Why, after decades of international agreements, are we still damaging the environment? New research, looking at dozens of unsuccessful policies, has uncovered the basic elements of failure.
Academic rigour, journalistic flair
Articles on Sustainable development
Displaying 81 - 100 of 150 articles
There is no longer any good reason to waste any type of water. We have the technology to turn waste water into a vital resource.
Microbial-based solutions for agriculture are among some of the new innovations having an impact on the sector in the developed world.
Community participation is vital to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. But at the moment it often comes too little, too late.
The creation of a UN special rapporteurship on the right to development should help develop practical solutions on how the right could be realised.
Natural capital is a hot topic that proponents have jumped onto, believing it is the future of sustainable development. But this concept is based on fundamental fallacies.
When Australia joins the 71st UN General Assembly, it will reflect on its progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. But where do we start to achieve these complex and interlinked ambitions?
The draft agenda for the UN urban development conference in Quito neglects the food systems on which the wellbeing of the world’s 4 billion city dwellers depends.
More than 25,000 delegates will meet in Quito in October to set out a New Urban Agenda for the UN, to be implemented over the next 20 years. But Australia is yet to play a major role in the process.
Increased development is always unsustainable, so let’s stop kidding ourselves.
The world’s use of finite resources continues to rise as global development continues. Can we help poorer nations raise their standard of living without exhausting all of our raw materials?
Nauruans used to be some of the richest people in the world, before their mining industry imploded. Now, as the island aims to develop sustainably, there are signs of the green shoots of recovery.
Edo, which gave rise to Tokyo, was also the world’s largest city three centuries ago. Facing ecological collapse, Edo developed a culture and practices that supported sustainable living.
Governance of metropolitan Melbourne is fragmented among 31 city councils. All levels of government need to work towards creating a metropolitan authority to meet the challenges of a growing city.
Big new investors such as the Asian Infrastructure Development Bank are key players in a worldwide infrastructure, and that could be bad news for the environment.
The challenges we face demand profound changes in our thinking and priorities. Replacing the Productivity Commission with a National Sustainability Commission would help us make this paradigm shift.
Kampala generates about 60% of Uganda’s GDP. In the coming decade urbanisation is the single largest opportunity to spur economic growth in the coming decade.
The Open Government Partnership promotes transparency, public accountability and civic participation in government to combat corruption. It is hoped South Africa will help it grow in Africa.
More than thirty gigantic infrastructure projects threaten Africa’s environment without offering economic benefits.
While everyone needs access to proper sanitation to stay healthy, for girls and women it is also an issue of safety and equal participation in society.
Top contributors
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Distinguished Research Professor and Australian Laureate, James Cook University
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Emeritus Professor of Urban & Regional Planning, University of Canberra
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Research Fellow, Monash University
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Associate Professor in Construction and Environmental Performance, The University of Melbourne
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Professor of Environmental Geography, School of Biological Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, UNSW Sydney
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Associate Professor in Public Health, The University of Queensland
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Research Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
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Emeritus Professor, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University
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Director, Monash Sustainable Development Institute, Monash University
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Assistant Director (International) - Melbourne Centre for Cities, The University of Melbourne
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Thomas Wiedmann is a Friend of The Conversation.
Professor of Sustainability Research, UNSW Sydney
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Distinguished Professor of Energy and the Environment, University of Delaware (USA); Honorary Professor, The University of Queensland
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Professor of Global Change and Sustainability Research Institute and School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand
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Clinical Senior Research Associate, MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge
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Academic Director, School for International Training, The University of Melbourne
