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Lesley Hughes

Professor Lesley Hughes is an ecologist in the Department of Biological Sciences at Macquarie University and an expert on the impacts of climate change on species and ecosystems. She is the co-convenor of the Terrestrial Biodiversity Adaptation Research Network, Chair of the Tasmanian Climate Action Council and a member of Climate Scientists Australia and the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists.

She was a commissioner with the independent federal government advisory body The Climate Commission until it was disbanded. She now works pro bono as a councillor for the independent, non-profit group the Climate Council. Funded by donations from the public, its mission is to provide authoritative, expert advice to the Australian community on climate change.

Professor Hughes was also a member of the Expert Advisory Group on Climate Change and Biodiversity for the Australian Greenhouse Office and the Department of Climate Change, and a lead author for the UN’s IPCC Fourth and Fifth Assessment Reports. Her research has been published extensively in peer-reviewed journals.

Professor Hughes is very interested in the potential impacts of climate change on species and ecosystems, as it is most serious and challenging environmental issue we face. Her research integrates a number of different methods, from small-scale field and laboratory manipulations, to computer modeling of potential impacts on hundreds of species. This research interest has led to work focused on the implications of climate change on the applied issues of land management and conservation policy in Australia and elsewhere. She is currently involved in a large collaborative project assessing the impacts of climate change on the major environmental weeds in Australia.

Climate Change Series

The Great Barrier Reef's 'new normal' is a forlorn sight

Sep 22, 2016 06:34 am UTC| Nature

Images of this years coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef shocked the world. Some tour operators expressed concern that the extensive and sometimes simplistic media coverage would hurt their businesses. The reef...

Economy

Russian LNG Shadow Fleet Expands Amid Arctic LNG 2 Sanctions

Russia is intensifying efforts to bypass Western energy sanctions after a liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker operating under a newly adopted Russian flag was spotted loading fuel linked to the sanctioned Arctic LNG 2...

S&P 500, Nasdaq Hit Record Highs as AI Stocks Rally and Strong Jobs Data Boost Confidence

The SP 500 and Nasdaq closed at fresh record highs on Friday as investors poured into AI-related stocks and welcomed stronger-than-expected U.S. jobs data, reinforcing confidence in the resilience of the American economy....

Dollar Slips as Strong U.S. Jobs Data Reduces Fed Rate Cut Expectations

The U.S. dollar weakened on Friday after stronger-than-expected April jobs data reduced speculation about potential Federal Reserve interest rate cuts. Investor sentiment also improved after President Donald Trump stated...

European Stocks Fall as US-Iran Conflict Rekindles Energy Supply Fears

European stock markets closed lower on Friday as renewed military tensions between the United States and Iran rattled investor confidence and intensified concerns about global energy supplies. The escalating conflict...

Gold Prices Rise as Weaker Dollar and Iran Ceasefire Hopes Boost Safe-Haven Demand

Gold prices climbed on Friday and were set for a strong weekly gain as the U.S. dollar weakened following the latest U.S. jobs report. Investors also turned to safe-haven assets amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East and...

Politics

Israel’s Secret Iraq Base Allegedly Supported Iran Air Campaign, WSJ Reports

Israel reportedly established a covert military outpost deep in the Iraqi desert to support its recent air campaign against Iran, according to a Wall Street Journal report citing sources familiar with the operation,...

Senate Stablecoin Bill Sparks Clash Between Banks and Crypto Industry

A major fight over U.S. crypto regulation is heating up as lawmakers prepare to advance the CLARITY Act, a proposed bill designed to create a clear regulatory framework for digital assets and stablecoins. The legislation...

Trump-Xi Beijing Summit to Focus on Trade, Taiwan, and Boeing Deal

U.S. President Donald Trump is set to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing from May 14 to May 15, marking the first visit by an American president to the Chinese capital in nearly ten years. According to Reuters,...

Trump Reportedly Approves Plan to Remove FDA Commissioner Marty Makary Amid Growing Controversies

President Donald Trump has reportedly approved a plan to remove U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Marty Makary, according to sources familiar with discussions inside the White House. While officials say...

Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified UFO-related files following an order from President Donald Trump, sparking renewed debate over unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and government...

Science

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

NASA Artemis II: First Crewed Moon Mission Since Apollo Takes Four Astronauts on 10-Day Lunar Journey

NASAs Artemis II mission launched Wednesday, marking humanitys return to crewed lunar exploration for the first time since the Apollo era. Carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, this historic 10-day mission...

NASA's Artemis II Mission: First Crewed Lunar Journey Since Apollo

NASA's Artemis II Crew Arrives in Florida for Historic Moon Mission

The four astronauts chosen for NASAs Artemis II mission have touched down at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the beginning of final launch preparations for the first crewed lunar journey in over 50 years. NASA...

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

Technology

AI-Driven Inflation Raises U.S. Consumer Prices, Goldman Sachs Says

Artificial intelligence is starting to increase U.S. consumer prices through rising costs in electronics, software, and electricity, according to a new Goldman Sachs report. The investment bank said AI-related inflation...

Judge Delays SEC Settlement With Elon Musk Over Twitter Stock Disclosure Case

A federal judge has declined to immediately approve a proposed $1.5 million settlement between Elon Musk and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) tied to Musks 2022 Twitter stock purchase disclosures. The...

Broadcom Eyes $35 Billion AI Chip Financing Deal With Apollo and Blackstone

Broadcom Inc. is reportedly in discussions with Apollo Global Management and Blackstone Inc. to secure around $35 billion in financing for its expanding artificial intelligence chip business, according to a Bloomberg...

Dell Stock Hits Record High After Trump Endorsement, AI Server Demand Fuels Rally

Dell Technologies Inc. (NYSE: DELL) surged to an all-time high on Friday after receiving a public endorsement from President Donald Trump during a White House event. The president encouraged Americans to go out and buy...

TikTok Nears $400 Million Settlement With Trump Administration Over Child Privacy Lawsuit

TikTok and the Trump administration are reportedly close to reaching a $400 million settlement tied to allegations that the popular video-sharing platform violated U.S. child privacy laws. According to ABC News, the...