World carbon levels in 'dangerous' new territory

Peter Hannam The planet has passed a significant - and unwelcome - milestone, with the concentration of heat-trapping carbon dioxide in the atmosphere exceeding 400 parts per million (ppm) for the first time in...

Woodside blames dollar, labour costs for gas delay

Glenda Kwek, Ben Cubby, Peter Hannam Australia's ability to build a series of huge resources projects has been called into question after rising costs forced Woodside to shelve a $40 billion liquid natural gas development in Western...

Coalition blames unions, dollar for Browse gas blow

Ben Cubby, Peter Hannam 'Outrageous' industrial action and the soaring dollar had priced Australia out of the market for onshore LNG projects, says Ian Macfarlane, the Coalition's resources spokesman.

Companies face uncertainty over wind farm rules

Peter Hannam As much as $3 billion in wind farm investments may be diverted elsewhere as the state government dithers over guidelines and reporting procedures, developers and suppliers say.

Extreme weather threat to industry

Peter Hannam Extreme weather due to global warming likely to threaten Australia's key industries: report.

Heat on O'Farrell and Newman, say Greens

Peter Hannam NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell and his Queensland counterpart Campbell Newman are exposing communities to greater risk from extreme weather because of their refusal to accept climate change, according...

Extreme weather a peril for vulnerable

Peter Hannam Australia's most vulnerable people are at greater risk of injury and death because community organisations cannot cope with extremes of weather , says the country's peak social services group.

Heatwave heralds hot, dry summer

Peter Hannam Long-standing temperature records may be broken in coming days as a massive heatwave sizzles much of the country.

Record temperatures prompt fire fears

Peter Hannam Australia posted record average maximum temperatures for the last four months of 2012, setting up much of the country's south-east for high fire danger over the summer.

Comments 19

The heat - and dry - is on

Peter Hannam Australia will experience one of the largest heatwaves in decades in the next few weeks.

Call for curbs on solar energy spread

Peter Hannam A federal agency warns commercial rooftop panels could force up power bills unless a potential boom is held in check.

Electricity use fall cuts emissions

Peter Hannam Weak demand for electricity across eastern states has sparked a "dramatic fall" in greenhouse gas emissions from Australia's power stations, according to the latest review of data by consultants Pitt...

$27m more for 'clean' coal

Peter Hannam If there is a future to clean coal, it may well be found in Banana Shire in central Queensland. There, amid open-cut coalmines and the odd Queensland bottle tree, federal and state governments and...

Coalition's Macfarlane tells states to exit energy market

Peter Hannam Ian Macfarlane has urged premiers: get out of the energy market.

Latest electrical appliances cost less to run

Peter Hannam Looking for ways to cut your surging household electricity bill? The consumer group Choice crunched the costs for Fairfax Media on the average annual running tab for the latest models of 11 popular...

Shock report may spark climate push

Peter Hannam The next United Nations climate report will ''scare the wits out of everyone'' and should provide the impetus needed for the world to finally ink an agreement to tackle global warming, according to...

Australia 'too difficult' for high-tech energy company

Peter Hannam High-technology energy company spun off from the CSIRO two decades ago says entrenched power companies and shifting government policy are forcing it to all but abandon Australia.

CSIRO in funding bid to predict solar power flow

Peter Hannam WE MAY be a nation of sun-worshippers, but when it comes to forecasting where the sun shines longest, Australia's energy authorities are stuck in the dark ages.

Comments 5

Grass on the other side drying out fast

Peter Hannam With spring in full swing, much of south-eastern Australia hasn't looked this green for years. Canberra dam levels are hovering around 100 per cent, Sydney's are well above 90 per cent, while...