Climate News: Personal experience illustrates that if we feel something is important and needs to be attended to, we should act now - 'later' is simply too late

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context of cost-of-living pressures and broader concerns about economic fairness.The findings cut through long-held and outdated assumptions about carbon pricing and shed light on:where public support is strongest,what issues policymakers need to manage, andwhere the real political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".