Tackling urgent sustainability challenges at local, regional, and global levels through collaborative, transdisciplinary research that bridges diverse expertise, fosters innovation, and drives actionable solutions for a sustainable future.
The Sustainability Research Cluster was established in 2007 (originally the Sustainability Research Centre) with the goal of conducting cutting-edge research into pressing local, regional, and global challenges of economic, social, and environmental sustainability.
Our collaborative, transdisciplinary approach focuses on understanding the relationships between people, place, and change. We aim to provide evidence-based solutions to policy, planning, and decision-making for a socially just and thriving world.
Research areas
Sustainable cities and communities
Global change, population growth and economic development are placing significant pressure on communities. Research in this theme seeks to assist communities to prepare for, and respond to, shocks and stresses, such as extreme weather events, health crises, and environmental degradation.
Promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management in least developed countries and small island developing States, including focusing on women, youth and local and marginalised communities
Topics of focus include:
- Community resilience
- Co-designed futures
- Small Island / Large Ocean countries
Climate change
Climate change presents unprecedented challenges, including extreme heatwaves, flooding, and threats to ecosystem health. These urgent issues demand innovative, multidisciplinary collaboration to develop strategies for both mitigating climate change and adapting to its impacts.
Research in this area explores a diverse range of topics, including:
- Memory, culture, and society
- Education and climate awareness
- Climate mitigation and adaptation strategies
Through this research we aim to foster resilience and create pathways for a sustainable future.
Social-environmental justice
This research takes a systems perspective to the interrelated and interdependent nature of social and ecological justice promoting peaceful and inclusive societies.
Topics of focus include:
- Children and young peoples geographies
- Migration
- Environmental integrity/ethics
- More-than-human
- Rights of nature
