Earth’s energy budget is out of balance – here’s how it’s warming the climate
The Sun over Earth, seen from the International Space Station. NASA, CC BY-NC Scott Denning, Colorado State University You probably remember your grade school science…
Articles by The Conversation
Shipping is tough on the climate and hard to clean up – these innovations can help cut emissions
Ships carry more than 80% of world trade, and they rely heavily on some of the least environmentally friendly transportation fuels available. There are no…
Smart street furniture in Australia: a public service or surveillance and advertising tool?
Smart street furniture – powered and digitally networked furniture that collects and generates data – is arriving in Australia. It comes in a variety of…
Climate scientists: concept of net zero is a dangerous trap
Sometimes realisation comes in a blinding flash. Blurred outlines snap into shape and suddenly it all makes sense. Underneath such revelations is typically a much…
Green ammonia could slash emissions from farming – and power ships of the future
For the past 100 years, a simple molecule has had an immensely positive impact on our world. Ammonia, which comprises three hydrogen atoms bonded to…
Why hydrogen energy has seduced a generation of politicians
Hydrogen is often touted in the scientific and general media as a silver bullet for reaching net zero emissions. Such articles might include the following…
Biden’s Keystone XL death sentence requires Canada’s oil sector to innovate
In one of his first acts of office, U.S. President Joe Biden has issued an executive order that effectively kills the Keystone XL pipeline project. The…
The UK has some of the least energy-efficient housing in Europe – here’s how to fix this
Samot/Shutterstock Sankar Sivarajah, University of Bradford Poorly constructed housing can seriously affect people’s health and wellbeing. And with the UK having some of the oldest…
New research: nitrous oxide emissions 300 times more powerful than CO₂ are jeopardising Earth’s future
Nitrous oxide from agriculture and other sources is accumulating in the atmosphere so quickly it puts Earth on track for a dangerous 3℃ warming this…
Children’s views should be taken into account when designing urban space
Iryna Inshyna/Shutterstock Jenny Wood, Heriot-Watt University Children see the world in a different way to adults, but urban planning policies rarely take this into account….
Hydrogen: where is low-carbon fuel most useful for decarbonisation?
Is hydrogen the lifeblood of a low-carbon future, or an overhyped distraction from real solutions? One thing is certain – the coal, oil and natural…
Smart concrete could pave the way for high-tech, cost-effective roads
Luna Lu, Purdue University and Vishal Saravade, Purdue University Every day, Americans travel on roads, bridges and highways without considering the safety or reliability of…
These African World Heritage Sites are under threat from climate change
Very few academics or policy makers are talking about the impact of climate change on heritage. Yet heritage is essential for social wellbeing, for identity…
A novel idea: integrating urban and rural safety nets in Africa during the pandemic
In countries across Africa, the public health restrictions imposed to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic have thrown many people out of work. Cities face the…
We won’t have fusion generators in five years. But the holy grail of clean energy may still be on its way
Matthew Hole, Australian National University Recent reports from scientists pursuing a new kind of nuclear fusion technology are encouraging, but we are still some distance…
A home that will keep you warm and cool the planet
A home that will keep you warm and cool the planet “… everything from mining the materials for the cement to chopping down the trees…