<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/city-beach-wa-6015">City Beach</a>’s tightly held coastline is preparing for one of Western Australia’s most closely watched apartment launches, with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/blackburne">Blackburne</a> set to launch Ocean Grand on the weekend.

Located at 3 Kilpa Court, overlooking Ocean Village Park and just a short walk from the beach, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/ocean-grand-city-beach-3-5-kilpa-court-city-beach-wa-6015">Ocean Grand</a> is a 264-apartment development that signals a new scale of apartment living for Perth’s western suburbs. The project arrives at a time when City Beach has cemented itself among Perth’s most expensive postcodes, underlining the depth of demand for high-end housing in established coastal neighbourhoods.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150184 project_image_fid=360599]

Ahead of the public launch, Ocean Grand has already recorded more than $200 million in sales, with 57 apartments secured prior to release. The early sales performance places the project among the highest-value residential developments ever undertaken in Western Australia and marks a clear shift in Blackburne’s product mix towards the upper end of the market.

Ocean Grand comprises a mix of large-format apartments and penthouses, with pricing spanning from around $2 million through to $10 million. Many of the buyers to date are understood to be long-term City Beach residents and coastal homeowners seeking to downsize locally while retaining space, privacy and proximity to familiar amenities.

The development includes an extensive suite of resident-only facilities more commonly associated with large resort-style projects. These include a pool with cabanas, alfresco dining areas with barbecues and a pizza oven, multiple private dining rooms and lounges, a fully equipped gym and yoga studio, and a comprehensive wellness offering with sauna, steam room, spa and cold plunge. A concierge service and golf simulator further reinforce the project’s positioning at the top end of the market.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150184 project_image_fid=360604]

At ground level, Ocean Grand will introduce a new retail and dining precinct designed to integrate with Ocean Village Park. Plans include a boutique supermarket, cafés, restaurants, a wine bar, health and medical services, retail spaces and a new playground, aimed at activating the street edge and reinforcing a village-style centre for the broader neighbourhood.

Blackburne Founder and Managing Director Paul Blackburne has described the project as a response to changing housing preferences in established suburbs, where larger homes are increasingly giving way to well-designed apartments that allow residents to remain connected to their community.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150184]

Joel Robinson

Blackburne to launch Ocean Grand, City Beach amid strong early demand

Sydney developer Podia has finalised what it intends to do with its prominent undeveloped parcel at the northern gateway to Kingscliff's well-known Salt precinct, where it is planning a mix of land, townhouses, and now apartments.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/podia">Podia</a>, the developer behind Bonobo by Raes in Byron Bay and Wirra in Neutral Bay, has filed a State Significant Development Application to the NSW Government for the final 4,455 sqm of the 1.59-hectare <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/4-8-bells-boulevard-kingscliff-nsw-2487">Bells Boulevard block</a>, at the entry to Salt Village between Cudgen Creek and South Kingscliff Beach.&nbsp;

Having already secured approval for a mix of 14 land lots and 12 terrace-style homes, Podia is now seeking to complete the community with a five-storey, 69-apartment building with&nbsp;ground-floor retail designed by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB Architecture</a>.

<img alt="First look: Podia plans mixed-use gateway project at Bells Boulevard, Kingscliff" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c15e9c34-7b1d-4b61-bf79-4b8e41272c18" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Appendix%20G%20-%20Architectural%20Perspectives%2002.jpg?VersionId=.R2FZakx.eEVaQy4dV4rzr9x_W5FQmPQ" />

SJB noted in its Urban Design and Architecture Report that the area is dominated by low-density residential and significant natural features, however a small mixed-use area is clustered around the Salt Precinct, creating a destination for the precinct.

"The site’s location at the heart of the precinct offers the opportunity for future development to complement existing mixed-use, to form a genuine town centre that enhances the experience for local residents and visitors. At the site scale, the opportunity to create a distinct marker and entry point for the town centre becomes apparent, assisting with legibility for people arriving by car, bike or on foot."

The architecture draws inspiration from coastal Kingscliff using natural, durable materials that echo the textures and tones of local landmarks like Salt Surf Life Saving Club and Peppers Resort. The building will wrap around a central courtyard for the wider community, while residents will have access to private facilities like&nbsp;indoor communal areas and a rooftop swimming pool.

<img alt="Podia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="aec0a8ba-2e05-483d-abea-2c08f78fee46" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-02-05%20at%209.57.03%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=e5oQvwUcOJ1bBOGTThjORTLXY5yEaqyg" />

"For some time now, we have been looking to work with the Tweed community so we were thrilled to secure a unique site where we can make a positive contribution to the Salt Village town centre," Podia noted on the project website.

"On this last consolidated lot of undeveloped Salt Village land, we have the opportunity to deliver a mix of housing types, retail and services in a vibrant village atmosphere. [The building]&nbsp;will offer diverse, comfortable living choices. Thoughtfully designed to blend with the natural surroundings, the project will support local businesses, enhance community connection and leave a lasting legacy for Kingscliff."

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Podia is approaching completion of its luxury Neutral Bay apartment development Wirra, just 20 high-end apartments that start from over $5 million. Their Bonobo by Raes development, a joint venture with luxury hotel operator Raes, will comprise 41 hotel-apartments on Jonson Street.
</section>

First look: Podia pitches final stage of new Kingscliff community

South East Queensland developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sherpa-property-group">Sherpa Group</a> has commenced construction on its $240 million Flourish <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/symphony-south-brisbane-21-23-cordelia-street-south-brisbane-qld-4101">Symphony</a>, its debut Brisbane apartment development.

They've already sold 86 of the 134 apartments, around $134 million worth of sales.&nbsp;

Sherpa Group, headed by property industry veteran Christie Leet, has tapped into the much-needed affordable residential model at a time when apartment prices have grown exponentially across the region.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7574 project_image_fid=353550]

“We are so pleased to officially be breaking ground at Symphony after such an extraordinary run of sales, demonstrating the demand for high-quality, affordable apartments in the southeast Queensland apartment sector,” Leet said.&nbsp;

Symphony will deliver 138 apartments across 27 levels, offering a vast array of spacious one-, two- and three-bedroom residences.

Sales were largely driven by local Brisbane buyers who accounted for 45 per cent of the purchases, SEQ buyers made up a further 35 per cent, as well as first home buyers who made up 12 per cent of the total.

“It’s been fantastic to see so many locals and first-home buyers at Symphony – that’s what Flourish is about, giving the community a real opportunity to secure a home," Leet added.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7574 project_image_fid=3770]

Residents will have access to the renowned Flourish rooftop, which showcases a wellness and recreation area spanning more than 1,400 sqm across two levels, with all amenities designed to foster community, connection and wellbeing among residents.

The rooftop will showcase a heated pool, steam room, saunas, and hot and cold plunge pools; work from home spaces, private treatment room, pool deck cabanas and private outdoor BBQ areas.

There will also be a private dining room and residents’ lounge, a fully equipped gym and yoga studio, and panoramic views of the Brisbane skyline and Mt Coot-tha.

The start of construction follows closely behind Sherpa’s successful run in Palm Beach, with Flourish Amargo 85% sold, and Flourish Oasis now launched to market.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7574 project_image_fid=351653]

“We hope to carry the strong momentum from our Flourish Palm Beach projects, as we step into our Brisbane chapter,” Leet said

“Flourish is truly about delivering attainable, lifestyle-focused apartments, and we are thrilled to Symphony resonate with so many buyers in Brisbane.”

Located at 21–23 Cordelia Street, Symphony is strategically positioned at the junction of South Bank, West End, and Fish Lane, at the heart of Brisbane’s entertainment, dining and leisure precinct. The location also offers exceptional walkability to QPAC, galleries, riverside parklands, the CBD, major universities, hospitals, and transport hubs.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7574 project_image_fid=5155]

Sherpa have teamed up with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/lps-group">LPS Group</a> to deliver Symphony, which is expected to be completed in Q3 2028.

Sherpa Group has been among the most prolific developers on the Gold Coast in recent years, undertaking 15 projects since 2018. The company now has seven projects in Palm Beach, with four of them under the Flourish brand that is delivering affordable beachside luxury for one of the most undersupplied markets on the Gold Coast.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=7574]

Sherpa Group breaks ground on $240 million Symphony apartment development in Brisbane

Construction is underway at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/kings-lane-south-kingsville-50-58-new-street-south-kingsville-vic-3015">Kings Lane</a>, a boutique townhouse development by local developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/blue-run">Blue Run</a> in Melbourne’s inner-west suburb of South Kingsville, with completion targeted for Q3 2026.

The 25-residence project is taking shape at 56 New Street, responding to sustained demand for low-density, family-oriented housing in established inner-urban locations where standalone homes have increasingly moved out of reach.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145042 project_image_fid=355141]

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a>, Kings Lane comprises a mix of three and four-bedroom townhouses, all-electric and arranged to prioritise privacy, internal space, and long-term liveability. The homes are priced from $995,000, positioning the project among a shrinking cohort of new-build townhouses within eight kilometres of the Melbourne CBD.&nbsp;

The architecture and interiors reflect Rothelowman’s focus on practical, enduring design. Kitchens are configured as central living spaces with porcelain benchtops, Fisher &amp; Paykel appliances, and generous island benches, while bathrooms and ensuites incorporate skylights, double vanities, and full-sized baths. Across the homes, layouts emphasise efficient circulation and clearly defined living and sleeping zones.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145042 project_image_fid=355144]

Sustainability has been embedded into the project’s construction and performance profile. Each residence is fully electric, supported by rooftop solar, double glazing, and water-sensitive urban design measures. The development will achieve a 7-Star NatHERS rating, with EV charging provisions included to support future household needs.

Landscape design by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/john-patrick-landscape-architects">John Patrick Landscape Architects</a> introduces private courtyards and shared green spaces, using layered planting and native species to enhance privacy while reinforcing a sense of neighbourhood connection.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145042 project_image_fid=355140]

Kings Lane is located just off Blackshaws Road, within walking distance of the Vernon Street shopping strip and the emerging Union Quarter retail precinct. Broader amenity is provided by nearby centres including Altona Gate, Yarraville Square, and Williamstown’s retail strip, while Edwards Reserve and Newport Lakes offer accessible green space.

Transport connectivity remains a key drawcard, with Spotswood Station within walking distance and the West Gate Freeway only a short drive away. Recent major infrastructure upgrades associated with the West Gate Tunnel project have further improved access to the CBD and Melbourne Airport.&nbsp;

With construction now underway and delivery forecast for Q3 2026, Kings Lane adds to a limited pipeline of new townhouse supply in the inner-west.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=145042]

Construction underway at Blue Run’s Kings Lane townhouse project in South Kingsville

Developer Polycell has commenced the sales campaign for its highly-anticipated redevelopment of the Sandpiper Resort in Broadbeach.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/sandpiper-broadbeach-155-old-burleigh-road-broadbeach-qld-4218">Sandpiper</a>, a new 51-storey tower on Old Burleigh Road, is yet to officially launch to the public, but&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/motiv">MOTIV</a>&nbsp;have already secured over $300 million in sales through its pre-market coming soon campaign.

Nearly 100 of the 204 apartments have been snapped up in the space of four weeks.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149910 project_image_fid=360186]

“We’ve seen strong early momentum for Sandpiper through a highly curated, VIP-only campaign, well ahead of the full public launch,” said Carly Cottam, Director at MOTIV.

“That response speaks to the depth of demand we’re seeing from design-literate buyers who are actively seeking a more refined coastal lifestyle in Broadbeach.”&nbsp;

The interest to date has come from a mix of downsizers, interstate lifestyle buyers from NSW and Victoria, and short-term investors seeking flexible, well-appointed holiday homes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149910 project_image_fid=360185]

Rising just shy of 200 metres above Old Burleigh Road, Sandpiper comprises 204 two-, three-, and four-bedroom apartments, as well as an exclusive range of half and full floor residences from levels 42 and above.

Residences are offered across two distinct tiers: the Classic Residences, which deliver resort-style living with curated services and Level 4 amenity access; and the Private Residences, located from Level 26 upward, offering elevated finishes and exclusive access to two more levels of wellness retreat.&nbsp;

Buyers will have the option of&nbsp;two light palettes (white or green stone) and one dark palette (black stone), along with premium inclusions such as optional ZipTap systems and timber flooring upgrades. Upper level residences benefit from full stone benchtops and enhanced detailing, reinforcing the project’s commitment to understated elegance.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149910 project_image_fid=360200]

A major point of difference for Sandpiper lies in its wellness and lifestyle amenity, designed to rival top-tier branded residences, without the hotel badge. All residents will have access to the Level 4 retreat, which includes a magnesium lagoon pool, gym, yoga room, steam and sauna, hot and cold plunge pools, treatment suites, BBQ areas, indoor and outdoor lounges, private dining and games rooms.

Above, the Residents’ Club, exclusive to Private Residence owners, spans two entire levels and features another pool, further wellness zones, a zen garden, personal training gym, office suites, cinema, music studio, library, club lounge and multiple entertaining spaces.

Further reinforcing this sense of exclusivity, Sandpiper has been thoughtfully designed with separate entrances, lobbies and lift cores for the Classic and Private Residences, ensuring privacy for the upper residence-only levels and a seamless arrival experience.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149910 project_image_fid=360190]

“This momentum builds on the proven success of The Rochester Broadbeach, which continues to progress ahead of programme,” Cottam added.

“That delivery performance has been critical in reinforcing buyer confidence and further cements Polycell’s strength as both developer and builder in this market.”&nbsp;

With demolition underway and development approval secured, Sandpiper is on track to commence main construction in late July 2026, following the completion of demolition. Final completion of the project is forecast for July 2030.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=149910]

Expression of interest begins at Sandpiper Broadbeach as demolition of former holiday resort begins

Global Warming

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GUEST INSIGHTS

In cities around the world, temperatures could rise by <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/cities-face-withering-heat-under-worst-warming-scenarios/">more than 4℃</a> by 2100 under a high-emissions climate change scenario, suggests <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-020-00958-8">research published this week</a> in Nature Climate Change.

It comes as the Bureau of Meteorology’s <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/current/annual/aus/">annual climate statement</a>, released today, shows 2020 was Australia’s fourth-warmest year on record, despite being an “La Niña” year, which usually leads to cooler temperatures.

Cities occupy just 3% of Earth’s surface. As this portion of land is so small, they’ve typically been left out of most climate models, which generally make projections on global scales.

Yet more than half the world’s population live in urban environments (set to jump to 70% by 2050). This is why the researchers call for “multi-model projections” of local climates for cities.

In the study, the researchers say their predictions on climate will give “urban planners and decision-makers in any city […] access to city-specific projections for any planning horizon they need”.

It’s important these planning horizons include the cooling and shading provided by <a href="https://theconversation.com/heres-how-green-infrastructure-can-easily-be-added-to-the-urban-planning-toolkit-57277">green infrastructure</a> — the network of green spaces such as street trees and green walls — in urban areas.

For Australia, this means getting a national green infrastructure policy that provides for green spaces within our cities, open spaces and buildings to help with increasing density and rising global temperatures.

What the research found

Heat events, such as heatwaves, pose <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/health-topics/emergency-health-management/heatwave-health-tips-and-information">a significant health risk</a> and can <a href="https://theconversation.com/smart-urban-design-could-save-lives-in-future-heatwaves-33246">hit people harder in cities</a>.

Cities are hotter than in surrounding regional areas due to “<a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/urban-heat-island/">the urban heat island</a>” effect, a result of heat created by all the densely packed people, vehicles and industries, and the heat retained among buildings and other infrastructure.

Despite having the highest population density, the researchers point out that urban areas aren’t often represented in the <a href="https://www.wcrp-climate.org/wgcm-cmip/wgcm-cmip5">Coupled Model Intercomparison Project</a>. This project is important because it informs the global authority on climate change (the <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar5/syr/">International Panel on Climate Change</a>).

So the research authors built a statistical model emulating a complex climate model with urban regions. And they estimate that, by the end of the century, average warming across global cities will increase by 1.9℃ under an intermediate emissions scenario, and 4.4℃ with high emissions.

Urban warming would most affect mid-to-northern parts of the United States, southern Canada, Europe, the Middle East, northern Central Asia and northwestern China.

They also predict that the <a href="https://www.weather.gov/ama/heatindex#">heat index</a> would increase faster than air temperature alone over almost all cities. “Heat index” refers to how hot the human body actually feels, a combination of relative humidity and air temperature. This would mean urban residents would experience higher heat stress.

What does this mean for Australia?

While the research found most urban warming would occur in the northern hemisphere, Australian cities are also projected to continue to warm. But we need only look to the recent record-breaking years to realise climate change will result in more extremely hot days here.

2019 was <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/state-of-the-climate/future-climate.shtml">Australia’s hottest</a> (and driest) year on record. And today’s <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/current/annual/aus/">annual climate statement</a> from the Bureau of Meteorology shows the highest temperature ever recorded in the Sydney Basin, at a whopping 48.9℃, occurred in 2020, on January 4. It also found the average national temperature for 2020 was 1.15℃ higher than normal.

These are nationwide findings, but how Australia manages climate in urban areas is particularly important as around <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/regional-population/latest-release#capital-cities">80% of population growth</a> occurs in capital cities.

In fact, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0169204620301407">2020 research</a> found we’re increasingly facing more frequent and prolonged heatwaves that intensify urban heat islands in places such as Sydney, by raising inland temperatures by as much as 10℃ more than in coastal zones.

Keeping cities cool

The best way to ensure our cities are kept cool is through greening urban spaces. Green spaces can be developed by planting trees in streets, yards and parks for shade, recreation and relief from the heat. This will create cooler urban “microclimates” for social interaction and <a href="https://theconversation.com/cities-will-endure-but-urban-design-must-adapt-to-coronavirus-risks-and-fears-135949">natural retreats</a> from city life.

<a href="https://www.dpie.nsw.gov.au/premiers-priorities/greening-our-city">Greater Sydney</a>, for example, has a welcome new policy to ensure five million more trees are planted by 2030. This is an important long-term goal as <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S221067071630066X">2016 research from Canada</a> found tree cover in daytime reduced air temperature by up to 4℃ in Montreal city.

The design of buildings and their immediate surroundings are also important to help manage increasing heat in our cities.

Our open spaces are places of exercise, retreat, relaxation and, in a new COVID world, socially distant interactions. The pandemic has allowed us <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/popularity-of-parks-prompts-call-for-ideas-to-re-imagine-public-spaces-20200715-p55c5z">to rediscover</a> the importance of our community and local connections in these spaces.

Multi-storey buildings also provide opportunity for vertical greening. The Victorian government, for example, is seeking <a href="https://www.planning.vic.gov.au/policy-and-strategy/planning-for-melbourne/plan-melbourne/cooling-greening-melbourne/green-wall-on-the-go">to increase</a> the amount of green infrastructure in our urban areas to help us cope with predicted warmer conditions.

Australia needs a national planning policy

Urban planning and greening urban spaces is largely a local government responsibility, usually overseen by state and territory governments.

And there is national recognition of the importance of green cities through the federal government’s <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/cities/smart-cities/plan/index.aspx">Smart Cities Plan</a>. It states:

Green, sustainable cities […] improve the quality of air and water, reduce the heat island effect, protect biological diversity and threatened species, and enhance general amenity.

But what’s needed, urgently, is a national planning framework of green city principles so no regions get left behind. Climate change is a national issue, and all urban residents from all socioeconomic backgrounds should benefit from green cities.

This national planning policy would describe how our cities across the nation should develop appropriately spaced trees and other vegetation, to better manage and prepare for increasing density and greater activity as climate change brings hotter weather.

And importantly, more research is needed to better inform climate models. We need more information into the ways our climates will change within different land areas — whether rural, suburban or in cities — so we can develop better national plans for how we will live and work in the future.

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mark-maund-804795">Mark Maund</a>, Research Affiliate, School of Architecture and Built Environment, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-newcastle-1060">University of Newcastle</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kim-maund-497893">Kim Maund</a>, Discipline Head – Construction Management, School of Architecture and Built Environment, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-newcastle-1060">University of Newcastle</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/marcus-jefferies-1193769">Marcus Jefferies</a>, Senior Lecturer School of Architecture and Built Environment, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-newcastle-1060">University of Newcastle</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sueanne-ware-984197">SueAnne Ware</a>, Professor and Head of School of Architecture and Built Environment, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-newcastle-1060">University of Newcastle</a>

This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/cities-could-get-more-than-4-c-hotter-by-2100-to-keep-cool-in-australia-we-urgently-need-a-national-planning-policy-152680">original article</a>.
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Climate change is a national issue, and all urban residents from all socioeconomic backgrounds should benefit from green cities

urban.com.au

Cities could get more than 4°C hotter by 2100, Australia needs a national planning policy

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The Carbon Risk Real Estate Monitor (CRREM) has announced the public release of decarbonisation pathways for the global real estate sector, and the finalisation of the tool to identify and manage transition risks for individual assets.
The pathways will reportedly help market participants meet the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).
The downscaling pathways published today on the CRREM website identify annual energy- and carbon-intensity trajectories until 2050 across real estate markets and sectors that are consistent with keeping global warming below 2 degrees Celsius.
This is a policy goal endorsed by most municipal and national governments and thereby constitutes a plausible scenario against which future climate-related transition risk can be assessed.
The major investors supporting CRREM aim to establish it as a global standard for developing long-term decarbonisation pathways in the real estate sector based on a transparent and scientifically rigorous methodology.
CRREM covers 28 countries in Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific across the commercial real estate sector, including retail, offices, and logistics, as well as the residential sector.
According to the organisation, real estate plays a major role in combatting climate change.
The construction and operation of buildings accounts for 39 percent of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions globally, and much higher percentages in densely populated urban centres.
This exposes the real estate sector to significant climate-related transition risk as governments have started to impose increasingly stringent regulations on energy use and emissions from buildings to meet their own climate goals.
Regulatory risk around energy and carbon is shaping market and technology trends in the real estate sector.
As temperature is projected to rise 3.8 degrees Celsius under current legislation, the decarbonisation pathways aligned with 1.5- and 2-degree global carbon budgets reflect significant reduction requirements beyond current legislative requirements.
CRREM estimates that the carbon-intensity of the building sector will globally have to decline from currently approx. 52 kgCO2e/m2/pa to below 10 kgCO2e/m2/pa by 2050 in order to be in line with the 2-degree global carbon budget.
Such a scenario would have significant implications for long-term asset planning and risk management in the sector – especially for developed countries which in some cases are facing 100 kgCO2e/m2/pa as a starting point for office buildings (based on a whole-building approach).
Calculation of the global reduction targets and the derived national targets for different asset classes in the real estate sector create added-value for investors.
Added value for example includes the transparent analysis of carbon risks, calculation of the abatement costs and analysing the correct timing of retrofit measures that are needed to minimize climate-related transition risk.
Along with the pathways, CRREM also finalized the development of a tool to manage stranding risk for individual buildings.
All information required is aligned with the information GRESB collects at the asset level in order to assess and benchmark the performance of real asset portfolios. The software is Excel-based and has undergone a significant testing phase. It is available on the crrem.eu website.
The decarbonisation pathways were developed by the Austria-based Institute for Real Estate Economics (IIÖ), with technical support from GRESB.
The initiative was funded by APG, PGGM and Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM) and received further support from Japan’s Government Pension Investment Fund and Ivanhoé Cambridge.
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wdavis-8cCN98p7xp

Carbon Risk Real Estate Monitor announces decarbonisation plan

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Last month, the Australian National University contracted with the Social Research Centre (SRC) to survey more than 3,000 Australian adults about their experiences and attitudes related to the bushfires.
The <a href="https://csrm.cass.anu.edu.au/research/surveys/anupoll" target="_blank">study</a> is the first of its kind to gauge how people were affected by the crisis and how it changed their views on a range of subjects, from climate change to the government response.
More than half of Australians felt anxiety
Our research shows the vast majority of Australians were touched in some way by the fires. We asked about eight different forms of impact, from lost property to disrupted holiday plans to difficulty breathing from the smoke.
About 14.4% of our respondents experienced direct exposure to the fires, either through their property damage or evacuations.
We can extrapolate further by looking at population <a href="http://stat.data.abs.gov.au/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=ERP_QUARTERLY" target="_blank">estimates</a> from the ABS and the number of visitors to areas impacted by the bushfires from the <a href="https://www.tra.gov.au/Domestic/domestic-tourism-results" target="_blank">National Visitors Survey</a> to estimate the total number of people directly affected at around 3 million.
And 77.8% of our respondents reported indirect exposure to the fires, such as having a friend or family member with damaged or threatened property, having travel or holiday plans disrupted, being exposed to the physical effects of smoke or feeling anxious or worried about the fires.
Breaking the data down by individual category, the severity of the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/health/2020-01-07/prolonged-bushfire-smoke-creates-new-health-risks/11844934">public health challenges</a> becomes more clear.
Nearly six in 10 respondents (57%) said they were physically affected by the smoke, while 53.6% said they felt anxious or worried about the fires.
Confidence in the government declined
The long-running <a href="https://australianelectionstudy.org/">Australian Election Study</a> has shown that confidence in the federal government has declined substantially in the past few decades.
Crises have the potential to restore some of this trust if dealt with effectively and transparently. However, the government’s handling of the recent bushfire crisis seems to have had the opposite effect.
Confidence in the federal government declined by 10.9 percentage points from 38.2% in our survey in October 2019 to 27.3% by January 2020.
Confidence in other institutions, meanwhile, was quite stable over the four-month period, and higher than for the federal government. Rural fire-fighting services had the highest level of public trust in our survey at 92.5%.
We also found a significant decline in the percentage of people who said they would vote for the Coalition if an election was held that day. This dropped from 40.4% in October 2019 to just 34.8% in January 2020 – nearly even with those who said they would vote for Labor in January (33.4%).
Significant increase in concern over global warming
We also tracked significant changes in people’s attitudes towards the environment.
For instance, 49.7% of people reported the environment as one of the top two issues facing Australia in January 2020, compared to 41.5% of respondents in October 2019.
Another interesting finding: 10.2% reported fires, natural disasters or extreme weather as the most or second-most important issue facing Australians, up from nearly nonexistent in October 2019.
Our findings showed consistently higher concern among Australians when it comes to specific environmental issues. Comparing responses from our January 2020 survey and a 2008 ANUpoll, we saw two large increases in concern for loss of native vegetation, animal species or biodiversity (13 percentage points) and drought and drying (nine percentage points).
There was an even larger increase in the proportion of people who believe global warming or climate change will impact their lives.
Nearly three-quarters (72.3%) of respondents said global warming was a very serious or fairly serious threat, a substantial increase from the 56% who said so in 2008.
The majority of those living in capital cities said they felt global warming was a very serious problem (62%) or a threat (74.9%). Perhaps even more surprising, however, was the fact these views were shared by people in non-capital cities (52% said it was very serious, 65.5% said it was a threat).
Support for new coal mines has also declined sharply over the past eight months. In our January survey, 37% of respondents said the government should allow the opening of new coal mines, down from 45.3% in an <a href="https://dataverse.ada.edu.au/dataverse.xhtml?alias=CSES">ANU survey</a> from June 2019.
While being exposed to the bushfires appears to have made people more aware of environmental issues, the drop in support for new coal mines does not appear to have been driven by the crisis itself. Rather, it appears to be consistent across the population, with the biggest decline occurring among those who voted for the Coalition in the 2019 federal election (57.5% supported new mines in January 2020, down from 71.8% in June 2019).
There is still much work to be done to fully understand people’s attitudes towards climate change and how this correlates with natural disasters like bushfires.
But the data in our survey provide opportunities for future research and new insights and will be made available through the Australian Data Archive. Future surveys could test for changes in people’s attitudes taking into account different variables and track how those attitudes change over time.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/131672/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nicholas-biddle-10171">Nicholas Biddle</a>, Professor of Economics and Public Policy, ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/australian-national-university-877">Australian National University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ben-edwards-446349">Ben Edwards</a>, Associate Professor, Child and Youth Development and Longitudinal Studies, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/australian-national-university-877">Australian National University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/diane-herz-965267">Diane Herz</a>, CEO, Social Research Centre, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/australian-national-university-877">Australian National University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/toni-makkai-968244">Toni Makkai</a>, Emeritus Professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/australian-national-university-877">Australian National University</a>
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/nearly-80-of-australians-affected-in-some-way-by-the-bushfires-new-survey-shows-131672">original article</a>.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Nearly 80% of Australians have been affected by bushfires in some way

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GUEST OBSERVATION
During a heatwave in late 2018, Cairns temperatures topped 35°C nine days in a row and sensors at some points in the CBD recorded 45°C. <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/taha-chaiechi-106267"> </a>
Some <a href="https://www.un.org/en/ecosoc/integration/pdf/fact_sheet.pdf" target="_blank">60% of the planet’s expected urban area by 2030</a> is yet to be built. This forecast highlights how rapidly the world’s people are becoming urban. Cities now occupy about 2% of the world’s land area, but are home to about <a href="/news">55% of the world’s people</a> and generate more than <a href="http://nua.unhabitat.org/details1.asp?ProjectId=33&amp;ln=1" target="_blank">70% of global GDP</a>, plus the associated <a href="https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/cities-pollution.shtml" target="_blank">greenhouse gas emissions</a>.
So what does this mean for people who live in the tropical zones, where <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2014/06/expanding-tropics-will-play-greater-global-role-report-predicts" target="_blank">40% of the world’s population lives</a>? On current trends, this figure will rise to 50% by 2050. With <a href="https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/974736_Ziembicki%20et%20al._Implications%20of%20an%20expanding%20and%20intensifying%20tropical%20zone%20for%20the%20sustainable%20development%20agenda.pdf" target="_blank">tropical economies growing some 20% faster</a> than the rest of the world, the result is a swift expansion of tropical cities.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/290236/original/file-20190830-115397-n616fu.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/290236/original/file-20190830-115397-n616fu.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Population and number of cities of the world, by size class, 1990, 2018 and 2030. 
The populations of these growing tropical cities already experience high temperatures made worse by high humidity. This means they are highly vulnerable to extreme heat events as a result of climate change.
For example, extremely hot weather overwhelmed Cairns last summer. By December 3 2018, the city had recorded temperatures above 35°C nine days in a row. Four consecutive days were above 40°C.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/289316/original/file-20190825-170935-9uanh3.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Cairns’ heatwave summer. Authors, using BOM temperature data
For our research, temperature and humidity sensors were strategically placed in the Cairns CBD to represent people’s experience of weather at street level. These recorded temperatures consistently higher than the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) recordings, reaching 45°C at some points.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/291224/original/file-20190906-175682-1p2r1by.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/291224/original/file-20190906-175682-1p2r1by.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Highest temperatures recorded by James Cook University weather data sensors during the November-December 2018 heatwave in Cairns. Image: Bronson Philippa, Author provided
Local effects magnify heatwave impacts
Urban environments in general are hotter than non-urbanised surroundings that are covered by vegetation. The trapping of heat in cities, known as the <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/urban-heat-island/" target="_blank">urban heat island</a> effect, has impacts on human health, animal life, social events, tourism, water availability and business performance.
The urban heat island effect intensifies the impacts of increasing heatwaves on cities as a result of climate change.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/291226/original/file-20190906-175678-la15cl.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/291226/original/file-20190906-175678-la15cl.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Projections of increased heatwave frequency for Cairns region using visualisation platform on Queensland Future Climate Dashboard.<a class="source" href="https://app.longpaddock.qld.gov.au/dashboard/#responseTab2"> </a>
But it is important to remember that other local factors also influence these impacts. These include the scale, shape, materials, composition and growth of the built environment in a particular location and its surrounding areas.
The differences between the BoM data recorded at Cairns airport and the inner-city recordings show the impacts of urban expansion patterns, built form and choice of materials in tropical cities.
The linear layout of Cairns has, on one hand, enabled the formation of attractive places for commercial activities. As these activity centres evolve into focal points of urban life, they in turn influence all sorts of socioeconomic parameters.
On the other hand, the form the built environment takes changes the patterns of wind, sun and shade. These changes alter the urban <a href="https://theconversation.com/city-temperatures-and-city-economics-a-hidden-relationship-between-sun-and-wind-and-profits-116064" target="_blank">microclimate</a> by trapping heat and slowing or channelling air movements.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/289318/original/file-20190825-170910-sjsrqt.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
The layout and structures of Cairns CBD alter local microclimates by trapping heat and altering air flows.
Shifting the focus to the tropics
To date, a large body of research has explored the undesired consequences of climate change and urban heat islands. However, the focus has been on capital and metropolitan cities with <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00704-015-1703-8" target="_blank">humid continental climates</a>. Not many studies have looked at the economic and social impacts in the tropical context, where hot and humid conditions create extra heat stress.
Add the combined effects of climate change and urban heat islands and what are the socio-economic consequences of heatwaves in a tropical city like Cairns? We see that climate change adds another dimension to the relationship between cities, economic growth and development.
This presents a huge opportunity to start thinking about building cities that are not superficially greenwashed, but which instead tackle pressing issues such as climate variability and create sustainable business and social destinations.
In cold climates, heatwaves and urban heat islands are not necessarily undesired, but their negative impacts are more obvious and harmful in warmer climates. And these harmful impacts of heatwaves on our economy, environment and society are on the rise.
We have scientific evidence of the increasing length, frequency and intensity of heatwaves. The number of record hot days in Australia has <a href="https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/uploads/9901f6614a2cac7b2b888f55b4dff9cc.pdf" target="_blank">doubled in the past five decades</a>.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/289313/original/file-20190825-170956-trlr9q.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Projections of changes in heatwave frequency for northern Queensland in 2030 and 2070. <a class="source" href="https://app.longpaddock.qld.gov.au/dashboard/#responseTab2" target="_blank">Queensland Future Climate Dashboard/Queensland Government</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" target="_blank">CC BY</a>
What are the costs of heatwaves?
Increased exposure to heatwaves amplifies the adverse economic impacts on industries that are reliant on the health of their outdoor workers. This is in addition to the extreme heat-related fatalities and health-care costs of heatwave-related medical emergencies. As a <a href="https://www.nccarf.edu.au/localgov/resources/protecting-human-health-and-safety-during-severe-and-extreme-heat-events-national" target="_blank">PwC report to the Commonwealth</a> on extreme heat events stated:
Heatwaves kill more Australians than any other natural disaster. They have received far less public attention than cyclones, floods or bushfires — they are private, silent deaths, which only hit the media when morgues reach capacity or infrastructure fails.
Heat also has direct impacts on economic production. A <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/45660010_Temperatures_and_cyclones_strongly_associated_with_economic_production_in_the_Caribbean_and_Central_America" target="_blank">2010 study</a> found a 1°C increase resulted in a 2.4% reduction in non-agricultural production and a 0.1% reduction in agricultural production in 28 Caribbean-basin countries. Another <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2099798" target="_blank">study in 2012</a> found an 8% weekly loss of production when the temperature exceeded 32°C for six days in a row.
The 2017 <a href="http://www.agriculture.gov.au/abares/research-topics/climate/farm-performance-climate" target="_blank">Farm performance and climate</a> report by the <a href="http://www.agriculture.gov.au/abares" target="_blank">Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES)</a> states:
"The recent changes in climate have had a significant negative effect on the productivity of Australian cropping farms, particularly in southwestern Australia and southeastern Australia."
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/291232/original/file-20190906-175682-1k3i4mj.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/291232/original/file-20190906-175682-1k3i4mj.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a> 
Average climate effect on productivity of cropping farms in southwestern and southeastern Australia since 2000–01 (relative to average conditions from 1914–15 to 2014–15). <a class="source" href="http://www.agriculture.gov.au/abares/research-topics/climate/farm-performance-climate" target="_blank">Farm performance and climate, ABARES</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" target="_blank">CC BY</a>
It’s not just farming that is vulnerable. A <a href="/news">Victorian government report</a> report this year estimated an extreme heatwave event costs the state’s construction sector A$103 million. The impact of heatwaves on the city of Melbourne’s economy is estimated at A$52.9 million a year on average.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/290239/original/file-20190830-115391-128cd7z.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/290239/original/file-20190830-115391-128cd7z.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Impacts of heatwaves on Victoria’s main economic sectors. <a class="source" href="/news" target="_blank">State of Victoria Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" target="_blank">CC BY</a>
According to this report, economic costs increase exponentially as the severity of heatwaves increases. This has obvious implications for cities in tropical regions.
As the next step in <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/project/Evidence-based-Economic-Assessment-of-Urban-Comfort" target="_blank">our research</a>, we are examining the relationship between local urban features, urban heat islands, the resulting city temperatures and their direct and indirect (spillover) effects on local and regional economic activities.
Taha Chaiechi, Senior Lecturer, James Cook University
Silvia Tavares, Lecturer in Urban Design, James Cook University 
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/urban-growth-heat-islands-humidity-climate-change-the-costs-multiply-in-tropical-cities-120825" target="_blank">original article</a>.
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/120825/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
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Urban growth, heat islands, humidity, climate change: the costs multiply in tropical cities: James Cook University

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One of the problems with cars is the pollution they cause.
This not only impacts the world through greenhouse gas emissions but also has an impact on the health of residents living in areas with poor air quality, according to the latest Secret Agent report.
One of the main obvious benefits of restricted car use in our cities is less congestion.
Taking cars and street parking away means that there is more room for public amenity.
This includes wider footpaths as well as more room for plants and green space. This can also lead to beneficial health effects.
If more people are out and about walking and spending time in green spaces, rather than in their car, home or office, there are more opportunities for social interaction.
This is important because social isolation is a risk factor for physical and mental illness.
Another benefit noted by the report was that: "With less cars in the area it can be expected that there will be fewer fatalities caused by traffic accidents."
In terms of property value, more green space, safer streets and less traffic are also positive features.
Improved public realm and amenity can increase the desirability of a particular area.
This combined with population growth, will increase demand and property prices will likely go up, according to the report.
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Why going car free can boost property prices: The Secret Agent Report

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/80140/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
When you think of Antarctica, you probably picture vast, continuous ice sheets and glaciers, with maybe a penguin or two thrown in.
Yet most Antarctic plants and animals live in the permanently ice-free areas that cover about 1 percent of the continent. Our new research predicts that these areas could grow by a quarter during this century, with mixed prospects for the species that currently live there. 
Besides everyone’s favourite Emperor and Adélie penguins, terrestrial Antarctic species also include beautiful mosses, lichens, two types of flowering plants, and a suite of hardy invertebrates such as nematodes, springtails, rotifers and tardigrades, many of which are found nowhere else on Earth. Tardigrades – tiny creatures sometimes nicknamed “waterbears” – are so tough they can survive in space.
Antarctica’s ice-free areas are currently limited to a scattering of rocky outcrops along the coastline, or cliff faces, or the tops of mountain ranges. They form small patches of suitable habitat in a huge sea of ice, much like islands. 
As a result, the plants and animals that live there are often isolated from each other. But as Antarctica’s climate warms, we expect ice-free areas to get bigger and eventually start joining up. This would create more habitat for native species, but also new opportunities for non-native species to spread. 
Our study, published today in Nature, forecasts that climate change will expand Antarctica’s ice-free areas over the course of this century. Under the most severe scenario that we modelled (which is also the one on which the globe is currently tracking), more than 17,000 square km of new ice-free area could emerge across the continent by 2100. 
This would increase the current total ice-free area by nearly a quarter. The majority of this new ice-free land will be on the Antarctic Peninsula, which could have three times as much ice-free area as it does today.  
Brave new world
As the ice-free areas expand, the distances between them will decrease, giving plants and animals more opportunity to spread through the landscape. On the Antarctic Peninsula, which has already warmed more than anywhere else in Antarctica, many of the ice-free patches will expand so much that they will start joining together.
Will this increase in habitat availability benefit the plants and animals that live there? It will definitely provide new opportunities for some native plants and animals to expand their range and colonise new areas. The warming climate may also give a boost to species that are currently hampered by the lack of warmth, nutrients and water. Some Antarctic mosses, for example, are expected to grow faster as temperatures rise, and Antarctica’s two flowering plant species are already expanding southward.
However, the potential benefits seem likely to be outweighed by the negatives. The joining-up of habitat patches could allow species that have been isolated for much of their evolutionary past to meet suddenly. If the newcomers to a particular area outcompete the native species, then it may lead to localised extinctions. Over the coming centuries this could lead to the loss of many plants and animals, and the homogenisation of Antarctica’s ecosystems.
Antarctic aliens
An even bigger concern is that Antarctica’s great thaw could provide new opportunities for species to invade. Antarctica’s best bulwark against non-native species is its harsh climate and extreme weather, to which native Antarctic species have spent many thousands of years adapting. 
We already know that many plants and invertebrates are reaching Antarctica, most often in food or cargo shipments. As the climate warms, some of these non-native species may be able to establish themselves on the Antarctic Peninsula, and the increasing connectivity will allow them to easily move through the landscape. Many of these animals and plants may become invasive, competing with the native species for space and resources. 
We don’t know how Antarctica’s species will cope with the increasing competition. But if the sub-Antarctic islands provide any indication, the outlook is depressing. Australia’s World Heritage-listed Macquarie Island, for example, was severely impacted by invasive cats, rats, rabbits and mice (although it has since been declared free of these pests after an intensive eradication effort).
Several non-native species have already come to Antarctica, including the invasive annual meadowgrass Poa annua (a common weed around the world), which has colonised newly ice-free areas left behind by retreating glaciers. It is thought to outcompete Antarctica’s native plants, although we don’t yet know what the impact will be on animals. 
Humans – both scientists and tourists – are key transporters of non-native species to the continent, and tourist numbers continue to grow (almost 37,000 visited in the 2016-17 summer). 
Biosecurity is paramount for the ongoing protection of Antarctica. If bags, shoes, clothes and field equipment are not properly cleaned and inspected before arriving on the continent, then non-native seeds, microbes and insects could be transported to Antarctica and begin to spread. 
We call for protection of ice-free areas that will remain intact in a changing climate, and for the Antarctic scientific and tourism communities to pinpoint key areas where greater biosecurity and monitoring for invasive species may be needed.
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jasmine-lee-171931" target="_blank">Jasmine Lee</a> is PhD candidate, biodiversity conservation and climate change, The University of Queensland.
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/justine-shaw-299755" target="_blank">Justine Shaw</a> is Conservation Biologist, The University of Queensland.
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/richard-fuller-169469" target="_blank">Richard Fuller</a> is Associate Professor in Biodiversity and Conservation, The University of Queensland.
All are authors for <a href="https://theconversation.com/au" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.
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