International: Australia
Australia opens first carbon refinery, making new products from captured CO2
Wed 24 Jun 2026
Australia’s first carbon refinery opened in New South Wales, capturing carbon dioxide from explosives giant Orica's ammonia-making operations on Kooragang Island and turning it into products such as concrete, paper and glass.
Burning forest ‘waste’ to make cement damages the climate
Wed 24 Jun 2026
The Australian government has agreed to invest almost $53 million in a north Tasmanian company that will upgrade its coal-fired kiln to burn wood “waste” and used tyres for cement manufacturing.
Australia declares El Nino set to be strongest in decades
17 Jun 2026
Australia's weather bureau warned on Tuesday that an El Nino weather pattern has formed in the tropical Pacific and could intensify in the second half of 2026 to become one of the strongest in seven decades.
Climate change has already made Australians in one state much poorer, and more’s to come
16 Jun 2026
The world’s hottest years over the past decade have coincided with stagnant economic productivity, rising prices and geopolitical instability.
Denial is back in vogue. As Australia leads climate talks, it’s beyond time we took the issue seriously
16 Jun 2026
COMMENT: Politics is disconnecting from long-held assumptions at historic speed and no one knows where the great unhinging will take us. On the climate crisis, denial is back in vogue – depending on what the algorithm feeds you.
Australia can switch from fossil fuel exports to renewables, says next Cop president
15 Jun 2026
Australia's climate minister Chris Bowen says the country must prepare for a changing world and can play a bigger role in reducing emissions.
Australian homes lead the world in solar. But businesses are falling behind
10 Jun 2026
Australia’s revolution in rooftop solar has left behind commercial and industrial buildings, where installations have lagged far behind homes, according to new analysis.
‘That’s a bad combination’: why Australia may be in for a slushy snow season
9 Jun 2026
Snow arrives in time for the start of ski season, but climate change and El Niño mean it may not stick around for long, experts say.
Australia's greenhouse gas emissions drop as renewable energy, batteries surge
8 Jun 2026
Australia's greenhouse gas emissions have dropped, showing signs of a turning point in the country's most polluting sectors.
'They’re gone:' End of an era as Liddell coal plant chimneys demolished in spectacular explosion
2 Jun 2026
It was quiet. Very quiet. Everyone stood or sat still, and the only sound that could be heard was the gentle lapping of the water on the shores of Lake Liddell.
Aus power prices to fall for most customers, with bigger drops for businesses
28 May 2026
Surging levels of renewable energy and better reliability from coal-fired generators are set to give consumers a break, with benchmark power prices to fall up to 10 per cent for consumers and more for small businesses.
‘Foolish’ CSIRO job cuts will mean Australia unable to provide climate projections to global reports, scientists warn
21 May 2026
Job cuts at the national science agency mean Australia will no longer be able to submit climate projections to form part of global reports and will have significantly reduced ability to forecast future damage to the country, leading researchers have warned.
Aus Climate Minister urged to justify spending $200m on climate summit
19 May 2026
Australian Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen has been urged to justify the government's massive expenditure related to the COP31 summit after he set up an “office of the presidency” in his department.
A real ‘intergenerational equity’ budget would address Australia’s unceasing environmental decline
15 May 2026
Labor has unveiled a budget designed to tackle intergenerational equity in Australia through bold tax reform.
Datacentres should be forced to invest in wind and solar energy, all states agree – except Queensland
13 May 2026
Power hungry datacentres that are growing to meet the demands of artificial intelligence could be forced to invest in enough new solar and wind generation to completely cover their electricity needs.
Coal mine challenge reaches Aus High Court
13 May 2026
What climate change impacts should a planning authority have to take into account when assessing a mining project?
'Not sustainable': Aus Finance Minister says Govt must cut climate spending
11 May 2026
Finance Minister Katy Gallagher has conceded the Albanese government will have to cut its "supercharged" spending on net zero due to mounting pressure on the federal budget.
Australia to force gas giants to reserve fuel for domestic use
8 May 2026
Australia will look to stave off energy shortages by forcing major gas companies to reserve 20 percent of their exports for domestic use, Energy Minister Chris Bowen said Thursday.
WA government preparing to abandon its emissions reduction targets, documents reveal
5 May 2026
The WA government will not implement emissions reduction targets under proposed new laws, according to internal government documents seen by the ABC.
Oil refinery fire at key Victoria facility
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
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
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.
US defence spending on critical minerals surges in the last decade
Mon 22 Jun 2026
Members of communities affected by some of these projects said that U.S. state backing has meant projects are being fast-tracked without the necessary social and environmental checks or meaningful consultation.
China to raise power prices for energy-intensive sectors in green transition push
Fri 19 Jun 2026
Beijing’s latest road map aims to cut carbon emissions by 200 million tonnes by 2028 – but analysts say implementation may vary across regions.
Half of France under red heat alert as alcohol banned at street music festival
Tue 23 Jun 2026
France has issued red heatwave alerts for around half the country including Paris for Monday as a heatwave pushes temperatures towards record levels.
UK heatwave: 40C in June must be wake-up call on climate crisis, scientists warn
Wed 24 Jun 2026
Scientists are warning that politicians are failing to appreciate the magnitude of the climate crisis after the Met Office forecast that temperatures in the UK could hit 40C for just the second time since records began.
Canada signs landmark LNG energy deal with Germany
29 May 2026
Canada has announced a landmark energy agreement with Germany that will see the first-ever long-term shipments of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Canada to Europe in the coming years.
Asia warming nearly twice as fast as before
Fri 19 Jun 2026
A new report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) highlights record ocean heat, accelerating glacier loss and a series of extreme weather events causing significant human and economic losses across Asia.
‘Those blocking climate science are not our friends': Pacific leaders warn at Bonn talks
Tue 23 Jun 2026
Pacific nations and civil society groups have united at UN climate talks, pushing back against efforts to weaken agreed language on global temperature limits as negotiations continue behind closed doors.
Antarctica’s west coast missing an area of sea ice the size of France as temperatures peak 20C above average
16 Jun 2026
A vast area of the Bellingshausen Sea should be covered by sea ice by now, with one expert calling the loss of ice ‘depressing’.
Mombasa ocean summit drives progress on marine protection, but threats persist
Tue 23 Jun 2026
At the 11th Our Ocean conference in Kenya, its founder John Kerry says the ocean must become central to climate solutions and needs to be looked after.
Colombia’s climate crossroads: Trumpism casts shadow over presidential battle
26 May 2026
Colombia is a global leader in climate activism. Could US influence drag country to a future of mining and fracking?
Bonn climate talks end in “gridlock” on adaptation and emissions-cutting
Mon 22 Jun 2026
After two weeks of climate negotiations riven by arguments over finance and science, the UN climate chief expressed disappointment and denounced governments for “cherry-picking” commitments they have already made and waiting for others to move first.
