Climate-driven disasters make home insurance unaffordable across Australian suburbs

A growing number of Australian neighborhoods are becoming effectively uninsurable as climate change intensifies natural disasters, threatening home values, local economies, and financial markets.

Jess Davis and Andy Burns report for ABC News.

In short:

In Shepparton, Victoria, more than 88% of homes in the CBD are now at high risk of becoming unaffordable or uninsurable due to climate-related damage, with surrounding suburbs facing similar risk levels.
The 2022 floods left many residents unable to rebuild safely or secure insurance, forcing them to relocate and raising concerns about broader economic fallout.
Insurance premiums have surged nationwide, prompting warnings from industry leaders about a “climate-induced credit crunch” that could freeze mortgage lending in high-risk areas.

Key quote:

“This is not a one-off market adjustment. This is a systemic risk that threatens the very foundation of the financial sector.”

— Günther Thallinger, Allianz Global board member

Why this matters:

As the planet warms, more homes across Australia — and globally — are falling into what economists call “uninsurable” zones. Without coverage, homeowners face not only financial ruin in the event of disaster, but also a devaluation of property that ripples across local economies. Banks hesitate to issue loans in high-risk areas, and insurance companies raise premiums or pull out entirely. The result is a vicious cycle where only the wealthiest can afford to adapt, while others remain exposed or are forced to abandon their homes. With no coordinated national response in place, the burden continues to fall on individuals and local councils already stretched to their limits.

www.abc.net.au

A residential garbage can overflows with plastic bottles and other waste.

Credit: the blowup/Unsplash

New pricing system helps small town slash its garbage output

When Plympton, Massachusetts started charging by the bag for trash, it nearly halved the town’s garbage — and saved thousands of dollars in the process.

Tik Root reports for Grist.

In short:

Plympton cut its annual trash output from 640 to 335 tons after shifting from a flat-fee dump sticker to a “pay-as-you-throw” model charging per bag.
The new pricing system incentivized recycling and composting, saving the town about $65,000 a year and reducing landfill-related emissions.
Nearly half of Massachusetts municipalities now use PAYT, and experts say volume-based pricing drives waste reduction without unfairly burdening small or low-income households.

Key quote:

“We found that demand for waste disposal was really responsive to price. If you raise the price of trash, people are going to find ways to not put as much out at the curb.”

— John Halstead, retired professor of environmental economics at the University of New Hampshire and an author of a study on New Hampshire's pay-as-you-throw model

Why this matters:

Less landfill use means fewer toxics in the air and water, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and more recycled materials in circulation. Plympton’s story shows that smart policy doesn’t have to be punitive or complicated — it just has to make people see the cost of their choices, and let common sense do the rest.

How a government feud threatens decades of scientific progress

The Trump administration’s move to cut off $2.6 billion in federal research funding to Harvard has upended a vital engine of American science, with ripple effects that reach far beyond a single university.

Emily Badger, Aatish Bhatia, and Ethan Singer report for The New York Times.

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