We work to create a world that is socially, ecologically and economically just and safe, where everyone has the resources and skills they need to flourish. ISF brings together expertise from a diverse range of disciplines to deliver practical solutions for our partners, and to empower our students to effect positive change in the years to come.
Recent news
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How to reduce global warming by 1.5CScientists have defined the remaining global carbon budget for the 12 main industry and service sectors to limit global warming to 1.5C by 2050 and implement the Paris Climate Agreement.
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Climate-proofing WASHISF is working with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, UNICEF and the Global GreenGrowth Institute to build more resilient water, hygiene and sanitation in Africa and Asia.
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Battling embodied carbon in construction materialsWith 16 per cent of the building sector's emissions resulting from construction material production, ISF explore the potential for a Material Index aimed at reducing environmental impacts caused by construction materials.
Research projects and impact
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IMPACT STORY
Peri-urban farming: the key to Sydney’s food future
The way Sydney feeds itself into the future is being reassessed after an innovative mapping project revealed how small-scale local growers are losing out to urban developers and the big food chains.
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A sustainable future for burials and cremationsA look into the current and emerging practices for the interment industry and how sustainability factors into our options for a more sustainable practice.
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IMPACT STORY
Sustainability statement blazes trail for green living
One Central Park is a vibrant and verdant example of how to build sustainably, thanks in great part to a strategy devised by ISF.
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Leading Deliberative Democracy short courseA new educational offering helps decision-makers learn how to be a driving force for positive democratic change.
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Enabling regional adaptation to climate changeISF researchers use systems thinking to help guide regional New South Wales to identify and plan for the effects of climate change.
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Demand management beats dams and desalination during droughtGovernments, water agencies and industry around Australia and worldwide are turning to ISF for fresh ideas on how to best manage the world’s most precious resource, water.
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IMPACT STORY
How can coal workers benefit from a renewables jobs boom?
An ISF study shows that while renewable energy can be a major source of jobs in the next 15 years, the outcomes for coal workers will depend on a clear transition strategy.
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MyTown Microgrid in Heyfield VictoriaMore and more communities are looking to make energy work better for them, spurred by a desire to use their local resources more sustainably for the greater benefit of community members.
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“We have commissioned research on sustainability issues from every continent. ISF are at the top in terms of inter-disciplinary skills and experience, creating new ways to analyse and understand issues, and delivering projects. Whether they are facilitating a day with business leaders in India or writing new research based upon analysis and meetings with a range of multi-national corporates, we would recommend partnering with ISF to better understand a sustainable future.”
— Sustainable Funds Group, Stewart Investors
Who we work with
Working together to create change
Stuart White: ISF has a vision to make the world a better place. Part of that is through our mission, which is to create change towards sustainable futures.
Damien Giurco: We do this by partnering with government, industry and the community to engage in transdisciplinary research around complex challenge, that can help us deliver insights that create impact.
Dani Alexander: Sustainability really comes down to being able to live not at the expense of future generations, and hopefully putting them in a better position than we have been in.
Stuart White: Communities are in peril, so we need to ensure that we keep improving sustainability, to create change towards sustainable futures in everything we do, whether it’s as individuals, as societies, as communities, but also as researchers.
Dani Alexander: We’re lucky enough to be an independent research unit within a university, and that’s really core, I think, to the work that we do, that we are independent.
Damien Giurco: And the thing that we do uniquely is not only understand models and visions of what needs to happen, but think practically, ‘How can we work together with government and industry to make it happen in practice?’.
Dani Alexander: And we work directly with them, rather than at arm’s length so that we can see, I guess, the concept from development, all the way to implementation and, hopefully, to positive impact.
Stuart White: That’s why all our researchers have to think and operate in a completely transdisciplinary way. Because that’s how the problems of the world present themselves to us.
Dani Alexander: And it does probably come down to passion; everyone that works here at ISF is passionate about what they do and that really comes out any time you talk to them, but it’s also inclusive. And it’s just such a nice environment to be part of.
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