Network News - October 2015
Why the SDGs matter for Australia
A large public event co-hosted by SDSN Australia/Pacific brought together leading thinkers, including John Thwaites, Tim Costello, Sam Mostyn and Cr Cathy Oke, to discuss the UN the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the opportunities they bring for different sectors in Australia.
>> If you missed the event you can see the video here: Part 1: Overview of the SDGs | Part 2: Panel discussion.
Network focus – the SDGs
Following the adoption of the UN Sustainable Development Goals by world governments in September, SDSN Australia/Pacific members have been leading discussions on how they can be localised to our region.
> The Council for International Development in NZ co-hosted a parliamentary event on the SDGs and what they mean for NZ and the Pacific. View the panel discussion video or explore further CID SDGs resources.
> The Australian Council for International Development held workshops on the SDGs and transformational development and on Gender and the SDGs. See ACFID’s SDGs webpage for further information.
In the news:
- Tough love & the environment – University of Queensland’s Prof Saleem Ali speaks to Radio Adelaide
- Say goodbye to capitalism: Welcome to the Republic of Wellbeing – ANU’s Prof Bob Coztanza and Dr Ida Kubiszewski in the Guardian
Indonesia-Australia collaboration on commercial building energy use
A recent workshop in Jakarta led by ClimateWorks Australia, in partnership with SDSN Indonesia, Southeast Asia and Australia/Pacific, identified six program ideas for delivering real improvements in the energy performance of buildings in Indonesia.
>> For further information on the workshop outcomes and next steps see the ClimateWorks Australia website.
Member news
> The Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute has released two briefing papers in the lead up to COP 21: Peers and partners: How Australia compares on climate policy and What does climate leadership and a ‘fair share’ look like?.
Upcoming member and partner events
> Future Earth Australia is holding consultations on a strategic plan for Australian sustainability science with academia, government, business and civil society in Melbourne (5 November), Brisbane (11 November) and Canberra (27 November).
> Monash University is launching its new Gender, Peace and Security Initiative at a public event on Towards women’s security: Local and global in Melbourne on 3 December 2015.
> The University of Melbourne is hosting the Democracy in Transition Conference in Melbourne on 6-8 December 2015.
> The Australian National University and the University of Canberra are co-hosting the 2015 Canberra conference on earth system governance: Democracy & resilience in the Anthropocene in Canberra on 14-16 December 2015.