Climate Conversations

From The Washington Post - "Why the odds keep rising for the strongest El Niño in a century":"As David Attenborough turns 100, four experts explore his legacy, from science to storytelling";"Climate campaigners attack Shell over ‘windfall’ profits from Iran war";"‘Only the Beginning’: Santa Marta Summit Heralded as New Dawn in Fight to End Fossil Fuel Era";"Australia is one of the world’s biggest gas exporters. Labor will now force companies to save some";“My Green World".

Renewable energy, according to Christriana Figueres will give Australians and Australia everything the climate deniers argue is essential, including energy sovereignty - "This ‘energy crisis’ is fixable. We already have the answers";"Scott was already working late on fuel supply when a call stopped him cold";"Rudd calls to harness ‘physical terror’ of fuel shortages to push renewables";"‘Wars, Uncertainty, and Geopolitical Upheaval’ Led to 2025 Global Military Spending Surge";"Can This Military-Industrial Beast Ever Be Tamed?";"ABC Shepparton "Breakfast" discusses Renewable Energy Zones";"A New Idea to Save the Climate? Dam the Bering Strait.";"Amazon invests in Mooroopna";"Mokoan solar project opened".

Geelong's Mik Aidt (pictured) describes himself on Substack as a "Climate crusader with a creative soul – part journalist, part campaigner, part podcast poet and musician."He writes and speaks about mobilising more people in service to life on Earth. His Substack is "In service to life on Earth".Many would know Mik Aidt through his popular radio show, "The Sustainable Hour" on community radio.This "climate crusader" is truly eager to have people meet face-to-face, and to see that happen, he first established a Climate Cafe in Geelong.Those attending felt the name was somewhat limiting, and so decided the group should change its name to the "Connections Cafe".Although climate is still on the agenda, the new name has allowed the group to explore fresh and exciting topics.

The American-based "Covering Climate Now" recently staged a "press briefing" at which the speakers and hosts explored "America’s Extreme Drought and Its Climate Connection".One of those at the event was Dr Peter Gleick, a leading scientist, innovator, and communicator on water and climate issues. "Who’d have thought a fossil-fuel shill like Trump would be the one to spark a green revolution?";"A prime-time hit job on renewables falls apart under basic facts";"‘Made in China’ EVs are taking over the streets, but just how safe is your data?";"11 Electric Cars Worth a Look With Gas Prices High";"ANZAC Day".

Common Dreams says: "We Must Fight Fossil Fuel Oligarchs to Save Democracy";"Energy security is now inseparable from national security. Australia has options, but they’re being neglected";"Critically Endangered listing of Lower Murray River ecosystem and Macquarie Marshes is a wake up call";"Overheated cows, flooded highways, and now a fuel crisis: why Australia’s food system is in big trouble";"An ‘ordinary’ storm with extraordinary impacts: what made Wellington’s deluge so intense?";"El Niño is set to take hold this summer, driving up global temperatures";"WaterNSW criticised for ‘appalling’ decision after hundreds of turtles left to die in wetlands".

It was the co-Chief Executive Officer of The Australia Institute, Richard Denniss, who told those at a Royal Society of Victoria gathering late last year that recovery would preoccupy Australians as the world's climate system continued to worsen."Bessent Questions the Cause of Climate Change and Its Economic Toll";"‘A Sign of What’s to Come’: Super Typhoon Sinlaku Slams Into Remote US Islands in Pacific";"‘Time for Half Measures Is Over’: Study Warns of Terrifying Atlantic Ocean Current Collapse";"The 'crop' we're not harvesting: Why Australia's brightest source is still underused";"Carbon Removal Industry Reels as Microsoft Retreats";"Climate change media coverage fell 14% in 2025";"Live from SEJ: The State of Climate Journalism";"Climate Change Denial Sees a Resurgence in Trump’s Washington";"Some states will go from record heat to a freeze — thanks to Alaska".

John Brinnard lives in a wonderful place just west of Yandina on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, in a lush piece of forest you could never imagine burning, but after a long, dry spell, that's exactly what happened - bushfire!Was that attributable to climate change? John, in his quiet and considered manner, didn't jump to that conclusion, but he had never seen the bush near his home so dry before or after.John is big on people giving themselves agency through involvement with others concerned about climate issues, and so he has supported "Rising Tide" playing an active role in the group's protests at the Port of Newcastle.He is also involved with the "Urgent Climate Action Network Sunshine Coast ".

Professor Ian Lowe lives in the small coastal town of Marcoola on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, a place he and his late partner moved to in retirement.However, as he points out, once a scientist, always a scientist, and so he continues to devour scientific journals, engage in webinars and travel to conferences covering topics that embrace his interests.The Professor has written many books and has been involved in ensuring others get published.Ian has been a regular at the Woodford Folk Festival and recently was a guest on the day four edition of the podcast, "First Wine of the Day".Although he spent some of his career in England, most of Ian's time was spent at Queensland's Griffith University.

Peter Simek leads EarthX, one of the world’s largest convenings of environmental and sustainability leaders, bringing together policymakers, investors, scientists, innovators, and advocates to accelerate pragmatic, market-driven solutions. Recently, EarthX announced programming and additional speakers for "Earthx2026", a three-day Congress of Conferences taking place in Dallas at the Hilton Anatole on April 20–22, 2026. Under Peter's leadership, EarthX has evolved into a global platform focused on finding common ground and advancing scalable environmental progress.One of the speakers at "EarthX 2025" was Peter Fiekowsky from the "Foundation for Climate Restoration"'"Saudi Arabia could be seven days away from chaos if Iran’s water war hits home";"Sweden’s ‘old‑growth’ natural forests store 83% more carbon than managed woodlands – new study";"US interest in electric vehicles surges as gas prices jump amid Iran war";"Making Coal, Oil and Gas Corporations in Australia Pay Their Fair Share for the Costs of Climate Change";"Gas giants warn against windfall gains tax as Pocock says ‘wartime profits’ should go to struggling Australians";"Russian tanker drifts into Libyan waters amid environmental warnings";"‘Just as Big Oil Predicted’: Fossil Fuel Industry Under Fire as Record Heat Broils Western States";"'Do not get more powerful than this': Cyclone Narelle set to slam far north Queensland";"Cyclone Narelle: ‘compact’, dangerous and unusually predictable";"‘Disaster inertia’: why must NZ keep relearning the same lessons from extreme events?".

Capitalism is, for many, the root of the problem regarding climate change, and some see the solution in degrowth, and others in what's known as "green growth".The Columbia Climate School tackled this issue through its webinar "Perspectives Dialogue, “Degrowth vs. green growth: can capitalism solve climate change?”Those hopeful of gaining an Australian perspective on this issue, at least from the degrowth angle, will have the chance on Sunday, March 22, to join the Degrowth Festival at Curtain Square in Carlton, not far from Melbourne's CBD.Also, those eager to learn more about what's happening in Sunday should listen to the Climate Conversations with Tonié, one of the organisers.

Darwin's successor, the late Edward O. Wilson, clearly understood humanity and the dilemmas it facedwhen he said it has "Palaeolithic emotions, medieval Institutions and God-like technology".Read the story about the late professora nd hear the interview in a story from The New York Times: "E.O. Wilson, a Pioneer of Evolutionary Biology, Dies at 92";"Deny, delay, downplay: How governments hide climate change intelligence";"Bundaberg residents told to evacuate as floods trigger memories of 2010 disaster";"Israeli Strikes on Fuel Depots Send Black Clouds Over Iranian Capital";"The Iran war has triggered a fuel price rise. What does this mean for Australian consumers?";"The Interview: Rebecca Solnit Says the Left’s Next Hero Is Already Here";"“A tidal wave of hostile messaging:” The billions spent each year by fossil fuel industry demonising renewables";"War With Iran Is Turning the Energy Affordability Crisis Into a Calamity";"‘Labor can’t have it both ways’: How the EV industry will fight any plan to wind back tax breaks";"Sea Levels Are Already Higher Than Many Scientists Think, New Study Shows".

The war in Iran, initiated by the U.S. and Israel, may have trapped some twenty per cent of the world's fossil fuels, but sunshine is still free to shine anywhere in the world.This webinar, organised by "Covering Climate Now", was a press briefing considering "The Iran War and the Climate Emergency".Two websites mentioned by speakers that would help reporters covering the Iran conflict were "Forensic Architecture" and the "Conflict Observatory".

Professor David Lindenmayer from the Fenner School of Environment & Society at the Australian National University is critical of many issues impacting Australia's forest industry, arguing he has worn out many pairs of shoes trekking to Federal Parliament to plead the case for the nation's forests.His frustration with the country's politicians, other decision-makers, and industry lobbyists, who all handled the scientific truth about our forests rather loosely, led him to write "The Forest Wars".More than four decades of working with his team in Australia's forests, particularly in Victoria, have seen Professor Lindenmayer emerge as Australia's Pre-eminent authority on the present health of our forests and well-positioned to comment on what should happen next.

Dancing will be just one of many activities at the Victorian Degrowth Festival 2026, being held at Carlton's Curtain Square on Sunday, March 22.Degrowth is an idea whose time has come as nearly 40 stalls, workshops and displays, along with music and dancing, will bring the City of Yarra event to life. One of the organisers, Tonié has urged people to register their intent to attend as it's important to have a clear idea of how many people will be at Curtain Square, and people can note their planned attendance at Humanitix.More information about Degrowth can be found at Degrowth Network Australia.

President of the Mansfield Football/Netball Club, Bo Christopher, has seen his club score ever before the season proper has begun, as it teamed with Footy for Climate to set up solar panels and a battery to capture energy from the sun on the club's facilities, reducing its power costs substantially.Jo Printz from ABC radio, Shepparton, interviewed Bo."Extreme weather is transforming the world’s rivers. We need new ways to protect them";"Who's driving up our power bills?";"Marge, the rains were here";"The Great Olympic lie: untold story of Winter Games’ huge environmental impact";"‘Don’t leave late’ is the best advice for fires or floods. These terrifying videos show why";"Under water, in denial: is Europe drowning out the climate crisis";"New U.S. Rule Aims to Speed Up Mining of the Seafloor";"How to get mass adoption of EVs in city areas? It’s not just about public chargers";"Pumped hydro is vital to the future grid. So why does gas exploration get all the tax benefits?";"Victoria’s mountain ash forests naturally thin their trees. So why do it with machines?".

Melbourne Age letter writer questions court finding on Santos."There’s a New Forecast for Peak Oil Demand. It’s Increasingly Cloudy.";"‘Ball bearings in the snow’: The role of climate change in deadly avalanches";"US Youth, Climate Coalition Sue to Stop Trump EPA ‘From Torching Our Kids’ Future’";"Missing Profits May Be a Problem for the Green Transition";"Have China's carbon emissions peaked?";"From fossil fuelled tanks to wildfires: How Russia’s war on Ukraine is destroying the planet";"Ocean Warming Drives ‘Deeply Concerning Loss of Marine Life,’ Study Shows";"Prehistoric creatures flocked to different latitudes to survive climate change – the same is taking place today";"Released emails reveal heavy political lobbying as massive gas project extended";"Mass extinction: our fossil study reveals which types of species are most at risk from climate change";"Severe flooding – in central Australia? How a vast humid air mass could soak the desert";"Climate change is drying out the ‘forgotten rivers’ that keep the Murray-Darling alive. We need a new plan".

Sarah Newman (pictured) is the founder and director of the "Climate Mental Health Network" and was the MC for the webinar, "Thriving in an Age of Disasters: Building Emotional Resilience & Taking Climate Action".One of the speakers was Elizabeth Bagley, the Managing Director of "Project Drawdown".She encouraged those at the webinar to check out the "Drawdown Explorer".Climate change and mental health are increasingly appearing in the same sentence, and this webinar helps people develop some perspective on what is an inherently challenging question.

David Brian (pictured) is the president of the Victorian Hemp Association, which has a field day at Northern Victoria's Nanneella on Sunday, February 22.David is passionate about educating people, particularly farmers, about hemp.He regularly attends exhibitions, conferences, field days and festivals to educate people about hempcrete and its benefits. He also works with farmers in Victoria and southern New South Wales who are interested in growing hemp, and they will have a chance to learn more on Sunday, February 22, at Nanneella, during a field day.David's company, "Southern Hemp", will be at the "Seymour Alternative Farming Field Day" in April this year.

The Director of Strategy and Campaigns at polling firm Redbridge, Kosmos Samaras (pictured), explains the ever-unfolding intricacies of elections, emphasising the importance of climate change.This educational and revealing webinar - "Why We Shouldn’t Be Held Hostage to the Past: Unlocking the Consensus on Pricing Pollution" - was organised by The Superpower Institute.In this third webinar in TSI’s series supporting The Case for Pricing Pollution, Kos Samaras, Director and co-founder of Redbridge Group, unpacks new national polling on public attitudes to pollution, fairness, and Australia’s gas resources - and what those views mean for the prospects of reform.Redbridge Group recently conducted national quantitative and qualitative research into Australian voter sentiment on pollution, economic fairness, and fossil fuel taxation, exploring how people think about these issues in the context of cost-of-living pressures and broader concerns about economic fairness.The findings cut through long-held and outdated assumptions about carbon pricing and shed light on:where public support is strongest,what issues policymakers need to manage, andwhere the real political obstacles to adoption lie.This conversation focuses squarely on political shifts, and how proposals such as a Polluter Pays Levy and a Fair Share Levy are likely to land with voters.

Professor Sarah Perkins-Kirpatrick and Professor Mark Howden (pictured) were at the Australian National University's Climate Update 2026.Professor Perkins-Kirkpatrick was the keynote speaker. The event, which had the subtitle "Adaptation from soil to stars", helped people understand why, in 2025, Australia experienced simultaneous flooding in the north and drought in the south. Promoting the event, the university said: "As we travel further from the historical bounds of the Earth’s natural systems, climate-fueled disasters are increasingly the new normal. "While still carrying the load of mitigation, Australia must now also plan for a changed climate. Our future policy direction is already being laid down, with the release of the first National Climate Risk Assessment and National Adaptation Plan last year".

Adam Bandt (pictured) is the newly appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Conservation Foundation and just this week was a "guest" on a webinar organised by the foundation's community organiser, Dan Scaysbrook.Bandt has been the leader of the Australian Greens party, but lost his Melbourne seat in the 2025 Federal Election.His new role at the foundation as CEO sees him taking over from Kelly O'Shannasy, who had fulfilled that role for more than a decade.This statement appeared last year on the ACF website:Following more than a decade of outstanding service at the helm of Australia’s national environment organisation, trailblazing leader Kelly O’Shanassy has announced she will step down as CEO of the Australian Conservation Foundation at the end of 2025.“It’s been an honour to lead this powerhouse organisation and serve Australians who love nature and want climate action. It’s a hard decision to step away — but unlike solar and wind, CEO energy is not renewable, and it’s time for a break.“I leave knowing we have created so much impact for nature and people. Together we’ve protected ancient forests from bulldozers, saved world heritage reefs and wetlands from being dredged, stopped toxic waste dumps and helped return a million hectares of Country to Traditional Owners. “We’ve shaped new laws to cut climate pollution and boost renewables and made climate action a resounding feature of Australian politics and business.”ACF President Ros Harvey said Ms O’Shanassy leaves a lasting legacy at ACF and should be proud of her role in making a stronger, more powerful and more inclusive organisation.“Kelly has cultivated a welcoming and empowering culture within ACF and the broader environmental movement and has always led with great vision, compassion and integrity.“Under Kelly’s stewardship, ACF created more than 40 ACF community groups across the country and attracted more than half a million new supporters, from cities, farms, the bush, the beach and mining communities,” she said. As the second woman to lead the Australian Conservation Foundation, Ms O’Shanassy helped shatter the glass ceiling within the environment movement and has been deeply committed to making the organisation more inclusive and equitable for everyone. “Great organisations are not just about their CEO, they are about every person being the best they can be – our staff, our community and the other NGOs we get to work with every day,” Ms O’Shanassy said.“We have vast challenges still before us. 2030 is fast approaching, Australia’s emissions trajectory is a long way from 1.5° aligned, and the gas industry is still pushing to expand.  “Australia’s threatened species list is growing. Stronger nature protection laws remain the big unfinished business and winning them will be ACF’s focus in the crucial first 12 months of the new parliament.”   “There is so much more to do, and we need big, bold action more than ever,” she said.

The Washington Post was once one of America's most influential newspapers, and in some ways it still is, but Amazon owner, Jeff Bezos, who bought the paper and had the wealth to sustain it, now appears to be shredding it.Layoffs at this once great newspaper were nowhere near inevitable. But Jeff Bezos was never committed to the paper’s best traditions - "The Washington Post Is in Free Fall—and There’s One Person to Blame";"Briefing Recap | Oil and Gas Lookahead 2026";"Australian ministers met Japanese gas companies 20 times amid fossil fuel lobbying push";"Authoritarianism is undermining climate action – and time is running out";"Under GOP Pressure, Federal Agency Pulls Climate Change Chapter From Official Manual for U.S. Judges";"Mass layoffs fuel fears of ‘death spiral’ at Washington Post";"The Otways brace for another gas fight";"Why Scientists Are Rethinking 60 Years of Arctic Snow Data";"Milan protesters rally against environmentally and economically 'unsustainable' Winter Olympics";"'Easy and cheaper': Why a growing number of Australians are adopting this niche lifestyle";"The case for banning fossil fuel donations ".

I missed the chance to talk with Australian historian Manning Clark, and death again intruded, unexpectedly, to rob me of the chance to meet and talk with Emma Johnston (pictured) - "Emma Johnston was a visionary scientist, environmentalist and leader, with an abiding hope for humanity";"Grant Guidelines for Libraries and Museums Take “Chilling” Political Turn Under Trump";"I used to have a great travel tip for Europe. It doesn’t work anymore";"In the Trump era of America first, scientists fear for the future of Antarctica";"More than $9 billion in renewable energy projects fast-tracked in two years";"Scientists Warn ‘Garbage’ Models Underestimate Risk of Economic Collapse From Climate Crisis";"Abbott, Boyce and Trump – three ways to deny a warming world";"Making polluters pay could fix Australia’s climate problem – and its budget";"Chance of El Niño forming in Pacific Ocean may push global temperatures to record highs in 2027".

Greg Mullins (pictured), who has fought and experienced fires around the world, was one of two guests on a webinar organised by Australia's "Climate Council", which discussed how fires that devastated huge parts of America's Los Angeles could easily erupt in Australia. Mullins is the former Chief Fire Officer and CEO (Commissioner) for New South Wales, and he is a member of "Emergency Leaders for Climate Action".

Australian astronaut, Katherine Bennell-Pegg (pictured), is the 2026 Australian of the Year and reminds us that all life on Earth depends on a thin blue envelope surrounding the planet."Victoria to reach 49 degrees as communities brace for week-long heatwave";"For the first time, renewable energy is supplying most of our power";"This Is Why Our Rivers Are Turning Into Sewers";"Corporate Polluters Running Rampant Under Trump as EPA Enforcement ‘Dying a Quick Death’";"Bushfire smoke triggers health alert, heat records could tumble as Mallee braces for 49-degree blast".

Brisbane family, Jon and Emelie Watson, and their two children (pictured) are "Living More With Less" in the Queensland capital city, creating a life free of the W.E.I.R.D.; way of living that most wealthy westerners seem addicted to.Jon and Emily don't insist that others follow their example; rather, they hope to illustrate how living with less brings joy and happiness, a state that eludes most.W.E.I.R.D - "Western, Educated, industrialised, Rich, Democratised.

The 1970 music of Edwin Starr (pictured) sent a shiver around the world, and his song "War, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing" is as relevant today as it was 55 years ago.Check out the impressive presentation my Canadian PM Mark Carney delivered recently at the Davos World Economic Forum.

Carolyn Ingvarson, pictured at her rooftop-panelled Melbourne home, says the current lack of recycling is a big barrier to many people installing panels - "The dirty secret in Australia’s love affair with rooftop solar";"Water wars ahead now Australia’s longest river officially critically endangered";"Country Breakfast";"Cleeland says government needs to truly understand scale of devastation";"Longwood fire remains out of control";"Generosity shines through";"‘Garden of Eden’: the Spanish farm growing citrus you’ve never heard of";"UK urged to ratify high seas treaty to avoid being shut out of Ocean Cop summit";"Climate whiplash: We can no longer pretend this isn’t a crisis";"Global warning: Trump’s war on the planet heats up";"Fires destroy 500 structures, premier heckled over CFA funding";"‘Like something from Apocalypse Now’: Catastrophic bushfires tipped to become the new normal";"Why Wye River copped a rain bomb that washed away cars";"‘It was a few seconds’: Warning system under scrutiny after flash floods";"As Victoria’s Great Ocean Road flash floods show, we need to get better at taking warnings seriously";"2025 was Earth’s 3rd-warmest year on record";"Allan announces review into bushfire season";"Facing ‘a new enemy".

Phillip Ruddock (pictured) was Australia's Attorney General in 2005, and along with his parliamentary counterparts was well aware of the perils of climate change - "Cabinet Papers 2005: From The Archives";"Previously secret cabinet documents reveal Howard government tried to mitigate 'homegrown' terrorist threat";"Socialism Should Give Us Hope for Tomorrow";"Heat, drought and fire: how extreme weather pushed nature to its limits in 2025";"A gas betrayal. King plan favours foreign buyers, gas cartel over mums and dads";"How Close Are the Planet’s Climate Tipping Points?";"Oregon faced a huge obstacle in adding green energy. Here’s what changed this year";"How the climate crisis showed up in Americans’ lives this year: ‘The shift has been swift and stark’ ";"Greenwashing, illegality and false claims: 13 climate litigation wins in 2025";"Queensland to continue to allow farmers to shoot flying foxes after revoking ban on controversial practice";"Understanding climate change in America: Skepticism, dogmatism and personal experience";"‘Choose people and planet over pain’: UN chief highlights climate impact of war in New Year’s call";"Why you should consider a ‘flight diet’ in 2026";"The great climate vibe shift of 2025";"150 Years of Change: How Old Photos, Recaptured, Reveal a Shifting Climate".

Tijana Jovanovic from Queensland's School of Social Impact interviews freelance journalist and author, Bridget Shirvell, about her book "Parenting in a Climate Crisis: A Handbook for Turning Fear into Action". Shirvell, an Environmental journalist and parent, has created a handbook for parents to help them navigate these questions and more, weaving together expert advice from climate scientists, environmental activists, child psychologists, and parents across the country. She helps parents answer tough questions (how did we get here?) and raise kids who feel connected to and responsible for the natural world, feel motivated to make ecologically sound choices, and feel empowered to meet the challenges of the climate crisis—and to ultimately fight for change.Learn more abourt Bridget from her website: "Bridget Shirvell".

David Spratt's "Climate hot takes for 2025";"Greenpeace’s Fight With Pipeline Giant Exposes a Legal Loophole";"When disasters strike, home batteries could be a lifeline";"Trump Administration Plans to Break Up Premier Weather and Climate Research Center";"‘The biggest transformation in a century’: how California remade itself as a clean energy powerhouse";"Green light for first apartment block in ‘great design’ high-density push";"‘Borrowed time’: crop pests and food losses supercharged by climate crisis";"This Simple Chemistry Fix Could Revolutionize Flow Batteries";"‘The anxiety never disappears’: Monmouth businesses recover from severe flooding".

The Shepparton News has one view about how to best care for the Goulburn River (pictured) - "Government actions wreak havoc" - and the Goulburn Valley Environment Group has another - "Environment group critiques News"."Interstate refugees: Why more Aussies are moving south";"Trump threatens world-leading forecasting and climate research centre";"Australia’s roads are full of giant cars, and everyone pays the price. What can be done?";"The secret to a cooler home could already be sitting in your living room";"Our podcast: Trust, politics and AI. What people think about climate news";"Obama Supported It. The Left in Canada and Norway Does. Why Don’t Democrats?";"How Did a City of 10 Million People Nearly Run Out of Water?";"The Earth Transformed: An Untold History".

Cascadia Times Editor, Paul Koberstein, teamed with Jessica Applegate to write the wonderful book, "Canopy of Titans: The Life and Times of the Great North American Temperate Rainforest".The pair had written an article for the Cascadia Times, but realised that what they had was more than a newspaper article; rather, the adventure of researching the great North American temperate rain forests became Canopy of Titans. There has been much talk, and much money has been spent on creating artificial carbon capture and storage; however, the world already has a natural storage facility in its great forests, a fact emphasised by Paul and Jessica.You can also find the Canopy of Titans here: https://tinyurl.com/y664n7as

The council of the City of Greater Shepparton has extended its approval for the staging of the Spring Car Nationals at the city's showground, in breach of its covenant with the 2020 climate emergency declaration.That apparently simple act of endorsing the continued use of the city's showgrounds for what is a "climate offensive" event effectively amounts to the hidden approval of the business-as-usual paradigm.Here is a Shepparton News article about that issue: "Petrol before planet";"Environment water rejected";"Report indicates basin shortfall";"Biodegradable plastics that actually break down might finally be here";"Is My Morning Coffee Climate Friendly?";"Private companies have raised millions to block the sun. What could go wrong?";"How Sick Is the Planet Johan Rockström’s Planetary Health Check 2025 - COP30";"Government actions wreak havoc";"Rising Tide, rising backlog. Coal protests too big for Zero Tolerance, police & courts".

The Australia Institute's joint CEO, Richard Denniss, (pictured) was one of a trio of guest speakers several weeks ago at an event organised by The Royal Society of Victoria, warning of the emerging problems of recovery from weather-related disasters arising from climate change.‘"Just heartbreak’: At least a dozen homes lost in bushfires near Sydney";"‘Crippling prices’: Manufacturers demand gas reservation";"The $265 million commute: How urban sprawl is costing Melbourne";"What do we know about climate change? How do we know it? And where are we headed?".

Simultaneous storms devastate Asia (picture): "Death toll surpasses 1200 after simultaneous storms devastate Asia";"In 1939, a Royal Commission found burning forests leads to more bushfires. But this cycle of destruction can be stopped";"The Cost of Climate""The surprising technology that could be key to saving the Great Barrier Reef";"Environment Bill passes Senate as Greens cut deal with Labor";"Are UN climate summits a waste of time? No, but they are in dire need of reform";"Reflections from COP30";"Climate “Realism” Is the New Climate Denial";"Solutions for Climate Australia is a national initiative calling on all federal political parties to slash climate pollution this decade";"56 million years ago, the Earth suddenly heated up – and many plants stopped working properly";" A/Prof Hans Baerm Honorary School of Social and Political Sciences".

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) airs grid controversies on the 7:30 Report: "The fight between farmers and the Victorian government is spilling onto the paddock";"Australia’s sales of big cars are out of control";"Helping producers navigate sustainability opportunities";"Blackout risk: Grid ‘not ready’ for coal plant closures, solar surge";"‘The New Price of Eggs.’ The Political Shocks of Data Centers and Electric Bills";"Many Fighting Climate Change Worry They Are Losing the Information War";"Who are the Australians trying to shut down the world’s biggest coal port?";"Australia could miss clean energy target as solar and wind investment slumps, investors warn";"Petrol Vehicles Are 5-20 Times More Likely to Catch Fire than EVs: Peak Body".

Canada's Prime Minister, Mark Carney, signed a sweeping agreement on Thursday laying the groundwork for a new oil pipeline to expand Alberta’s oil sands, exempting the province’s energy industry from several environmental laws.Carney is pictured here with Alberta's Premier Danielle Smith."Canada Lifts Climate Laws for Alberta Oil Sands, Planning Pipeline";"More than 1,000 Amazon workers warn rapid AI rollout threatens jobs and climate";"Revealed: Europe’s water reserves drying up due to climate breakdown";"Michael Mann To Bill Gates: What World Are You Living In?";"The Supreme Court’s Ethics Code Is a Joke. Big Oil Knows That. ";"Renewable energy zone win";"Preparing for a hotter, drier basin";"Funding for sustainable water solutions";"Water planning over morning tea".

Ben Pederick (pictured recording an interview post The Adaptation Game - TAG) is a big man with a big smile, a big heart and some equally big ideas about how we step up to the challenges we confront arising from the seriously different weather events being brought to us courtesy of a worsening climate.The City of Greater Shepparton has bought several sets of The Adaptation Game, and locals have been trained as facilitators to oversee and orchestrate the games, which will be available through local libraries.You can learn more about TAG by watching: "The Adaptation Game: a Community Climate Resilience Drill built on Stories"

Australia's Climate and Energy Minister, Chris Bowen (pictured), is attending climate talks in Belem, Brazil, at COP30. However, the talks have gone a little awry for Australia, as it has ceded COP31 to Turkey."Australia can win big international bids when it wants. This was an omnishambles";"Anger, questions over Albanese’s call to concede COP to Turkey";"‘Avoidable failures’: Government defies watchdog on compensation for flood victims";"The Accidental Activist, Madeleine Serle";"Australia beaten by the Turks. Don’t mention the war";"Victoria’s EV battle: Should non-drivers pay for roadside chargers?";"World still on track for catastrophic 2.6C temperature rise, report finds".

California Governor Gavin Newsom (picture) steals the spotlight at COP30 in Brasil - "Newsom in the Spotlight at the Climate Conference That Trump Decided to Skip";"This widely used chart makes the clean energy switch seem much harder than it actually is";"Indigenous People, Long Sidelined at Climate Talks, Take the Stage in Brazil";"‘I didn’t agree to that’: The proposal that triggered uproar in the Coalition party room";"A Flood of Green Tech From China Is Upending Global Climate Politics";"Earth Nowhere Near Where It Needs to Be to Avoid Catastrophic Climate Change";"COP30 Forges Ahead as World’s Biggest Emitter, the United States, Stays Absent";"How Monash Uni took a $43m moral stand and gave Building 94 its name back";"The comforting but dangerous fantasy of ‘normal’ climatic and political aberrations".

Liberal Party leader, Sussan Ley (pictured), is at the centre of discussions that mean little to what it is that Australians need to hear about addressing climate change."These numbers say net zero is doomed – and so is Sussan Ley";"Where the sky keeps bursting";"Greenwashing in the Evergreen State";"Ley’s job on the line as Liberals reject net zero";"Birrell advocates for coal, gas, and eventually nuclear";"The Liberal party’s betrayal of younger voters on net zero isn’t just a moral failure – it’s electoral stupidity";"The spectacular nonsense of the Coalition’s internal brawl over the 2050 net zero emissions target".

Marian Wilkinson has sliced through the fossil fuel companies, particularly Woodside, and our politicians, in her latest Quarterly Essay," Woodside vs The Planet: how a company captured a country".The Australian investigative journalist is interviewed here by the co-convenor from Climate 200, Kate Hook.It's long — more than an hour — but well worth your time.

Victorian Trades Hall Council assistant secretary, Danae Bosler (pictured), told those at the Saturday, November 8, launch of the Climate Safety Plan, that it was the workers who bore the brunt of the world's changing climate.She argued that they knew best what the problems were and how they should be confronted and resolved.Nurse practitioner and union member, Sigrid Pitkin, explained to those at the Millennium Building launch at Seddon, in Melbourne's west, how a thunderstorm asthma event impacted Melbourne's health services. Sigrid predicted that a warming climate would bring more similar and even worse events.The Climate Safety Plan will propose policies spanning eight key areas: built environment; health; insurance; emergency management; community resilience; food and agriculture; workers' rights; and income support.Speakers at the launch included:Kate Thwaites MP, Special Envoy for Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience.Madeleine Serle, Maribyrnong Community Recovery Association.Danae Bosler, Assistant Secretary, Victorian Trades Hall Council Sigrid Pitkin, Nurse Practioner and union memberAngela Ashleigh-Chiew, Environment Victoria.Shweta Dakin, GenWest and;Emma Bacon, Sweltering Cities.

The new book, "Human Nature" by climate scientist Kate Marvel is, in a sense, a whole new genre, for in it Marvel explores the feelings of a climate scientist, and from it we learn that they are just like us with emotions ranging across the entire arc of human feelings.Marvel talks about her new book with Columbia University's Andre Revkin, who is one of America’s most honoured and experienced environmental journalists and the founding director of the new Initiative on Communication and Sustainability at Columbia University's Earth Institute. At Columbia, he is building programs, courses, tools and collaborations bridging communication gaps between science and society to cut climate risk and boost social and environmental resilience.Kate can also be found on TEDx talking about "Can clouds buy us more time to solve climate change?".Her book, to give it the full title is "Human Nature: nine ways to feel about our changing planet".

Melbourne's recent All Energy Conference was fascinating for many reasons, but left me flummoxed, as it was, at its essence, about limiting climate change, even though it seemed to be about growth. The exhibits were impressive, almost like social events with free coffee, lots of meetings, and the exchange of ideas (pictured)."The $4.1 million question: How did the BOM get its new website so wrong?";"‘If you ignore emissions, we did great’: Germany’s challenging fight to go green";"Backbench heat over Labor plans to ‘gut’ environment safeguards";"People trust podcasts more than social media. But is the trust warranted?";"‘We’re not going to streak ahead’: Nationals officially dump net zero climate target";"Hastie rebukes Liberals ‘living in Howard era’ as opposition weighs net zero rebrand";"View from The Hill: Nationals dump net zero – say Australia shouldn’t cut emissions faster than comparable countries";"Bill Gates Says Climate Change ‘Will Not Lead to Humanity’s Demise’";"Money to Help Nations Cope With Climate Disasters Is Declining, U.N. Says";"Deadly rivers in the sky".

Robin Bell (pictured), a Marie Tharp Lamont Research Professor with the Marine and Polar Geophysics department at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, was one of three speakers at a webinar organised by The Columbia Climate School and chaired by the Professor and Senior Vice Dean, Columbia Climate School; Professor of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia Mailman School of Public Health, Jeffrey Shaman.Experts from the Columbia Climate School and Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory gathered for a candid conversation about what real climate responsibility looked like at the personal, local, and systemic levels. The panellists discussed the connection between individual actions and large-scale societal efforts, all within the context of the planet’s rapidly changing climate and the evolution of climate awareness and action. They explored the steps we could each take to expand our impact.

Geelong's Mik Aidt (pictured) has found a new connection through the Geelong Connection Cafe that meets for the first time this Friday at 3:00 pm.Mik, who has been deeply involved with climate activities in the city for about 15 years, mainly through "The Sustainable Hour", has worked with others from the city's former Climate Cafe to create this new body to reinvigorate connections in the southern Victorian city.Directly from the Geelong Connection Cafe website page, we hear:"At our September gathering, a small group of locals in Geelong made an important decision: our long-running Climate Café will now be known as the Geelong Connection Café.Why the change? Because words matter. While climate is central to our concerns, the word often carries a weight of crisis and disagreements. We wanted a name that points to what helps us move forward: togetherness, resilience, and the energy of being connected.Mel, who suggested the word, summed it up beautifully:“I think ‘connection’ is a good word because we have a global loneliness problem at the same time as having a climate crisis, and I think the thing that will move us through the climate crisis and make us more resilient is connection – the only thing that will actually get us through. If we are prepared to connect before that happens, then it means that we’re more likely to do better in the future. It also puts a more positive tint on things, because climate can feel a bit doom and gloom, but everyone wants connection – it’s intrinsic to us.”Anthony added that the word opens up many directions at once:“There are so many things we can connect with – connect with each other, talk about what’s important in life, connect with nature, connect with other people. That same connection can apply to all of those things. And that’s actually what’s missing in society as a whole.”For Adam, co-founder of the Geelong Climate Café, the new name also ties back to the history of The House, where our monthly café is hosted:“For the founding members of The House, it was actually that lack of community that drove us to put together The House. So it definitely fits with the theme of this place as well.”The move also reflects a broader shift. Around the world, people are experimenting with new language for community gatherings on climate and sustainability. Joseph Gelfer, who talks about replacing “climate” with concepts rooted in service to life, points out that words shape our expectations and our energy. By naming our café around connection, we are choosing to emphasise possibility, relationship, and resilience, rather than crisis alone.What to expect at the Connection CaféThe Geelong Connection Café will continue to meet monthly at The House. It will remain an open, informal space for:• Conversations about how we live well in times of change• Sharing personal experiences and practical ideas• Building supportive networks in Geelong and beyond• Exploring ways to strengthen community resilience and connectionMost of all, it will be a place to practise what the name promises: connection.

A Treaty with Victoria's indigenous people brings benefits to all, and our environment."Here comes the sun! The solar energy revolution – podcast";"Extreme weather costs Australia more than any other rich country, bar one";"Gondwana Link - connecting people, connecting nature";"Man arrested, accused of starting deadly Palisades Fire in California";"‘Vanish in a puff of smoke’: Monash plans to close climate crisis institute";"Extreme weather now costs Australians $4.5b a year. Better insurance options and loans would help us adapt".

Richard Denniss (pictured) was one of a trio of speakers at an event at Melbourne's Royal Society of Victoria to consider: "What is Australia Risking? Future Impacts of Climate Change".The event was convened by Climate Communications Australia and hosted by The Royal Society of Victoria, and offered a unique chance to discuss the report with Risk Assessment experts. The event focused on how climate change would affect Australia, and the scenarios for the 'cascading, compounding and concurrent disasters' that are emerging across the country.  The social and developmental implications of these impacts for future generations were discussed, along with what policies were needed to adapt to and mitigate the risks.The speakers were:Dr Andrew Watkins is a climate scientist in the School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment at Monash University. He was previously at the Australian Climate Service, where he was a Lead Author of the National Climate Risk Assessment. For more than 10 years, he was the Head of Climate Prediction at the Bureau of Meteorology. Andrew is a Research Fellow at Climate Communications Australia. Dr Richard Denniss is the Executive Director of The Australia Institute and is a prominent Australian economist, author and public policy commentator, and has spent the last twenty years moving between policy-focused roles in academia, federal politics and think-tanks.He was also a Lecturer in Economics at the University of Newcastle and former Associate Professor in the Crawford School of Public Policy at ANU. He is a regular contributor to The Monthly and the author of several books,a including Econobabble, Curing Affluenza and Dead Right: How Neoliberalism Ate Itself and What Comes Next? Professor Lucas Walsh is the director of the Monash Centre for Youth Policy & Education Practice (CYPEP) within the Faculty of Education at Monash University and was a member of the National Climate Risk Assessment Expert Advisory Committee.