“The situation is hopeless. We must take the next step” (P. Casals). Unless there is a turn-around in global emissions, the planet is faced with a dire climate-driven future. Australia is recognised as a nation under great threat. Within one- or two-decades lifestyles and livelihoods will be forced to adapt to conditions never before experienced. Read More

The topic of shoreline behaviour in relation to sea-level rise has long attracted debate. This is evident in recent publications and responses in the international literature regarding a paper published earlier this by Vousdoukas et al. on “Sandy coastlines under threat of erosion” in Nature Climate Change. Read More

In 1960 as an honours student in Geography at University of Sydney, I was given an incredible gift. To be free to choose a topic and an area for thesis research, a choice in retrospect that guided my future. Read More

Just 60 years ago I started my journey in coastal research. I had the good fortune of selecting the coastal strip between Newcastle in the south and Seal Rocks in the north as a study area for a fourth-year honours thesis in Geography at Sydney University. Read More

Coastal managers frequently find themselves in a quandary. Actions taken in the past, sometimes legally sometimes not, have left behind legacies which today are noted for adverse effects. In a world of increased population growth and development in coastal locations and the threats posed by global warming, these legacy issues loom large in thinking how best they can be managed. Read More

Recollections and notes from field investigations on Hainan Island, China, in 1981. Read More

Inundation by rising sea levels and increased storm surge is likely to have a significant adverse impact on the habitats and associated biodiversity along Australia’s coastline. Read More

Environmental legislation now before federal parliament offers an opportunity to go beyond that of removing “green tape”. Devolution to the states of federal responsibilities without an independent regulator and funding support will ensure our environmental trajectory remains unsustainable. Read More

In writing the blog on estuary health and management, I was prompted to think about the diversity of estuary types around the Australian coast. Many have written on this topic. Read More

Last week I participated in a presentation by fellows of the Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) to the Productivity Commission’s inquiry on national water reform. Jan Dolan, one of the Commissioners, commented on the growing disconnect between science and policy in what is a contested space in public policy. She referred to several “big picture” themes as challenges to be addressed in water reform including population growth, climate change, indigenous water strategies, and how to manage for extremes in water scarcity and other impacts. I was given the opportunity to comment on estuaries. Read More