US minerals deal underpinned decision to allow mining company to clear threatened indigenous forest
23 Feb 2026
The Australian government’s decision to allow the US mining giant Alcoa to continue clearing swathes of Western Australian jarrah forest despite past illegal clearing practices was made in part due to a critical minerals deal reached between Australia and the Trump administration last year, a new document shows.
The case for Australian carbon tariffs
19 Feb 2026
OPINION: It may seem a niche issue but sorting the issue of carbon leakage from emissions-intensive facilities is needed to put industrial climate policy on a firm footing.
Australian gas producer Santos wins court fight over net zero claims
18 Feb 2026
An Australian court on Tuesday threw out a lawsuit against gas producer Santos that alleged the company misled the public on its plans to achieve net zero carbon emissions.
Australia's Liberals elect net zero opponent as new leader
16 Feb 2026
Australia's opposition Liberal Party elected as leader on Friday a conservative who lobbied to drop its commitment to net zero emissions, as it seeks to counter an insurgent populist right and rebuild support after a disastrous election loss last year.
Australia's renewables boom delivers coveted power price payoff
11 Feb 2026
Australia's wholesale electricity prices fell to the lowest in four years in 2025, bucking the rising price trends seen elsewhere and validating claims that renewables-heavy power system overhauls can help lower consumer power costs.
Australian ministers met Japanese gas companies 20 times amid fossil fuel lobbying push
11 Feb 2026
Australian government ministers met Japanese gas company executives more than 20 times in the last term of parliament as Labor encouraged investment in the fossil fuel industry.
Making polluters pay could fix Australia’s climate problem – and its budget
4 Feb 2026
A new report shows how making polluters pay will not only diminish the threat from climate change, but it can also help restore the budget and the economy.
Australia hits new renewable milestone of over 50%
2 Feb 2026
Renewables have reached a major milestone. For the past three months wind and solar has supplied more power to the grid than fossil fuels.
How the garden sprinkler conquered Australia
2 Feb 2026
The invention of the cheap plastic sprinkler helped create the suburban dream. But watering the garden now sits at the centre of a growing climate dilemma.
Australian heatwave fans bushfires, towns evacuated, Melbourne endures hottest day in 17 years
28 Jan 2026
A major heatwave across Australia's southeast stoked bushfires, forced hundreds of residents in rural towns to evacuate and brought record-breaking temperatures, with Melbourne recording its hottest day in nearly 17 years.
Australia’s worst heatwave since black summer made five times more likely by global heating
26 Jan 2026
Extreme heat ‘is getting worse and whether we like it or not … there’s ultimately a limit to what we can actually physically cope with’, scientist says.
Battery subsidy scheme set for 'urgent' overhaul as costs run out of control
16 Dec 2025
Australian Energy Minister Chris Bowen has announced big changes to the government's battery subsidy scheme amid claims most of its $2.3 billion budget has been spent in just six months.
Australian Government wants EV, PHEV owners to start sending power to the grid
15 Dec 2025
The newly announced Vehicle-Grid Network is part of a plan to establish Australia as a leader in vehicle-to-grid technology.
Australia has new laws to protect nature. Do they signal an end to native forest logging?
11 Dec 2025
Reforms to Australia’s nature laws have passed federal parliament. A longstanding exemption that meant federal environment laws did not apply to native logging has finally been removed from the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
Australian market operator slashes wind farm predictions amid falling costs for solar and batteries
11 Dec 2025
The body that runs Australia's biggest power market has scaled back its plans for high-voltage power lines and wind farms to meet the country's green energy targets.
Shell subsidiary paid Queensland museum more than $10m to shape children’s climate education
9 Dec 2025
The educational materials distort how fossil fuel pollution has caused the climate emergency, new report finds.
Wildfires destroy 40 homes and kill a firefighter in Australia
9 Dec 2025
There were 52 wildfires burning across New South Wales on Monday and nine remained out of control. A total of 20 homes had destroyed over the weekend in that state.
What Victoria auditor-general's report actually says about so-called 'transition chaos'
8 Dec 2025
Mainstream media loves a electricity blackout scare, but in the wake of this week’s report from the Victorian auditor-general on the state of the state’s transition to renewables, the headline hysteria hit new heights.
NSW government, energy company under fire after native bird habitat cleared for renewables project
5 Dec 2025
A New South Wales government-backed renewable energy project has been accused of environmental vandalism after dozens of threatened birds were found in native trees it had cleared.
Shipping movements disrupted as climate change protesters block coal ships
2 Dec 2025
NSW police have arrested 141 people who attempted to block the shipping channel in Newcastle Harbour during Rising Tide protests, which began on Thursday.
Australia finally acknowledges environment underpins all else. That’s no small thing
1 Dec 2025
COMMENT: In what are dangerous times for democracies around the world, parliament’s overhaul of nature laws in the EPBC Act shows ambitious reform remains possible.
Government projected to badly miss 2035 climate target, fall shy of 2030
28 Nov 2025
Australia is expected to badly miss its 2035 climate commitment, according to department projections.
Experts dismiss coalition claims Chris Bowen cannot remain minister while leading COP31 negotiations
26 Nov 2025
Experts have dismissed claims Chris Bowen cannot remain a senior minister while playing a leading role in international climate negotiations, with one describing the argument as evidence of an Australian “culture cringe”.
South Korean decision to close all coal-fired power plants by 2040 sounds alarm for Australian exports
19 Nov 2025
Decision announced at Cop30 climate conference signposts risks for Australia’s reliance on fossil fuel exports, analysts say.
Australia rejects offer to co-host UN climate summit with Turkey
18 Nov 2025
Australia rejected on Monday Turkey's offer to co-host next year's UN climate summit, which Canberra is pushing to take place in the city of Adelaide.
Australia's green energy push, Pacific ties face setback from COP31 impasse
14 Nov 2025
Australia risks undermining efforts to establish itself as a leader in the green energy transition and letting down its vulnerable Pacific island neighbours if its bid to host next year's biggest climate summit fails, diplomats and analysts say.
Liberal Party formally abandons net zero by 2050 climate target
14 Nov 2025
The Liberal Party has agreed to scrap its commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2050, which was first set under the Morrison government.
EV and hybrid sales soar in Australia as internal combustion cars fall below 70% market share for first time
13 Nov 2025
Data from peak motoring body shows battery-electric vehicles accounted for 9.7% of new cars sold in September quarter, the highest proportion on record.
Forty per cent of Australian women without kids hesitant to have children because of climate change, survey finds
11 Nov 2025
The survey, on attitudes about the impacts of global heating, also found that half of Australians were very or extremely concerned about climate change and two in five believed the climate would be “much hotter” in 2050.
We have more renewable energy than ever before. Why are we switching it off?
11 Nov 2025
Experts say until more storage is installed to soak up the waves of renewable energy flooding the grid, much of that power will occasionally have to be curtailed.
“Dirty and expensive:” City of Sydney bans gas as it votes to electrify all new big buildings
6 Nov 2025
The City of Sydney has followed the example of the ACT and Victoria governments and voted unanimously to require all newly built residential buildings, medium to large commercial buildings, hotels, and serviced apartment buildings, to be all-electric.
Australian Nationals formally abandon commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2050
3 Nov 2025
Nationals leader David Littleproud said the party would shift its focus to climate adaptation instead of being "focused solely" on reducing emissions, noting Australia's small share of the global effort.
Companies could have profits from breaking environment laws stripped under Australian reforms
23 Oct 2025
The Albanese government wants the power to strip companies of any financial gains made from breaking environment laws, as part of a package of landmark reforms to be put before parliament in the next two weeks.
US, Australia to invest $2 billion in critical minerals, advance Alcoa gallium project
23 Oct 2025
The United States and Australia extended financial support to several Australian companies as part of a wide-ranging critical minerals agreement aimed at countering China's hold over the industry.
Australian rainforests no longer a carbon sink – study
17 Oct 2025
Australia's tropical rainforests are among the first in the world to start emitting more carbon dioxide than they absorb, scientists said Thursday, linking the "very concerning" trend to climate change.
For Australia to get moving on electric vehicles, we must ban petrol and diesel cars by 2035
17 Oct 2025
COMMENT: If nothing is done, transport is projected to be Australia’s largest emissions source by 2030.
Solar panel efficiency record broken in big boost for renewable energy
10 Oct 2025
Scientists in Sydney have smashed the efficiency record for a new type of solar panel.
Gun manufacturers won the ultimate legal shield. Big Oil wants that, too
Wed 15 Apr 2026
Backed by the Trump administration, the industry is seeking to block all climate lawsuits that seek compensation from fossil fuel producers for damages.
China's climate envoy warns of energy security risks, urges renewables shift
Wed 15 Apr 2026
The ongoing global energy crisis has highlighted the risks of heavy dependence on fossil fuel imports, prompting an urgent need for countries to rethink their energy security strategies and accelerate the transition to renewable energy, Liu Zhenmin, China's climate envoy for climate change, has said recently.
War spurs EU plan for electricity tax cuts, faster shift from fossil fuels, draft shows
Thu 16 Apr 2026
The European Union plans to reduce electricity taxes and expand clean technologies faster to cut consumers' exposure to soaring oil and gas prices, as part of its plan to offset the Iran war's energy impact, a draft document showed.
UK ‘green’ jet fuel imports linked to illegal Amazon deforestation
Tue 14 Apr 2026
A major supplier of ‘green’ airline fuel to the UK has sourced beef fat linked to illegal Amazon deforestation, court documents and shipping data show.
Mark Carney just picked his lane on climate change
17 Feb 2026
COMMENT: Mark Carney's time as prime minister has been defined in part by his decision to roll back Trudeau-era climate policies.
Ocean protections clash with mining pressure in Indonesia’s most diverse marine ecosystem
Mon 13 Apr 2026
Long regarded as a global model for ocean conservation, Raja Ampat ecosystems are now under pressure, as concerns grow over the expansion of nickel mining alongside a surge of international tourism.
Tuvalu to host world leaders before COP31 summit
Thu 16 Apr 2026
Tuvalu, the Pacific nation at the forefront of the global climate crisis, will host a special meeting of world leaders before this year’s Cop31 summit, as the conference president expresses “complete faith” in Chris Bowen to lead tough negotiations.
Drowned chicks and food scarcity: Emperor penguin and Antarctic fur seal now endangered
Mon 13 Apr 2026
The primary drivers are shrinking sea ice and warming oceans driven by climate change.
Rationing power and diluting petrol – how African countries are coping with effects of Iran war
30 Mar 2026
Countries across Africa have taken measures such as diluting petrol and restricting electricity consumption to cope with the fuel crisis triggered by the US and Israel's war in Iran.
Beef production drives 40% of agriculture-linked forest destruction, Brazil leads
26 Mar 2026
Beef production is the leading driver of agriculture-linked deforestation, accounting for 40% of all forest clearing done to open space for food production, according to details of a study released on Tuesday.
India walked away from its bid to host COP33 – here's why
Thu 16 Apr 2026
India has quietly abandoned its bid to host the UN's top-tier climate conference COP33, marking a shift from PM Narendra Modi's pledge in 2023. Experts and analysts explore what's behind the decision.
