This Sustainability Science Symposium will showcase some of the early research findings of CSIRO’s Valuing Sustainability Future Science Platform (VS FSP) and related research from Australia and around the world. It will be held on March 12 and 13, 2024 at the QT Hotel in Canberra, Australia, and will provide opportunities to engage with leading national and international researchers and practitioners working in transdisciplinary sustainability science, and the next generations of leaders in this space from CSIRO and beyond.
CSIRO’s investment in cutting edge science through the VS FSP reflects a growing interest in evidence-based approaches to driving innovation for sustainability with and for regional Australia. The science covers both:
The how: developing new ways to work together
The what: systemic changes required to achieve sustainability outcomes that benefit people, planet and prosperity
As we near the half-way mark of the critical decade, the imperative to address sustainability challenges is intensifying across business, government and civil society. The global Sustainable Development Goals remain distant, climate change impacts are intensifying, biodiversity loss continues, while greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise. Instability in society, ecological systems, food systems, geo-politics and trade create new threats as well as opportunities.
With diverse goals and drivers of change, a major science challenge is to span across and beyond disciplines to advance multiple outcomes that reflect what our society values. For example:
How can we build resilience to a changing climate at the same time as undergoing a transition to a low greenhouse gas economy?
How do we catalyse vibrant industries, quality jobs and relevant skills in our regions through transitions towards sustainability?
How do we boost outputs on agricultural, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land and sea estates while reversing the decline in biodiversity?
How can we ensure that private investment in nature-based solutions achieves both environmental and social outcomes?
How do we ensure the measures of change used to monitor and evaluate our progress can also drive investment and innovation leading to desirable outcomes?