Image: Coffee is a sensitive crop vulnerable to climate change. Supplied CSIRO

New research from CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, and the University of Southern Queensland, has confirmed that global coffee production is facing major threats due to increasing and concurrent hazards fuelled by climate change. 

The researchers found that across the top 12 coffee producing regions globally, climate hazards – like extremes in temperature and rainfall – had increased in every region between 1980 to 2020 and are occurring in multiple locations at the same time. 

Published in PLOS Climate the research provides the first look at the changing nature of concurrent hazards to coffee production on a global scale.

Research scientist Doug Richardson, who led the research while at CSIRO, said coffee was a sensitive crop vulnerable to climate change. 

“Coffee crops can fail if the annual average temperature and rainfall is not within an optimal range,” Dr Richardson said.

“The frequency of climate events has been increasing over the last 40 years and we see clear evidence of global warming playing a role, as the predominant types of climate hazards have shifted from cold and wet to warm and dry.

“Since 1980, global coffee production has become increasingly at risk of synchronised crop failures, which can be driven by climate hazards that affect multiple coffee-producing areas simultaneously,” he said.

CSIRO scientist James Risbey said certain recurring climate patterns are important predictors of hazards in coffee growing regions. 

“The El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) – a recurring climate pattern affecting the tropics and extratropics – can help predict hazards in some regions like tropical South America, Indonesia and Vietnam.” Dr Risbey said. 

“The good news is that ENSO appears to have less of an impact on Southern Brazil, the world’s biggest producer of Arabica coffee. 

“Southern Brazil could therefore help to dampen coffee production shocks felt elsewhere during significant ENSO events like prolonged cool weather (La Niña) or warm weather (El Niño),” he said. 

Previous international research found that land suitable for growing coffee globally could be reduced by up to 50 per cent by 2050.

Image: Shutterstock

Environmental scientists at ANSTO have been undertaking research to gain a better understanding of the potential impact of contaminants on decommissioned offshore oil and gas infrastructure since 2017.

The research will help inform whether all decommissioned infrastructure needs to be completely removed (as the legislation currently stands).

A scale may form within subsea pipes during operation, much like cholesterol on the inside of arteries.  These scales may contain naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORMs) as contaminants.

There is currently a knowledge gap on the potential impact of these contaminants on the marine ecosystem as industry and regulators try to assess if some assets may be left in place.

Some research has suggested the subsea infrastructure may be beneficial and act as an artificial reef.

Algae, oysters, coral and other invertebrates colonise the pipelines during operations and will likely exist for many years after operations cease if the pipe is left on the seabed.

A recent experiment in the aquatic labs (part of the Vivarium facility) at ANSTO was carried out to gain baseline information on the effects of exposure of naturally occurring radioactivity on marine algae, that are usually the first marine organisms to take up residence on the outside of pipelines.

Dr Tom Cresswell, who is leading the research for ANSTO, said that PhD candidate Amy MacIntosh (pictured below)  had set up a unique experiment with a sealed radioactive source in ANSTO specialist laboratories.

The source was placed at different distances from the algae for 72 hours.

“This period is equivalent to chronic exposure that you expect in the undersea environment. We are assessing if there is any impact on growth rates and the ability of the algae to photosynthesise UV light for energy.”

“We use a variety of techniques in environmental toxicology, radioecology, radiochemistry and materials science and access a suite of nuclear and accelerator facilities for a holistic understanding of the fate of key contaminants that may be present in pipeline scales,” explained Dr Cresswell.

The goal is to minimise decommissioning costs, which have been estimated at $60 billion for more than 65 offshore installations scheduled for decommissioning in the next 30 years, while ensuring the highest levels of environmental protection.

In previous work, ANSTO scientists measured the levels of NORM contaminants in pipe scale and developed a model of potential radioactivity dose to biota.

Laboratory organism exposures associated with this work suggested the impacts might be negligible.

Gathering more data will be important in informing risk assessments during decommissioning planning.

ANSTO has considerable expertise in monitoring both natural and anthropogenic radioactivity in the environment as well as field experience.

Mercury has also been detected in pigging dust collected at the end of a subsea gas pipeline.

A comprehensive assessment determined the amount of mercury concentration, its chemical forms and potential for interactions with marine organisms.  Investigations were supported by the production of mercury radioisotope tracers in the OPAL multi-purpose reactor.

The chemical form of mercury, which directly impacts its mobility and potential uptake by marine organisms was determined using the X-ray absorption spectroscopy beamline at the Australian Synchrotron. Controlled laboratory tests conducted at Lucas Heights suggested the form of mercury was inert and not readily taken up by marine organisms.

ANSTO is involved in an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Working Group on NORM remediation from the oil and gas industry and is collaborating with European researchers and regulators on offshore infrastructure in the North and Norwegian Seas.

Image: A citizen scientist taking a photo of plants in the field copy. Photo: Thomas Mesaglio.

Scientists have documented plant species for centuries to help us understand and protect the incredible diversity of flora in our world. But according to new research, many have never actually been photographed in their natural habitats – and that’s a problem.

Researchers from UNSW Sydney and the Australian Institute of Botanical Science, part of the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, surveyed 33 major online databases of plant photographs to examine the photographic record of Australian plant species. The findings, published in New Phytologist, reveal out of 21,077 native Australian vascular plant species, almost 20 per cent lack a verifiable photograph.

Lead author of the study and UNSW Science PhD student Thomas Mesaglio says Australia is one of the richest areas in the world for native species.

“It was surprising to see how many plant species had just line drawings, illustrations, paintings, or even no media at all,” Mr Mesaglio says.

Dr Hervé Sauquet, co-author of the study and Senior Research Scientist at the Australian Institute of Botanical Science, is based at the National Herbarium of New South Wales.

“All species of plants ultimately rely on specimens in herbarium collections for their identification,” Dr Sauquet says. “Yet, even in this digital age where most herbarium specimens have been scanned and are accessible on the web, photos of live plants in the wild remain in critical need.”

Senior author of the study from UNSW Science Associate Professor Will Cornwell says a lack of detailed photos can have real consequences. Many plant species that are difficult to identify in the wild may go extinct if scientists cannot properly identify them with the help of photos. 

“We had assumed every plant species would have simply been photographed by someone, somewhere, throughout history. But it turns out this isn’t the case,” says A/Prof. Cornwell.

“This is where citizen scientists can come in and help us fill this gap with their photos.”

Gaps in the photographic record

Photographs can help botanists and taxonomists who work with plant specimens by preserving characteristics like flower colour that get lost over time in their samples. They can also show additional features, such as the orientation of leaves or bark appearance, and add ecological context.

“Having a comprehensive photographic set helps us to be confident in our identifications,” Mr Mesaglio says. “Particularly when it is practically challenging to collect and preserve the entire plant, photos complement the physical voucher by showing the soil type, the habitat it’s growing in, and other species growing alongside it.”

But it turns out not all plant groups are photographed equally. Just as some animals receive less attention than others, there might also be a bias against less charismatic plants.

The study found the most well–photographed plant groups tend to be shrubs or trees with more noticeable or spectacular features, such as colourful flowers. Banksia, for example, is one of only two Australian plant genera with more than 40 species to have a complete photographic record. Meanwhile, the family with the most significant photo deficit was Poaceae – commonly known as grasses – with 343 unphotographed species.

“We noticed a charisma deficit, so the species that tend to be harder to see are the ones missing out,” Mr Mesaglio says. “They may have innocuous or pale-looking flowers or be smaller and harder to spot grasses, sedges and herbs.”

Geography also affected the photographic record. While most species across the south-eastern states of Australia have comprehensive records, Western Australia had the largest void, with 52 per cent of all unphotographed species found there.

“The primary ‘hotspots’ for unphotographed Australian plants are areas with high plant diversity, but the environments are rugged and often difficult to access, particularly by road,” Mr Mesaglio says. “But it means there’s an exciting opportunity to visit these locations because we might capture something that has never before been photographed.”

Activating citizen scientist snaps

It’s one thing to have comprehensive photographic records for professional scientists to use in identification guides. But when the plant world is under threat from multiple fronts, including habitat clearing and climate change, photos can help engage the public in plant science.

“People can engage with, sympathise with, and get much more excited about plants with photographs, which is vital when our natural environments are more at risk than ever,” Mr Mesaglio says.

“Because digital photography is so accessible now, anyone can also help make a meaningful contribution to science using the camera in their pocket.”

Using a platform like iNaturalist, keen citizen scientists can have their snaps identified by experts and share the data with aggregators like the Atlas of Living Australia and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility to be used in research and conservation.

“Since April last year, we’ve identified nearly 10 per cent of those previously unphotographed species thanks to members of the public uploading their photographs and experts who’ve kindly identified them,” Mr Mesaglio says. “There could be many more in personal collections or behind paywalls just waiting to be shared.”

The researchers recommend a standardised system for scientific plant photography be developed, starting with a requirement in the International Code of Nomenclature for Plants to include at least one field photograph where possible in new species descriptions. They also suggest all new species descriptions be published as Open Access in searchable databases with Creative Commons licensing to maximise their usage.

“We also suspect more photos exist, but they’re hidden away on social media or behind scientific paywalls that aren’t accessible, discoverable, or searchable,” Mr Mesaglio says.

“Of the species with photographs, many have a single photo. We not only want to capture those unrepresented species but also continue building the photographic record for all species.

“Doing so will help us identify, monitor and conserve our native species for generations to come.”

Image: Koala joey at Wildlife Rescue Education and Rehabilitation Murphys Creek. Credit, UQ

Mortality rates of orphaned koala joeys could be greatly reduced by a non-invasive stress test kit being trialled by University of Queensland researchers.

Instead of having to take blood, the UQ-led research has enabled a joey’s stress levels to be measured through samples of their faecal droppings.  

Dr Edward Narayan from UQ’s School of Agriculture and Food Sciences said the method speeds up what is normally a very laborious process.

“Traditional testing kits are in limited supply and are very process intensive, so it can be quite difficult to run tests like this routinely,” Dr Narayan said.

“We’ve validated an easy-to-use kit using our own in-house biological substance test that avoids invasive bloodwork.

“Instead, it seeks out specific biomarkers in koala joey faeces that are strong indicators of stress, making for a very accurate and useful rehabilitation tool.”

With the mortality rate of rehabilitating joeys steadily climbing, Dr Narayan said the stress test kit will play a critical role in slowing the rate of joey deaths.

“There is very little understood about the causes of joey mortality in care, but we know stress is a significant contributor, so wildlife hospitals and carers need an easy way to test for it,” Dr Narayan said.

“The goal of this research is to provide carers with tools to understand whether their clinical intervention and care protocols are working.

“Koala joeys can be orphaned at a very delicate stage in their lives due to habitat destruction, vehicle collisions, dog attacks, bush fires and many other factors.

“These joeys need extra special care with specific diet and husbandry requirements, so a lot of work is being done to improve their care.

“Our test kit will be a vital scientific means of knowing whether the stress levels of koalas are improving with care interventions, and if needed, changes can be made quickly.”

The Koala Hospital in Port Macquarie will be one of the first conservation and rehabilitation groups to adopt the use of stress test kits.

Hospital vet Dr Shali Fischer said the test kits have the potential to revolutionise the care of recovering juvenile koalas.

“Joeys that come into care are often compromised at admission, which means it is a struggle from day one,” Dr Fischer said.

“Having the capacity to monitor cortisol levels and identify trends would help us identify what the stressors are affecting these joeys which may enable better husbandry practices to be developed.

“The development of better handling methods through the use of the stress test kit will be hugely beneficial.”

Image: Homeward Bound participants at Brown Bluff, Antarctica in 2019. This was the last voyage to Antarctica before the COVID-19 pandemic put a stop to global travel. Credit: Will Rogan.

Almost 180 women who are leaders from 25 countries will voyage on two ships to Antarctica in November to ensure the sustainability of the planet. 

The women are part of the Homeward Bound global initiative, which was set up to elevate the visibility of women leading with a STEMM background (science, technology, engineering, medicine and maths). 

“Antarctica is the inspiration for collaboration for these leaders, a place to be inspired to work together,” Homeward Bound CEO Pamela Sutton-Legaud says.

“Seeing first-hand this dramatic landscape under attack from the climate cements the intention for the women to collaborate as leaders.”

The Homeward Bound participants have completed an 11-month virtual leadership program prior to the life-changing three-week voyage to Antarctica. 

The women who are voyaging come from a diverse range of STEMM fields and from every continent including Australia, Panama, Zimbabwe, Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Germany. The group includes a shark behaviorist, a space engineer, and an emergency physician. 

Examples of projects the participants have previously collaborated on include: 

• a global review of gender inequality in STEMM; 
• ANTARCTICA NOW, a group of alumnae who are lobbying for new Marine Protected Areas in Antarctica; 
• a scientific paper on the effects of the big increase of plastic pollution during the COVID-19 pandemic on marine life and human health. 

Homeward Bound was literally a dream by leadership expert Fabian Dattner in 2015 and developed in collaboration with Australian co-founders: conservation ecologist Dr Justine Shaw and polar marine ecologist Professor Mary-Anne Lea. 

Ms Dattner says the COVID pandemic had a measurably negative impact on women’s leadership globally, “despite the fact that we know, in 12 out of 16 well-researched leadership capabilities, women excel”. 

“I have been staggered to learn the very real and present challenges for many women to rise up in the STEMM fields, above and beyond what women face generally,” Ms Dattner says. “At a time when evidenced based decisions matter, more women leading is crucial.” 

In 2016, the Homeward Bound idea became reality when 76 women and an all women faculty voyaged to Antarctica. The first voyage was featured in a documentary.

International figures who have are part of Homeward Bound include global climate change leader, Christiana Figueres (Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change 2010 – 2016) and Musimbi Kanyoro, former president and CEO of the Global Fund for Women. 

So far, more than 600 women from more than 80 countries have participated in the program which is now in its eighth year. There are two voyages to Antarctica in November: one will depart Ushuaia, Argentina on November 3, and the other will depart Puerto Madryn, Argentina on November 12. 

ACCIONA has supported Homeward Bound since 2018, sharing the common goal of supporting female leadership talent in key STEMM disciplines to meet future challenges. 

Researchers from UNSW Sydney have developed a national reference guide to help Australia hit its net zero targets. The free online resource provides a pathway to achieving ‘whole of life’ net zero carbon for Australian buildings by 2040.  

Race to Net Zero Carbon: A Climate Emergency Guide for New and Existing Buildings in Australia is a 40-page guide which details critical information about materials and construction best practices to help architects, engineers and planners transform the building industry towards net zero carbon buildings.  

“Our guide draws on Australian climate data but has global applicability,” says Professor Deo Prasad, who is lead researcher of the guide. Prof. Prasad is recognised as a national leader in the field of sustainable buildings and among the leading advocates for sustainability in Australia.  

The guide is the first to detail a holistic approach to achieving net zero and fills knowledge gaps on net zero carbon buildings. 

Net zero means balancing greenhouse gas emissions produced by humans with emissions taken out of the atmosphere. 

“This guide provides a deeper level of knowledge on how this sector can rapidly move towards net zero carbon buildings in the short term. Using science-based evidence and analytics, the guide maps a clear roadmap to achieving net zero by 2040 in the building industry. It goes beyond the aspirational and into the achievable,” Prof. Prasad says. 

The true carbon footprint of a building 

With the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s 2021 Report labelling ‘Code Red for Humanity’, there is an urgent need to reduce carbon emissions globally, and the building industry is a prime opportunity sector. 

The world’s built environment is responsible for 37 per cent of global energy-related greenhouse gas emissions. In Australia, it is responsible for one-fifth of all our emissions. 

Carbon emissions within the built environment occur across all stages of a building’s life cycle. 

“Historically, most professionals have only focussed on reducing the operational carbon footprints of buildings,” says Prof. Prasad. “Operational carbon refers to what is required for the building to run once it is built, like energy use in heating or cooling.” 

Operationally carbon–friendly buildings are fully powered from on-site and off-site renewables, which offset the buildings carbon emissions.  

Meanwhile, embodied carbon footprints, which are accrued before a building is even constructed, have usually been overlooked by the industry.  

“There are significant amounts of emissions embedded in the materials and construction of the building itself and these need to be addressed and offset in order for our built environment to be truly net zero,” says Prof Prasad. 

“Our guide goes deeper than just operational offsetting. It illustrates a ‘whole of life’ approach to buildings – considering where building material comes from, how they are transported to the construction site, and so on.” 

The best way to minimise the embodied carbon footprint is by retrofitting and reducing materials in use. If that’s not possible, then employing low-carbon materials such as green steel and concrete alternatives during the construction process is best, which is what the guide provides a roadmap for. 

Opportunities to improve Australia’s circular economy 

The guide also details post-life opportunities for buildings destined to be demolished – creating opportunities to expand the circular economy.  

“Buildings don’t have a cradle to grave life cycle,” says Prof. Prasad. “It’s more like cradle to cradle. Materials from demolished buildings can go on to have a future life through recycling and reuse.” 

“For example, it’s possible to avoid demolishing old or undesirable buildings as their concrete structures can stay put and the building can be refurbished.  

“Timber, aluminium and glass can be reused or recycled somehow into new products.”  

Building codes must push to drive carbon down 

The challenge in the building industry right now is to get past one-off cases and move into a mainstream situation where net zero construction is the norm. Prof. Prasad hopes the guide will also help Australia position itself as a leader in the global race to net zero in construction.  

“While the global community is aiming for net zero by 2050, the building sector has much greater potential and opportunity to reach net zero operational emissions by 2030 and a 60 per cent reduction in embodied carbon by 2030,” he says. “These are the goals our guide aims to achieve.”  

“While our guide details advanced knowledge and research, practical design approaches, and benchmarks and targets for industry to be informed, there is another vital lever required to make net zero possible. 

“Governments should mandate net zero construction codes, which will push for best performance to achieve net zero. They should lead by example and ensure all public buildings are net zero carbon and provide subsidies and rebates to incentivise change.” 

If this is done, not only will Australia achieve net zero in built environment in the short term, we will also create markets for new products and technologies which will benefit the economy.  

“It’s not only about eliminating worst practices. It’s about adopting best practices, which, policy-wise, is also economically the right thing to do,” Prof. Prasad says. 

“Most countries will be looking at low embedded carbon products, technologies and systems in the future. The government needs to see this as an opportunity to become a leader by promoting innovation in this space.” 

This approach does not force additional costs to buildings, but the conversation helps to find the best investment approach to net zero carbon given the appetite for a cleaner and more sustainable future for all. 

Clients should be more proactive in driving net zero  

Of all the stakeholders in the construction and building industry, it is the clients that have the most power to drive change towards net zero. It is essential to have a client-designer conversation about achieving net zero targets within the 2030 timeframe. 

“Our guide has all the knowledge the industry needs to achieve net zero – a roadmap that shows it can be done and, most importantly, the type of conversation clients can have with designers or government.” 

Prof. Prasad says while the guide has been developed with practitioners in mind, its implementation throughout the industry will help advocate for widespread reform to construction from the top down.

“It’s essential that the industry – be it clients, government or designers – start speeding up the race to net zero carbon before it becomes too late in the climate emergency.” 

Race to Net Zero Carbon is a short guide based on a book by the same researchers Delivering on a Climate Emergency: Towards a Net Zero Carbon Built Environment. The book is recommended for practitioners who want more in-depth information about how their projects can achieve net zero.