Scott Morrison needs to raise Australia's long-term emissions targets to be aligned with Liberal states and conservative governments overseas, writes the director of the Grattan Institute’s energy program, a former executive at Origin Energy.

The threat of mass fish kills is emerging across the river system as ashy sludge with "the consistency of cake mix" moves downstream.

Australians are looking to the government to take national and global action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and stop the terrifying advance of climate change.

Sydney and NSW's year included dust storms, diving dam levels, heatwaves, fish kills and the eruption of mega bushfires and incessant smoke haze.

Watering with a bucket forces you to choose which plants to save and which plants to kill.