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Welcome to eFuture, where you can explore Australia's electricity future through to 2050. eFuture is a snapshot of the complex modelling CSIRO carries out every day to support government and industry as they make decisions about energy investment and policy. Based on CSIRO's energy sector model, you can select options and instantly view charts showing changes to Australia's future electricity sources, greenhouse gas emissions and the cost of electricity. With the release of the Australian Government's Energy White Paper (2012), CSIRO is excited to launch eFuture, a way for those interested in energy to explore the future energy scenarios similar to those presented in the Energy White Paper.

This report describes the outcomes from a CSIRO global foresight project. It presents six megatrends that will redefine how the world's people live.

"Weather and climate touch all aspects of Australian life. What we experience here at home is part of the global climate system. The Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO contribute significantly to the international effort of weather and climate monitoring, forecasting and research. In State of the Climate, we discuss the long-term trends in Australia's climate. This is our third biennial State of the Climate report. As with our earlier reports, we focus primarily on climate observations and monitoring carried out by the Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO in the Australian region, as well as on future climate scenarios."

THE myth that solar power is unreliable because clouds sometimes cover the sun has been dispelled by a world-first report produced by the CSIRO. While clouds or rainy weather drastically reduce the amount of electricity produced by solar panels, intelligent management of the power grid means panels and mirrors should still supply 40 per cent of the nation's energy in the future, the report said.

"Most Australians overestimate how much they are doing for the environment compared to others, and are more concerned about water shortages, pollution and household waste than climate change, a new CSIRO survey reveals. Taken over a period of July to August last year, it is the latest in a series of annual national surveys on Australians' attitudes to climate change involving more than 5000 people from across urban, regional, and rural Australia. (You can read about past survey results here and here.)"

TeachWild is a nationwide marine debris project being run by leading scientists from the CSIRO and universities together with teachers, students and employees from Founding Partner Shell Australia. Information collected by citizen scientists will contribute to a comprehensive national picture of the marine debris issue across Australia. This website is equipped with some of the most up-to-date information and learning materials available on marine debris.

"Australian scientists have found a way to print large but extremely lightweight and flexible solar panels like money. World-leading scientists at the CSIRO said the A3-sized panels, which are created by laying a liquid photovoltaic ink onto thin, flexible plastic could soon mean everyone has the ability to print their own solar panels at home."

A clear change in salinity has been detected in the world's oceans, signalling shifts and an acceleration in the global rainfall and evaporation cycle. In a paper published today in the journal Science, Australian scientists from the CSIRO and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, California, reported changing patterns of salinity in the global ocean during the past 50 years, marking a clear fingerprint of climate change.

"CSIRO has invented a new three in one solar air conditioning system that provides hot water, cooling and heating. It works by using heat from the sun and employs both desiccant and evaporative cooling technologies. See how the technology can work in the home."

Our social scientist Dr Zoe Leviston discusses some of the findings in our 4th annual survey of Australian attitudes towards climate change. Video transcript available here: http://www.csiro.au/news/transcripts/... View the full report here: http://bit.ly/1ezxUn0

"Australia is getting wetter despite drought across much of the country, a climate report has revealed. The CSIRO and Bureau of Meteorology's latest State of the Climate report is a snapshot of how Australia's weather has changed over the last two years." This is the ABC report including video and downloads

"Megan Clark has recruited Dr Maurice Moloney to the role of Group Executive, Food Health and Life Science Industries. Maurice brings with him a significant breadth of experience in the plant biotechnology area and a strong background in research delivery. Maurice will take up the role in November 2013. Dr Moloney has been the Director and Chief Executive of Rothamsted Research near London, UK since 2010.  Rothamsted is the oldest and largest agricultural research centre in Europe, with a mandate for food security, agricultural sustainability and adaptation of agriculture to the consequences of both climate change and depletion of fossil fuels."

"A CSIRO test plant in Australia has broken a world record and proved solar power could efficiently replace fossil fuels."

"Energymark Want to be an energy and climate change leader in your community? Get involved in Energymark and help create a sustainable future - reduce your carbon footprint, lower energy usage and save on power bills."

"Published on 30 Mar 2014 The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Working Group II released its Fifth Assessment Report on climate impacts and adaptation. While some of the consequences of a warming climate are unavoidable, adaptation strategies can help to manage some of the impacts. Dr Mark Howden discusses how CSIRO is developing strategies to help reduce the impacts of climate change on ecosystems and communities."

TWO brands of olive oil, one from Australia, the other shipped 16,000 kilometres from Italy, sit on a supermarket shelf. Most eco-friendly shoppers would reach for the Australian oil. But despite burning less fossil fuel to get here, it may not be better for the planet. Contrary to popular belief, ''food miles'', or the distance food has travelled before we buy it, is a poor indicator of our food's total greenhouse gas emissions, or ''carbon footprint''. Advertisement: Story continues below More important is the way our food is farmed and produced, and how far we drive to buy it. CSIRO studies are expected to show how emissions from farming and food production eclipse those from food freight.

"Global greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels reached the highest levels in human history last year, driven predominantly by Chinese growth, and are projected to surge even further in 2013. New data from the Global Carbon Project - a team of international scientists who track global emissions - finds carbon dioxide released from burning fossil fuels and making cement grew 2.2 per cent in 2012 from the previous year. In 2013 a further 2.1 per cent rise is expected. But the latest data suggests the world's emissions could be slowing. The approximate 2 per cent growth in 2012 and 2013 falls short of the 3.1 per cent average annual rise since 2000. CSIRO climate scientist Dr Pep Canadell - who is also executive director of the Global Carbon Project - told Fairfax Media the emissions rates of the past two years could be the tentative signs of a global slow down."

"A common refrain by climate sceptics that surface temperatures have not warmed over the past 17 years, implying climate models predicting otherwise are unreliable, has been refuted by new research led by James Risbey, a senior CSIRO researcher. Setting aside the fact the equal hottest years on record - 2005 and 2010 - fall well within the past 17 years, Dr Risbey and fellow researchers examined claims - including by some members of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change - that models overestimated global warming. In a study published in Nature Climate Change on Monday, the team found that models actually generate good estimates of recent and past trends provided they also took into account natural variability, particularly the key El Nino-La Nina phases in the Pacific."

"Ignorance has just become much harder, for citizens, industry and policymakers alike: CSIRO has released the damning results of a three-year study of marine debris around Australia's coastline and seas. Three-quarters of all the refuse is plastic, and almost all of that comes in small pieces. In Australian waters, it found up to 40,000 pieces of plastic per square kilometre."

"Climate Adaptation Flagship research is developing and delivering adaptation options to protect Australia's marine and terrestrial species, ecosystems and the services they provide."