Meeting the challenge
Climate change presents one of the most significant global challenges facing society, necessitating a collective and comprehensive response. As part of the global community, universities have a critical role in helping the world through leadership in research, teaching and engagement with the community.
As a research-intensive institution, the University of Adelaide and its innovative researchers continue to use our skills, knowledge, and expertise to explore and develop possible answers to pressing questions on how to ensure a sustainable future.
As part of this approach, we have recently finalised a new research plan - the FAME Sustainability Strategy - which is aimed at accelerating solutions to deliver sustainability, equity and prosperity for the planet and its people, underpinned by breakthrough research.
FAME stands for ‘Foci and Magnets for Excellence’ and comprises a series of strategies which prioritise our research at scale and to deliver positive and lasting impacts for our State, nation and beyond through research excellence and its translation.
As the global population has grown, our demands on natural systems have multiplied. Our natural ecosystems are under great pressure and the world is experiencing a rapid loss of biodiversity, global land degradation, increased waste and pollution, and food and water insecurity, all exacerbated by a rapidly changing climate. This in turn has obvious effects on our human systems, exacerbating poverty and inequality, and fuelling disruption to global peace and justice.
Deep and lasting transformation of our social, ecological, industrial, and cultural systems is required to address these challenges and improve the sustainability of life on Earth. This is an enormous challenge that requires changes in practices, values, education and governance across communities, industries and government.
In this context, the University of Adelaide is a champion of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, as a call for action. Our new FAME Sustainability Strategy links to these important goals, and prioritises our world-class research across many disciplines, from public policy to improving food production to creating new renewable energy sources to influencing behavioural change.
Discovery and development of breakthrough sustainability solutions are core to the University’s strategy – as is educating the next generation of research and industry leaders with the skills to navigate the complex decisions and governance challenges to deliver true sustainability.
We believe that our research across the University’s faculties and research institutes has the capability to drive this agenda.The FAME Sustainability Strategy outlines five research missions focussing on urgent and important cross-cutting thematic areas:
Research Mission 1: Resilient, healthy and equitable communities
Seeks to reduce global inequality and cultivate an inclusive transformation to a sustainable future.This includes exploring human rights-based approaches, improving access to justice, promoting inclusivity and participation, championing indigenous voice and traditional knowledge, resilient infrastructure and planning, disaster risk reduction, and enhancing the wellbeing of vulnerable populations through improved health systems.
Research Mission 2: Responsible resource production and consumption
Explores innovative systems and solutions required to improve production and consumption – from the extraction of critical minerals through to the systems required to optimise food production and water use. Investigates how we can do more with less to ensure the sustainable and efficient use of a natural resource.
Research Mission 3: Planetary health and biodiversity restoration
Focuses on planetary health, including the restoration and resilience of biodiversity and ecosystems. This includes pioneering new knowledge into planetary health, biodiversity restoration solutions, nature- based climate adaptation, and the true valuation of ecosystem services. It will also champion indigenous and traditional knowledge to strengthen ecological research.
“This is an enormous challenge that requires changes in practices, values, education and governance across communities, industries and government.”Professor Anton Middelberg, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Research).
Research Mission 4: Accelerated access to clean and green technologies
Accelerates the technology, innovation and skills required to transform to a sustainable economy.This includes developing future fuels (including hydrogen) and low emissions technology, as well as reducing inequality through transferable, affordable and accessible technology.
Research Mission 5: Effective sustainability governance and decision-making
Encourages and enables sustainable governance.This includes research into reimagining governance structures, responsive policy and regulatory design, mobilising green and climate finance, capacity development and behavioural change, and enhanced decision-making tools. It will also examine the co-benefits, trade-offs and tough choices required to navigate sustainability issues.
By adopting this wide-ranging, multidisciplinary approach to transformative research outcomes, the University seeks to engage with the community in this global endeavour.
Further information on ISER, and our guide to sustainability experts at the University of Adelaide, click here.
Story by Professor Anton Middelberg, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Research).