Fenner School of Environment and Society

Distinguished Professor Xuemei Bai published an expert piece in Science making the case for 'altruistic cities': bit.ly/3AQ89Cx "(there is a) need for a more widespread and deeper intercity cooperation... ... the efforts of a small number of front-runner cities will not be sufficient to achieve carbon emission reduction targets or ensure that the planet remains within its safe and just Earth system boundaries. Thus, there is a compelling incentive for leading cities to engage with lagging counterparts and bring them into cooperative frameworks."

Join us tomorrow for our weekly #FennerSeminarSeries. This week, Emma Holmberg will be giving us an insight into heat related mortality forecasting, focusing on Europe's recent deadly summers: bit.ly/3Z79k95 Thursday 14 Nov, 1-2pm in the Fenner Seminar Room.

𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮’𝘀 𝗯𝗶𝗼𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆! 🌱🐨 The recent wild koala sighting near Gungahlin is a reminder of the resilience and importance of our native wildlife. As Canberra expands, it’s vital that we make space for these incredible animals and protect their habitats. Every sighting is a step forward for conservation, and I’m hopeful this will inspire further efforts to balance development with biodiversity protection in the ACT. Read the article: https://lnkd.in/gZiW4WYm #Conservation #Biodiversity #Canberra #Koalas Image source: David Pocock, supplied to ABC News

An exciting PhD opportunity: 'Decline of small mammals in the presence of intensive fox baiting: coincidence or casualties of an interaction cascade?' Applications by 18 October 2024.

🌏 Adaptation to Climate Change: A Call for Cooperation Across All Levels 🌍 These past weeks at the Fenner School of Environment and Society have been incredibly insightful during the Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation intensive course. We’ve explored crucial topics, among others, such as climate change projections and downscaled modelling (especially important for Pacific Island Countries where precise data is often lacking) along with adaptation policies, governance, health impacts, and gender equity. What’s clear is that cooperation at every level, from global to local, is key to effective climate adaptation and building resilience. We need scientists for data, policymakers to lead, and local communities to ensure culturally appropriate, sustainable adaptation. And we mustn't overlook inclusion, gender equity, and the active involvement of youth, who are both the most affected and the leaders of tomorrow. While mitigation remains essential, adaptation is equally crucial in addressing the immediate challenges of climate change. Meeting fellow students tackling these issues in their home countries not only brings hope for all the work still to be done, but also highlights that we can all get involved and make a difference. 🌱 A huge thank you to Professors Jamie Pittock, PhD and Ali Thwaites, the diverse lecturers, and the amazing student team for making this course so impactful. It's a powerful reminder of how much we can achieve through collaboration and a holistic approach to tackling these global challenges. #ClimateChange #ClimateAdaptation #Sustainability #GlobalCooperation #Resilience #GenderEquity #YouthLeadership #FennerSchool

Ecologist Shoshana Rapley had expensive GPS devices for tracking birds that were going missing in the bush. Back at home, her clever dog Koda needed a job. Why not combine the two? Find out more about this ecologist-dog dream team: https://lnkd.in/gaw7QbVg Fenner School of Environment and Society The Australian National University

New international research from the Earth Commission, co-led by Fenner Distinguished Professor Xuemei Bai, shows that companies and cities have the means to act and drastically transform and reduce pressure on the planet. "They are more nimble and flexible than states, and can reduce their pressure on the planet by setting science-based targets in line with our findings.” Read more: https://bit.ly/4egmW7E

More than two dozen eminent Australian scientists have called on the Australian Government to commit significant federal funding towards nature in a whole page ad in The Australian. Read their statement here: https://lnkd.in/ghJAiuUp Have you seen their plea Tanya Plibersek, Anthony Albanese, Jim Chalmers and Jenny McAllister? The signatories are: Hugh Possingham, brendan wintle, Richard Kingsford, Saul Cunningham, John Woinarski, Lesley Hughes, James Fitzsimons, Patrick O'Connor, Jess Marsh, David Lindenmayer, Kate Umbers, Jamie Pittock, PhD, Sarah Legge, Don Driscoll, Stephen van Leeuwen, Barry Traill, Chris Johnson, Christopher Dickman, Stephen Garnett, Professor Euan Ritchie, Mark Lonsdale, James Watson, mike letnic, Sarah Bekessy, Michelle Ward, Philip Gibbons Biodiversity Council Director James Trezise said, “Monitoring for the last 25 years has shown that threatened species in Australia have been declining at 2% per year. If Australia’s GDP declines for just two quarters, we call it a recession – imagine the outcry if it was declining for 25 years. “There is one simple solution to the extinction crisis – investing in species and habitat recovery. If we invested just 1% of the federal budget in nature, we could stop that decline by 2030. Without it, we will not meet our global commitment.” Australia has rightly committed to 30 by 30, as our long-term community, environmental and economic health depends on it. Getting there will take more than fine words. It's time to follow through on whats needed.

Kickstarting our 2024 #FennerSeminarSeries is the amazing Dr Kate Grarock who will be sharing her story of a career in ecology and how she ended up on SBS’s Alone Australia. Kate is an Ecologist, Hiker, Filmmaker, Keynote Speaker and an ANU Fenner School alumna. Her work inspires people to get outdoors, connect with nature and to care for our environment. This is an in person event so don’t miss out! 1pm Wednesday 14th of February in the Fenner Seminar Room.