From water management and clean energy production, to how we build truly sustainable cities, explore the critical role our experts are playing in Australia’s response to the global climate challenge.
-
A new device creates hydrogen from air
Researchers have developed a way to generate hydrogen from air, decoupling production from freshwater resources and providing a new direction for a carbon-free future.
-
Building resilient cities with digital tools
In a recent webinar, panellists discussed how the application of technology can address critical ecological and urban design issues, like adapting cities to climate change.
-
Simulating true ocean waves for the first time
While we know that wind creates waves and causes evaporation we don’t know what happens, exactly, when the wind interacts with the ocean to create waves.
-
Solving one of physics’ ‘last great mysteries’ with a new, huge, wind tunnel
Turbulence - the irregular motion of fluids like water or air - is all around us – in the surf, the wind or even the smoke from a candle. But scientists still don’t fully understand how turbulent processes work.
-
Simulating the real world – even before it’s built
Twin systems that simulate physical systems have moved from space travel, where they originated, into more everyday business applications and have become fully digital.
-
Testing autonomous vehicles in (almost) the real world
The new Fishermans Bend campus will feature a world-leading test site for ground and aerial autonomous vehicles, replicating real-world conditions better than most other labs.
-
The future is prefabricated
Commonly used in much of Europe, prefabrication is a more environmentally sustainable and socially beneficial way to build, and it’s taking off in Australia too.
-
Designing for resilience in bushfire-prone areas
Researchers have developed nine principles for urban design and planning to reduce risk and improve the resilience of communities in bushfire-prone areas.
-
The demand for sand and its impact in Asia
Ambitious construction programs are leading to skyrocketing use of concrete, of which sand is a key ingredient but comes with big costs, human and environmental.
-
Don’t blame nature for the disasters we’ve created
Many Australians blame our variable climate for the recent severe bushfires and crippling drought, but researchers say these ‘natural’ disasters are not natural at all.
-
How can we prevent insect Armagddon
Insecticides: how do they work and how can we develop more effective and sustainable pest control strategies, with a reduced environmental impact.
-
Tackling a global crop pandemic - from the air
The spread of Xf bacteria is a huge threat to global agriculture, but research is enhancing our capacity to detect it in crops using airborne monitoring.
-
We need to stop flushing opportunity down the toilet
New technology that converts human urine into fertiliser onsite could enable improved, sustainable urban farming.
-
The future of our cities is Indigenous
Australia’s unceded cities are still part of Country and caring for them means addressing climate change.
-
The investor-led push on climate change
Investor-led pressure on Australian companies is forcing boards to adopt sustainable business practices to meet climate change goals.
-
Creating clean transport fuels from waste
Extracting biofuel from agricultural and urban waste.
-
Hope and courage in the climate crisis
Explore a new book that’s a guided tour of ideas to inspire and sustain radical hope and defiant courage in the long climate emergency which now lies before us.
-
What can the arts do in the face of climate change
The arts helped shine a light on issues in the past, and now in the 21st century, it could help define global ecological citizenship.
-
How universities can ‘walk the talk’ on climate action
Universities should be national and global leaders in tackling our carbon footprint.
-
Disappearing Arctic ice and the role of waves–ice interactions
New modelling focusing on wave–ice interaction aims to predict wave forecasts.
-
Building just and resilient zero-carbon regions
There are key factors for accelerating just and well-managed regional energy transitions.
-
Indigenous knowledge and the myth of 'wilderness'
Framing ideas of ‘wilderness’ as pristine is a powerful conservation narrative, but viewing human impacts on the environment as ecologically threatening excludes Indigenous people.
-
Without sustainable cities, global development goals will fail
Australian cities are integrating the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals into their own COVID-19 Recovery Plans, using local action to drive global sustainability.
-
Water management? Yes it's personal
A new survey of water-planning experts shows they have vastly differing risk perceptions, which may reduce the chance of innovative practices being implemented.
-
Can infrastructure developments join the circular economy?
New ‘circular’ approaches to manufacturing are emerging, which minimise waste and maximise resource use. Can major infrastructure projects go circular too?
-
The complexities of predicting climate change effects
Some of Australia’s iconic ecosystems are collapsing, which is likely exacerbated by climate change. But we must understand the dynamics of our ecosystems in order to protect them.
-
Tougher environmental policies can create economic winners
New research shows that if Australia adopts tougher environmental policies, our economic growth will be strengthened, not undermined.
-
Quenching water’s thirst for power
It takes lots of energy to deliver all the water we need: resourcing this energy through renewables, better storage technology, and improved distribution and treatment processes will ensure sustainable water.
-
Australians more concerned about climate change than COVID-19
Although the COVID-19 pandemic is currently one of the most important issues for many Australians, concern for the environment and climate change tops the list for most of us.
-
Saving lives by predicting catastrophic landslides
Potentially deadly landslides and mine or tunnel collapses can be predicted weeks in advance thanks to a new tool developed at the University of Melbourne.
-
Giving lithium production a green footprint
Ekos Research and the University of Melbourne have developed new, environmentally conscious technology to produce high-purity lithium.
First published on 23 May 2022.
Share this article
Keep reading
-
Big Climate Ideas
Real change needs original thought. From Indigenous land management to clean transport and preserving our biodiversity, these are some of the bold ideas our experts are pursuing to make sure we stay ahead of the next climate challenge.
-
Climate Collaboration
Climate change is a collective concern impacting all facets of our economy, society and environment. Find out how we’re partnering with industry, government and community – both locally and internationally – to solve these pressing challenges together.
-
Interdisciplinary research
Challenging current thinking and translating knowledge through unexpected connections.
-
Research updates
Explore the work of our researchers and collaborators and the impact they’re having in the real world, as well as the latest news and events.