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Network of Environmental Social Scientists

Environmental Conflict Forum

Understanding and solving Environmental Conflict

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When: 8.45 – 1pm Friday, 28^th October 2016 (followed by lunch at St Lucys 1-2pm)
Where: Terrace Room, Sir Llew Edwards Building (14), The University of Queensland, St Lucia
RSVP: Online here (by 17th October)

Environmental challenges are often marked by conflict: political conservatives and progressives are divided on climate change, communities oppose local energy initiatives, and conservation initiatives are opposed by vested interest groups. Environmental conflict strains relationships between people and groups, lowers the wellbeing of the people and communities involved, and causes decision-making to stagnate. This matters, because timely policy buoyed by social acceptance is known to be critical for successful environmental outcomes. Though many disciplines have been grappling with environmental conflict for decades, to date there has been little cross-pollination of ideas, theories, and practices.  Through identifying common themes across disciplines, the forum aims to share knowledge and experiences to better understand – and potentially solve – environmental conflict.

Keynote
Professor Michael Manfredo (Colorado State University)

Energy Conflict
Drew Hutton (Lock the Gate Alliance)
Professor Peta Ashworth (Sustainable Energy Futures, UQ)
Rebecca Colvin (School of Geography Planning & environmental Management, UQ)

Biodiversity Conflict
Dr Tim Seelig (Queensland Conservation Council)
Cristina Romero (School of Geography Planning & environmental Management, UQ)
Dr Duan Biggs (Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University)

Climate Change Conflict
John Cook (Global Change Institute, UQ)
Dr Paul Bain (School of Psychology, QUT)
Liese Coulter (School of Environment, Griffith University, formerly NCCARF)

View flyer

December 10th 2015

Population growth, increasing urbanization and climate change will  change Australian cities and impact wellbeing. Key challenges stemming  from these changes include: improving community wellbeing by enhancing urban green and blue spaces and improving urban design, encouraging community members to support sustainable management of natural resources, and increasing community resilience to extreme weather events. This forum brings together researchers from the  University of Queensland with industry and policy-makers to discuss these issues. The goal is to showcase the research that is already available to guide policy decisions and identify key knowledge gaps which must be filled so that policy-makers can increase the sustainability and livability of our cities.

Speakers: Stuart White (UTS), Anne Cleary (Griffith University), Andrew Davidson (Bulimba Catchment Committee, SEQC), Kelly Fielding (UQ), Paola Leardini (UQ), Lisa McDonald  (Ergon Energy), Vanessa Mooney (UQ), Johnathan Rhodes (UQ), Danielle Shanahan (UQ), Mardi Townsend (Deakin University/Healthy Parks Healthy People, Victoria), Sarah Bishop (Brisbane City Council)

Links to some of our talks:

Anne Cleary – Nature and health

Danielle Shanahan – Towards better health an wellbeing outcomes from green spaces

Helen Ross – Social and cultural values towards waterways

Kelly Fielding – Engaging communities with sustainability

Mardie Townsend -Planning for Healthy Parks Health People

Paula Leardini – Building Smart Liveable Cities

Stuart White – Sustainable Futures: Livable Cities

Sarah Bishop – Creating a Clean, Green, Livable Brisbane

Vanessa Mooney – Livable cities

Lisa McDonald – Designing and planning cities for sustainability

Paola Leardini – Building Smart Livable Cities

Jonathan Rhodes – What does the Structure of Urban Liveability Look Like?

Thursday 12th June 2014
Australia is currently facing serious environmental challenges ranging from protecting water quality and quantity, providing clean, reliable affordable energy sources, protecting biodiversity, managing resources sustainably, and ensuring adequate food production. Climate change is likely to exacerbate many of these issues and pose additional challenges. Complex problems such as these cannot be solved by any one discipline; a multidisciplinary approach is required that brings together different disciplines including those from the natural and social sciences. The forum will begin with a keynote presentation from Professor Carmen Lawrence, Winthrop Professor of Psychology at The University of Western Australia. Leading researchers from across UQ will discuss their research and reflect on the interdisciplinary questions and challenges in addressing key environmental issues. The aim of the forum is to create a dialogue between the disciplines to showcase how these multiple perspectives can inform each other and provide solutions to some of the critical environmental challenges facing Australia and the world.
Speakers: Professor Carmen Lawrence, Dr Paul Dargusch, Professor Matthew Hornsey, Professor Paul Meredith, Dr Tiffany Morrison, Professor Hugh Possingham, Dr Rebecca Wickes