In this issue

	ECOS Issue 121

Editorial - Forward thinking Download Article

Revealing the wealth of our oceans CSIRO's Wealth from Oceans Flagship program aims to position Australia as an international leader in the delivery of economic, social and environmental wealth based on initiatives in understanding our ocean systems and processes. Download Article

Your own Landsat view of landscape change Australians can now openly access Landsat satellite imagery which details changes to the landscape over the past 30 years. Download Article

A landmark power station over-rule An historic precedent may have been set for energy industry planning following an appeal decision to reject a proposed Hunter Valley power station because of greenhouse gas concerns. Download Article

Ancient aquaculture site is now a heritage treasure The Budj Bim landscape at Lake Condah in Victoria shows evidence of a large, settled Indigenous community systematically farming eels for food and trade in what is considered to be one of Australia earliest and largest aquaculture ventures. Download Article

The nation called to poll ... the pests The ABC is harnessing the combined power of the people and technology to survey and create a highly detailed map of the pests and problem wildlife of Australia by postcode. Download Article

Sustainability reporting is up, but behind international rates The number of top Australian companies reporting on their sustainability achievements has doubled in 12 months. However, compared to international trends, large Australian companies are lagging behind in their reporting rates. Download Article

DiCom's biological process profits from garbage The Perth suburb of Shenton Park is set to boast a leading edge municipal waste processing facility that by 2005 could be transforming 55,000 tonnes of garbage per annum to yield green electricity and compost. Download Article

Living proof - Apo Island's journey from ruin to modest riches A bold local experiment begun in the early 1970s has transformed life on Apo Island in the Philippines, and become an inspirational model for the simple logic of sustainable existence. Download Article

Heavy duty
National infrastructure has a direct bearing on the sustainability of the nation and our region, immediately determining industrial and economic activity, urban development and community dynamics. Today, the huge resource demands, the large associated environmental 'footprint' and long turnover times for key infrastructure mean that sensitive, long-term planning is more critical than ever before.
PDF file

Download Article

A race to faster change An international action competition called The Race to Sustainability is encouraging a ramp-up in the pace at which communities are committing to achieving sustainability. Download Article

Cooling Tokyo's hotspots - naturally NASA researchers have found that cities, in many cases, were up to ten degrees warmer than surrounding non-urban areas. Toyko is beginning to tackle its high urban heat problems with beautiful and cleverly designed roof top gardens. Download Article

A return to Eden
Australian expertise is part of an international effort to assess and remediate the once magnificent Mesopotamian marshlands that were systematically devastated under Saddam Hussein's regime. Clare Peddie reports on the exciting findings of Dr Rob Fitzpatrick's soil science expedition to Iraq, and on the glimmers of hope emerging from one of the world's worst environmental tragedies.
PDF file

Download Article

A post-Kyoto plan gathers pace Australia is centre-stage in global efforts to design a new 'post-Kyoto' plan to fight climate change. Spearheaded by national think tank The Australia Institute, the new initiative has drawn together some of the world's most influential climate change scientists, academics, activists and politicians. Download Article

Encouraging more sustainable practice - the easy way Taking a lead from successful international schemes such as 'feebates' and Germany's best practice technology regulation, Australian governments could go further in implementing practical measures that create strong incentives for faster progress to more sustainable practice. Download Article

Accelerating Australian leadership The transition to a more sustainable economy and community rides on industry buy-in. The National Business Leaders Forum on Sustainable Development and the newly launched Corporate Responsibility Index are rapidly changing the way Australia's organisations view the challenges of 21st century industry practice. Download Article

A fundamental measure for progress The question of the degree of sustainability in our lives now and in the future is a difficult one to answer, since as yet, we have no way of actually measuring it. That problem is now being nailed down by a new, internationally significant project being jointly run in Australia and Sweden. Download Article

Reconciliation re-invigorates solar development Reconciliation and renewable energy technology have joined forces in a project that aims to build a better future for the Yolngu people of Dhuruputjpi in Arnhem Land. It is also encouraging new thinking on the challenges of renewable energy in remote areas. Download Article

Review - One with Nineveh One with Nineveh by Paul and Anne Ehrlich. Download Article

Review - The Interactive Social Atlas The Interactive Social Atlas. Download Article

Review - Working with grassy woodlands Managing and Conserving Grassy Woodlands edited by S McIntyre, JG McIvor and KM Heard. Download Article

A tracked green sawfish gives-up vital data Scientists have tagged and tracked a rare green sawfish for the first time in Australian waters, giving hope that gathering more knowledge of the threatened species will greatly assist conservation efforts to prevent its extinction. Download Article

Ant security guards for tropical fruits Cashew and mango growers are using green tree ants to defend their high-value crops against a range of damaging insects, and saving money by dispensing with conventional insecticide defence. Download Article

Salt water wheat from wild barley A salt and waterlogging tolerant cereal is being developed to enable farmers to extend cropping onto soils with salinity levels too high for any existing cereal breeds. The key to the research is Hordeum marinum or sea barley grass. Download Article

Closing in on feral pigs Aiming to control Australia's feral pig explosion, researchers are working to uncover the weakness in the pigs' formidable defences and are close to deciding on a specific toxin which will be delivered in an ingeniously designed bait. Download Article

Events calendar Forthcoming events related to sustainable development. Download Article

In this issue

Past Issues

2015

2014

Past Years

ECOS Archive