economics

Scientists warn of sustainability crisis as relentless and excessive mining of sand is impacting environment and threatening lives

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It’s a resource used in global construction and mined from rivers and coasts across the world. But the humble grain of sand is being depleted by increased and relentless mining. New research published in the journal Nature Sustainability and led by academics at the University of Hull has shown excessive sand mining is causing river … Read more

Going big with marine conservation

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In the first days of 2020, the Pacific Ocean archipelago nation of Palau took the momentous step of protecting 80% — 500,000 square kilometers — of its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) from fishing. The move is at once a cultural tradition, a far-sighted strategy for future generations and an example of the level of conservation … Read more

Dismal math results can’t be ignored

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Australian school students’ poor performance in mathematics could harm the economy and the next generation’s job prospects, according to a University of Queensland researcher. The results from the 2018 OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reveal that Australian students’ mathematics performance ranked 20 or above on a decreasing scale of one to 26. Professor … Read more

UBC declares climate emergency and moves forward on two key divestment initiatives

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The University of British Columbia has joined communities and organizations around the world in declaring a climate emergency. “UBC acknowledges the urgency of the climate crisis and we must directly face the coming challenges. At this pivotal moment, the decisions and actions we take will reverberate beyond our own borders and lifetimes,” said UBC President … Read more

Climate change and the threat to global breadbaskets

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Extreme climatic conditions could lead to an increased risk of unusually low agricultural harvests if more than one global breadbasket is affected by adverse climate conditions at the same time. The findings of a new IIASA study show that these breadbaskets, the geographical areas responsible for growing much of the world’s food, are at risk … Read more

Economic status cues from clothes affect perceived competence from faces

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Impressions of competence from faces predict important real-world outcomes, including electoral success and chief executive officer selection. Presumed competence is associated with social status. And previous research has shown that people are sensitive to how rich or poor other individuals appear. “Our work show that on top of that, people are susceptible to these cues … Read more

As farmers protest, ANU experts offer stark water warning

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A convoy of farmers and other community members affected by drought are heading to Canberra today to protest about water management in the Murray Darling Basin. They say it’s failing communities. Water experts Professor Jamie Pittock and Professor Quentin Grafton from The Australian National University (ANU) are available to speak to media on the issue, … Read more