Home
Search
thewest.com.au‌‌
NewsChevron Right Icon

Environment

West Australians have helped recycle nearly one billion containers every year for the past six years, as the State’s container deposit scheme celebrates a milestone.

State PoliticsPremiumHow your 10c habit turned into $22m for WA charities

West Australians have helped recycle nearly one billion containers every year for the past six years, as the State’s container deposit scheme celebrates a milestone.

Jessica Evensen

There's ongoing debate about Australia's carbon credits scheme, with refroms being criticised. (Lisa Martin/AAP PHOTOS)

EnvironmentPremium'Forests on the moon': carbon credit reforms under fire

Reforms to Australia's carbon credits have divided an inquiry, with critics warning they will not do enough while others argue they could undermine confidence.

Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson

Conservationists protested against the proposed Whitehaven mine's impact on the climate. (Jono Searle/AAP PHOTOS)

EnvironmentPremiumCourt approves coalmine despite environmental concerns

A court has given a mining company the go-ahead to develop a new mine despite activists' concerns about its impact on the environment.

Catherine Bouris and Rex Martinich

Not Supplied

WeatherPremiumWild weather warning for Derby Day

Derby Day punters and trick-or-treaters are in for a wet and woolly day, with strong winds and rain set to batter Melbourne.

Alexandra Feiam

Mining and green energy projects risk spreading the destructive buffel grass across Australia. (PR IMAGE PHOTO)

EnvironmentPremiumHitchhiking weed spreads fear for sacred waterholes

Indigenous groups fear an invasive weed capable of choking out native flora and fauna could cross containment lines and impact sacred waterholes.

Luke Lay

Alcoa's bauxite mining operations in drinking water catchments in the Serpentine-Jarrahdale area

MiningPremiumNew approvals push Alcoa further from Perth drinking water

Alcoa will be forced to mine further away from Perth’s drinking water supply, with buffer zones extended from one to two kilometres under new approvals granted by the Cook Government.

Adrian Rauso

A layer of fresher ocean water fed by Antarctic sea ice melts is becoming saltier and deeper. (Dean Lewins/AAP PHOTOS)

EnvironmentPremium'Never seen': sea ice loss triggers big ocean change

A study has uncovered a surprising and rapid shift in an important ocean layer which is fed by melted sea ice from Antarctica.

Ethan James

Wool classer Arahia Tuwhangui at the Darkan Sheepfest.

tidy townsWheatbelt towns named among WA Tidy Towns awards finalists

Four Wheatbelt towns are finalists in this year’s WA Tidy Towns Sustainable Communities awards, with Pingelly also in the running for the overall State gong.

Jacki Elezovich

Hidden algae risks loom in South Australia's Coorong. (Dr Daniel Chilton/AAP PHOTOS)

EnvironmentPremiumCanary in the Coorong: shedding light on toxic algae

A study into the disruptions to fresh water shoring up in a globally protected wetlands has revealed hidden algae threats looming on the surface.

Luke Lay

A whale carcass has washed ashore at a third Sydney beach. NewsWire / Nikki Short

NEWSPremiumGross sight that just won’t go away

The carcass of a whale calf has washed ashore for a third time, forcing the closure of another capital city beach.

Blair Jackson

Not Supplied

NewsPremium‘Whole bed moved’: 4.9 quake hits Aussie city

Residents in one Australian capital city were given a rude awakening, with their mornings rattled by an earthquake.

Alexandra Feiam

Queensland’s Wide Bay Burnet and Central Ranges regions recorded more than 200mm and 300mm over the weekend. Weatherzone.

UPDATEDPremiumEx-councillor, farmer dies in floodwaters

A former councillor, One Nation candidate and farmer has died after attempting to drive through a flooded creek in regional Queensland.

Alexandra Feiam, Emma Kirk and Andrew Hedgman

Fire ants have the potential to cost the Australian economy up to $2 billion a year. (AP PHOTO)

EnvironmentPremiumLockdown called after super pest found in city facility

A discovery of fire ants at a crucial logistics centre has prompted a kilometres-wide lockdown targeting high-risk material to try and curb the spread.

Tom Wark

Not Supplied

WEATHER WARNINGPremium‘Severe’: Wild weather lashes Australia’s east

A monster storm system is tearing across Australia, smashing one state and putting millions more on alert.

Cameron Micallef and Andrew Hedgman

Snake Catcher Perth’s Marcus Cosentino with a an adult male Dugite at Lake Gwelup.

AnimalsSnake expert’s tips as WA’s top snake hotspots revealed

As temperatures rise and West Australians head outdoors, a new study has identified the State’s snake-sighting hotspots.

Amy Cavender

The audience at a previous Water Corporation community meeting at Lower Kalgan Hall.

salty timesWater Corp offers community meeting and drop-in sessions

The Water Corporation is still battling for hearts and minds when it comes to its proposed desalination plant in Nanarup and is hosting a community meeting about the scheme on Tuesday.

Claire Middleton

A new national park aims to protect 12,000+ koalas and preserve their natural habitat. (AP PHOTO)

EnvironmentPremiumGreen light for koala park a decade in the making

A state parliament has passed legislation establishing the creation of a major national park designed to protect koala habitats in the state.

Catherine Bouris

There was localised flooding in the Caboolture area on Thursday. Steve Pohlner

UPDATEDPremiumDaring flood rescue amid storms warning

Dramatic footage has emerged of rescuers pulling a man to safety from raging floodwaters, as wet weather will continue to smash multiple states.

Emma Kirk

Chevron says it is seeking clarification on satellite data that detected high levels of methane emissions. Carbon Mapper - data.carbonmapper.org

EnergyPremiumWhy this WA energy giant got a telling off from the UN

One of Australia’s largest oil and gas processing plants has been hit with a methane emissions warning by the UN.

Blair Jackson

An Omura's whale.

Whale of a timePremiumProject sheds new light on elusive whale off north WA coast

A WA-led research project on one of the world’s most mysterious and elusive whale species has discovered new information through a collection of underwater recordings.

Georgia Campion

Australia’s underlying electricity demand for July-September has increased 1.3 per cent year-on-year to a record high for this time of year. NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

ENERGYPremiumShock electricity price changes revealed

Wholesale electricity prices have plunged year-on-year despite record winter demand, as fossil fuels are outpaced for the first time in years.

Blair Jackson

Ben Brayford, Co-founder & CEO of Living Oceans, is pictured with one of his aquariums featuring Abrolhos 'super corals' and the Abrolhos Islands clownfish. Michael Wilson

StartupsPremiumPerth ‘aquarium geek’ fishing for a $1b ‘Nespresso’ dream

Living Oceans sells miniature reefs for $2000 to $5000. Its founder wants to take them overseas, with growing sales supporting plans for WA coral farms and a customer research network.

Ryan Johnson

Not Supplied

NewsPremium‘Out of control’: Mind-boggling cost of Snowy 2.0

Calls have been made to scrap the Snowy 2.0 project after its estimated costs ballooned to a staggering amount.

David Hannant

Not Supplied

UPDATEDPremium‘Terrifying’: ABC journo’s heroic flood act

An ABC reporter who joined a bystander to save a driver stuck in raging floodwaters has spoken of the “terrifying” ordeal to get him free.

Jack Nivison