Urban Sustainability

CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems (CSE) conducts research and development across a range of landscapes, targeting social, economic and environmental sustainability.

The Water for a Healthy Country Flagship is a national research program addressing one of Australia’s most pressing natural resource issues – sustainable management of our water resources.

Improved management of the world’s tropical forests has major implications for humanity’s ability to reduce its contribution to climate change, according to a paper published today in the international journal, Science.

Fluctuations in sea-surface temperatures to the north of Australia and changes in atmospheric circulation patterns over the sub-tropical Indian Ocean have been identified as key factors leading to declining rainfalls in south-eastern Australia since 1950.

Building sustainably for a changing climate is the objective at this year's World Sustainable Building Conference, Melbourne, September 21-25, 2008.

CSIRO research is helping agencies make wise investments to manage Australia’s environment and natural resources.

CSIRO research is helping Australia's government, industries and consumers use resources more sustainably.

Australian Research Centre for Water in Society (ARCWIS) was established to assist Australian organisations and communities to make quality decisions in water and related issues. CSIRO is recognised for its expertise in the conduct and application of innovative social research for water resource management and other related issues of importance to society.

CSIRO's urban infrastructure research skills and capabilities are focused on enhancing whole-of-life built environment performance while reducing our ecological footprint.

 

The Federal Government’s support for Australian-built hybrid cars, coupled with ever increasing fuel prices, are forcing Australians to think again about the way they move from A to B. In this podcast, David Lamb from CSIRO’s Energy Transformed Flagship canvasses our options. (6.40)

The drought in the Murray-Darling Basin continues, but lack of rainfall is not the only woe to afflict one of the country’s most productive agricultural regions. In this podcast, CSIRO’s Dr Ian Smith, Co-Ordinator of the South East Australia Climate Initiative, explains that global warming has a less obvious, but very real, threat. (6.06)

 

The Gungahlin Homestead in the Australian Capital Territory, is an historic site in the north of Canberra that now serves as head office for CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems.

Mr Michael Ambrose leads Your Development, a project which aims to develop sustainability guidelines for urban developers, utility providers and government departments for the delivery of sustainable suburbs.

The proceedings for the workshop Simulation and Modelling of Urban and Regional Sustainability, Transitions and Applications in Policy, Planning and Management (SMURT) in December 2007. (195 pages)

This is an executive summary of the Healthy Country, Healthy People Strategic Framework to guide government investment in Indigenous cultural and natural resource management in the Northern Territory. (22 pages)