#Sustainable development

Pacific faces crop yield declines, turns to past for modern solution

Climate change takes many headlines for threatening the Pacific. However, to secure the region’s shared food culture, soil scientists are working with Pacific farmers to provide precision agriculture tools that could herald a new era in regional farming.

Biodegradable versus compostable – knowing your eco-plastics

As the world moves to ban single-use plastics, biodegradable plastics are increasingly in focus as an environmentally friendly alternative. However, some plastics degrade into microplastics, others take ages to disappear from the environment, and in certain conditions they produce powerful greenhouse gases.

The second life of plastics

The problem of plastic is central to creating a circular economy. So, what is science doing to drive innovation. Introducing: The second life of plastics.

Nature’s motherlode of data via supercomputers

Bioregional Assessments was a project that delivered the world’s first integrated regional‑scale assessment of the water impacts of coal resource development. An enormous human challenge which tested some of the world's most sophisticated supercomputers.

Digging up the dirt on water quality on the Great Barrier Reef

A huge amount of effort is going into protecting the Great Barrier Reef - often the kilometres away from where the coral is actually living. Researchers now have a better understanding of the system of erosion and sediment transport processes connecting agricultural land with water quality in the Reef. Critical to improving land management practices.

International environment prize for resilience research

Dr Brian Walker received the Blue Planet Award in Tokyo for his work at the forefront of the interdisciplinary area of resilience of complex adaptive systems. With drought, typhoons, earthquakes and tsunamis all in our region, the award is timely.

Science underpins future decisions on development in northern Australia

CSIRO has delivered the most extensive, integrated assessment of northern Australia’s water resources and the potential for further irrigated agricultural development. Big idea, big landscape, big data. Here is why the work was necessary and how the results can be used.

Mosaic development potential in WA’s Fitzroy River region

An extensive assessment of water resources in the Fitzroy River catchment points to the region’s largely untapped aquifer systems as key to the potential for irrigated agricultural development.

Picking the market for irrigation development in the NT

There’s talk of a ‘food bowl’ in northern Australia. Around Darwin in the Northern Territory it’s more likely to be a fruit bowl, according to a new study of the potential for irrigated agricultural development in the region’s river catchments.