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"Some of the most extreme predictions of global warming are unlikely to materialise, new scientific research has suggested, but the world is still likely to be in for a temperature rise of double that regarded as safe."

"The majority of the 9 billion people on Earth will live with severe pressure on fresh water within the space of two generations as climate change, pollution and over-use of resources take their toll, 500 scientists have warned."

We all know how much emphasis is being placed on green energy strategies these days. The folks over National Geographic recently teamed up with GE Power & Water and the Center for Science to release Plan It Green: The Big Switch, a new cloud based online gaming community where students come together to learn more about the importance of recycling and how eco-friendly habits that can help save our environment. 

"If you're worried about dressing ethically, chances are you think about sweatshop conditions in developing countries, unsustainable farming practices, convoluted global supply chains that ring up a huge carbon footprint, and mountains of fast-fashion festering in landfill. But the first thing you should think about is how often you wash your clothes. It turns out that when you look at the whole life cycle of a piece of clothing, everyday washing and drying damages our natural environment the most."

"Bill McKibben has just completed a tour of Australia with his message of divesting from fossil fuel companies. He reflects on Australia's future."

"By the end of this decade, it estimates that onshore wind will be the cheapest source of energy we have. At an average cost of $90 per megawatt-hour (MWh) and in some cases as cheap as $60/MWh it will be cheaper than coal and cheaper than gas. By 2030, the cheapest option will be solar PV, which could cost as little as $50/MWh, followed closely by wind and landfill gas."

"Two of Australia's World Heritage listed places have made the headlines in the last week. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority gave the go-ahead for silt from a government-approved dredging operation to be dumped within the World Heritage listed park boundaries. And the federal government announced that it was seeking to have a recent extension of Tasmania's World Heritage listed forests partially overturned. What is World Heritage listing and why is it important?"

"THE Newman Government has back-flipped on a proposed plastic bag ban amid concerns of a voter backlash. A day after telling The Courier-Mail the ban was being considered as part of an overall waste strategy, Environment Minister Andrew Powell has confirmed he's now changed his mind. A spokeswoman for Mr Powell said the Government was no longer considering a ban on plastic bags and in a statement Mr Powell cited cost of living issues as the main concern."

"Climate change has reduced ice in the Arctic to record lows in the past year, forcing animals to range further in search of food"

A new paper shows which companies extracted the carbon-based fuels that have caused climate change. Hover and click to explore

"Shifting public policy to achieve a sustainable economy, a healthy environment and a just society"

content from across the Australian Broadcasting Corporation on environmental issues. includes video, audio, blogs, features

"The ISO 14000 environmental management standards exist to help organizations (a) minimize how their operations (processes etc.) negatively affect the environment (i.e. cause adverse changes to air, water, or land); (b) comply with applicable laws, regulations, and other environmentally oriented requirements, and (c) continually improve in the above. ISO 14000 is similar to ISO 9000 quality management in that both pertain to the process of how a product is produced, rather than to the product itself. As with ISO 9000, certification is performed by third-party organizations rather than being awarded by ISO directly. The ISO 19011 audit standard applies when auditing for both 9000 and 14000 compliance at once."

"Many Australian consumers and businesses are working on ways to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. For some, the carbon tax meets their needs: it's designed to specifically motivate changes in behaviour by raising the costs associated with the production of pollution. But others are looking for more direct measures. Do offsets fit the bill?"

"ARIES is a research, consultancy and education centre at Macquarie University that supports change for sustainable development within government, business and the community."

"- What does sustainability mean? - Why are we currently unsustainable? - What is an ecological footprint? - What's the problem with plastic? - What about water? - And biodiversity? - How are people faring? - How can we find a sustainable path? - What are some great sustainability initiatives? This video introduces the concept of sustainability and explains our current situation on this planet, even before any potential challenges from climate change are involved. From the Australian Research Institute for Environment and Sustainability (ARIES) at Macquarie University, Sydney. "

Last week the world's atmosphere took a giant leap backward. For the first time in more than 3 million years, the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) reached 400 parts per million. This was recorded at the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration's Earth System Research Laboratory located on Mauna Loa in Hawaii right out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, a long way from major sources of CO2 in Asia and North America. What this means for the environment is uncertain but it's likely that, if no measures are taken to reduce this level of greenhouse gas, we could be headed for 3-4 degrees C warming globally by the end of this century

"The Schools Water Efficiency Program aims to provide data loggers to all Victorian schools to continue the education and demonstration of water efficiency in practice. SWEP is managed by the Department of Sustainability and Environment and supported by the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development."

"THE Customer DATA centers run by Apple are now entirely fueled by renewable energy, as are 75% of all its corporate facilities, according to the company's recently released 'Apple and the Environment` report. But despite the commitment demonstrated by building one of the world's largest solar arrays, as well as a biogas plant, beside its new iCloud facility in Maiden, North Carolina, the annual review of environmental impact also acknowledges that the total greenhouse gas emissions attributable to Apple's products and operations rose by 34% in 2012."