We know that we need to urgently reverse the negative impacts that modern society has on environments, and that we must do this in ways that provide a just transition to a safe climate and resilient, equitable future. We must do more to halt biodiversity loss, reduce atmospheric greenhouse gas emissions, prevent habitat and resource degradation, and build resilient food systems and communities.

Some of the solutions to these problems already exist. However, industry, investors, regulators, and consumers alike face challenges identifying whether their actions really improve multiple desirable outcomes.

We need robust science-based measures and indicators to achieve a sustainable future for Australia and the wider planet. This requires excellent science that connects the concerns of industries, communities, consumers, and governments with the diverse outcomes they are trying to achieve. The Valuing Sustainability FSP builds the next generation of science that bridges global and local knowledge to elevate sustainable solutions for the nation.

Find out more about other CSIRO Future Science Platforms

Evidence based sustainability

Targeting investment in healthy resilient landscapes/seascapes, communities and industries in the right way is not straightforward.

The Valuing Sustainability FSP recognises that developing the next generation of sustainability measures and indicators requires more than just excellent science. It requires a multiple-evidence based approach that:

• Works across industries and communities to define what is important and what collective sustainability goals they are trying to achieve. This will ensure we are measuring the right things.
• Co-designs and co-develops science and technology that underpin rigorous measures and can be used effectively and efficiently in the field for diverse management contexts, and integrated at different scales. This will ensure measures are useable and impactful.
• Create multiple knowledge platforms that go beyond storing data to facilitating data dialogue between science and decision-makers and helps facilitate decision-making, innovation and investment. This will ensure sustainable decisions are promoted, leading to better outcomes for our land, water, and people.

Our Projects

The Valuing Sustainability Future Science Platform is developing a portfolio of research projects, designed to work together to achieve more than the sum of the parts.

Projects will be built around, and to support, 15 new post-doctoral fellows in CSIRO.

Watch this space to find out more, or contact us to discuss opportunities.