saveBOARD has opened its first recycling facility in Australia. Located in Warragamba, in south-west Sydney, the $5.5 million facility has the capacity to process up to 4000 tonnes of materials annually and employ up to 12 local staff to operate the plant.

Supported by the Australian Government’s Recycling Modernisation Fund and the NSW Government’s Waste Less, Recycle More initiative, the facility will manufacture construction products entirely from used beverage cartons that would otherwise end up in landfill. The product — a sturdy, lightweight alternative to conventional plasterboard, plywood or particle board — is 100% recyclable.

The project is the first collaboration between Tetra Pak and SIG Combibloc in Australia, under the umbrella of the Global Recycling Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment (GRACE). It is a joint initiative with saveBOARD and its partner Freightways.

The opening ceremony of the facility was co-hosted by saveBOARD and Tetra Pak.

Paul Charteris, CEO and Co-Founder of saveBOARD, said the facility will support the circular economy and enhance the construction industry’s drive towards more sustainable construction practices, showing the importance and value in recycling and opting for recyclable products.

Andrew Pooch, Managing Director of Tetra Pak Australia and New Zealand, said, “We’re incredibly proud to be part of this sustainability journey alongside saveBOARD, as we look at even more innovative ways we can convert carton packaging waste into useful applications, and contribute to a strong circular economy.”

This forms part of Tetra Pak’s commitment to develop more packaging in line with the 2025 National Packaging Targets. The partnership with saveBOARD shows that innovation in recycling comes in many forms.

The launch of the first saveBOARD facility in Australia marks a step in advancing the infrastructure needed to support carton recycling and enable circular economy locally. In late 2024, saveBOARD will be opening another facility in Campbellfield, Victoria, after receiving $1 million in funding from the Victorian Government.

source http://sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/waste/news/saveboard-turning-beverage-cartons-to-construction-products-1479292770

Researchers at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) operated National Battery Testing Centre (NBTC) have commissioned the biggest large-scale iron flow battery outside of the United States.

A collaboration with Energy Storage Industries – Asia Pacific (ESI) and the Future Battery Industries Cooperative Research Centre (FBICRC), QUT aims to enable large-scale energy solutions to help meet clean energy targets set by state and federal governments.

The Queensland Government’s Energy and Jobs Plan, released in September 2022, set a target of 70% renewables in the energy grid by 2032. Steven Miles, Deputy Premier, said the plan has already created jobs in new industries like battery manufacturing.

Demand for large-scale batteries and storage will increase as solar and wind energy become more mainstream. Testing the battery at QUT’s Banyo facility is a step towards meeting renewable energy targets.

In Maryborough, construction is underway for Australia’s first large-scale iron flow battery manufacturing facility, being developed by ESI. A key part of the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan is the opportunity to design and manufacture batteries in the state.

Joshua Watts, NBTC Project Lead from the QUT Faculty of Science, said effective long-duration energy storage, such as flow batteries, is necessary to meet those targets and to support the intermittency of renewable energy such as wind and solar.

A flow battery contains two chemical solutions separated by a membrane. Electricity is stored and released through changes in the oxidation state of metal ions dissolved in solution.

“This particular battery shows great potential in providing large-scale, long-duration energy storage solutions to store energy for distribution when the wind is not blowing and the sun is not shining,” Watts said.

The battery is targeted towards large-scale solar and wind farms, or community developments looking to build in localised energy generation and distribution networks. The ‘Energy Warehouse’ iron flow battery being commissioned and tested at the NBTC is a 12-metre-long containerised system designed for large-scale energy generation and distribution support for the electricity grid.

“Energy Warehouse systems have the potential to store solar energy generated by residential solar arrays to assist with the management of excess energy that the current electricity transmission infrastructure can’t handle,” Watts said.

He said lithium batteries were more compact, but the cost of scaling them for long-duration storage applications could be an issue. Iron flow batteries are better suited for large-scale applications and offer ease of scalability for long-duration energy storage applications.

“Iron flow batteries are well suited for long-duration applications due to the nature of the energy storage mechanism, which is achieved through dissolved metal salts in aqueous solution. So, you just increase the electrolyte volume, and you increase the capacity. You only need to make the tank bigger,” Watts said.

Iron flow batteries are environmentally benign, fully recyclable and offer a potential lower cost per kWh for long-duration storage applications. They use simplified componentry and have the potential to be locally manufactured as they mainly comprise PVC pipes, water pumps and fiberglass tanks assembled in a 12-metre container.

Watts said iron flow batteries have an advantage when it comes to enlarging, repurposing or recycling.

“Iron flow batteries utilise a weakly acidic iron chloride solution which is non-toxic, simplifying the refurbishment and recycling process for these systems,” Watts said.

The NBTC is one of the projects funded by the FBICRC grant program. It is an example of QUT’s efforts in accelerating new energy storage solutions in support of Australia’s decarbonisation efforts. It will allow local battery system manufacturers to test and certify their products to Australian and international standards in Australia, enabling local manufacturers and industry to get products to market quicker.

“Enabling domestic manufacturing of battery cells and systems is critical to realising our clean energy targets, and with the current global demand there will definitely be an export market for these products as well,” Watts said. “But we’re also working with partners to develop safer systems, safer materials that go into cells and safer control methodologies.”

Watts and his team have been demonstrating the iron flow battery’s features to a range of government sponsored enterprises (GSEs) and private energy companies at the NBTC.

“And we’ll be going through — over the next three months or so — a rigorous testing regime in collaboration with potential off takers to test the battery under different use conditions to get these batteries out into the wild supporting the energy grid as soon as possible,” Watts said.

The next step will be supporting ESI in pilot manufacturing efforts to establish onshore large-scale manufacturing of the systems.

The Queensland Government’s recently released battery industry opportunities for Queensland discussion paper highlighted that many mature players across the entire battery value and supply chain are based in Queensland and there are many opportunities to deliver a strong local battery economy supporting both domestic and export markets.

Watts said QUT is ready to continue supporting ESI and other local battery industry partners under the roadmap and support provided by the Queensland Government.

Stuart Parry, Energy Storage Industries – Asia Pacific Managing Director, said the commissioning was a significant step towards securing Queensland’s future in renewable energy.

Parry said this technology puts the state on track to accelerate renewable energy storage as part of the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan.

“The National Battery Testing Centre has already demonstrated the potential of iron-flow technology, and this will be the first of many batteries that will support jobs and provide reliable energy across the state,” Parry said.

Image credit: iStock.com/Petmal

source http://sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/energy/news/large-scale-iron-flow-battery-commissioned-in-queensland-62592667

RMIT University researchers have developed a method to split seawater directly into hydrogen and oxygen, skipping the need for desalination and its associated cost, energy consumption and carbon emissions.

Hydrogen has often been touted as a clean fuel of the future with potential to solve critical energy challenges, especially for industries that are difficult to decarbonise. However, emissions-free ‘green’ hydrogen, made by splitting water, is so expensive that it is largely commercially unviable and accounts for just 1% of total hydrogen production globally.

Nasir Mahmood, lead researcher and Senior Research Fellow at RMIT, said the method he and the researchers developed is simple, scalable “and far more cost-effective than any green hydrogen approach currently in the market”.

A provisional patent application has been filed for the new method, detailed in a lab-scale study published in Wiley journal Small.

To make green hydrogen, an electrolyser is used to send an electric current through water to split it into its component elements of hydrogen and oxygen.

These electrolysers currently use expensive catalysts and consume a lot of energy and water — it can take about nine litres to make one kilogram of hydrogen. They also release chlorine, which is toxic to the environment.

“The biggest hurdle with using seawater is the chlorine, which can be produced as a by-product. If we were to meet the world’s hydrogen needs without solving this issue first, we’d produce 240 million tons per year of chlorine each year — which is three to four times what the world needs in chlorine. There’s no point replacing hydrogen made by fossil fuels with hydrogen production that could be damaging our environment in a different way,” Mahmood said.

The researchers’ process omits carbon dioxide and produces no chlorine by using a special type of catalyst developed to work specifically with sea water.

The study, with PhD candidate Suraj Loomba, focused on producing highly efficient, stable catalysts that can be manufactured cost-effectively. The new catalysts use little energy to run and could be used at room temperature, Mahmood said.

“Our approach focused on changing the internal chemistry of the catalysts through a simple method, which makes them relatively easy to produce at large scale so they can be readily synthesised at industrial scales,” Loomba said.

According to Mahmood, the technology has promise to bring down the cost of electrolysers enough to meet the Australian Government’s goal for green hydrogen production of $2/kg, making it competitive with fossil fuel-sourced hydrogen.

The next stage in the research is the development of a prototype electrolyser that combines a series of catalysts to produce large quantities of hydrogen.

Image credit: iStock.com/audioundwerbung

source http://sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/energy/case-study/turning-seawater-into-hydrogen-fuel-1359587216

Researchers from UNSW Sydney have developed an online resource that provides a pathway to achieving ‘whole of life’ net zero carbon for Australian buildings by 2040.

Race to Net Zero Carbon: A Climate Emergency Guide for New and Existing Buildings in Australia is a 40-page guide which details critical information about materials and construction best practices to help architects, engineers and planners transform the building industry towards net zero carbon buildings.

The world’s built environment is responsible for 37% of global energy-related greenhouse gas emissions. In Australia, it is responsible for one-fifth of all our emissions.

Carbon emissions within the built environment occur across all stages of a building’s life cycle.

“Our guide draws on Australian climate data but has global applicability,” said Professor Deo Prasad, who is lead researcher of the guide.

“Historically, most professionals have only focused on reducing the operational carbon footprints of buildings. Operational carbon refers to what is required for the building to run once it is built, like energy use in heating or cooling.”

Operationally carbon-friendly buildings are fully powered from on-site and off-site renewables, which offset the buildings’ carbon emissions.

Meanwhile, embodied carbon footprints, which are accrued before a building is even constructed, have usually been overlooked by the industry.

“There are significant amounts of emissions embedded in the materials and construction of the building itself and these need to be addressed and offset in order for our built environment to be truly net zero,” Prasad said.

“Our guide goes deeper than just operational offsetting. It illustrates a ‘whole of life’ approach to buildings — considering where building material comes from, how they are transported to the construction site and so on.”

The best way to minimise the embodied carbon footprint is by retrofitting and reducing materials in use. If that’s not possible, then employing low-carbon materials such as green steel and concrete alternatives during the construction process is best, which is what the guide provides a roadmap for.

The guide also details post-life opportunities for buildings destined to be demolished — creating opportunities to expand the circular economy.

“Buildings don’t have a cradle to grave life cycle,” Prasad said. “It’s more like cradle to cradle. Materials from demolished buildings can go on to have a future life through recycling and reuse.

“For example, it’s possible to avoid demolishing old or undesirable buildings as their concrete structures can stay put and the building can be refurbished.

“Timber, aluminium and glass can be reused or recycled somehow into new products.”

The challenge in the building industry right now is to get past one-off cases and move into a mainstream situation where net zero construction is the norm. Prasad hopes the guide will also help Australia position itself as a leader in the global race to net zero in construction.

The guide is available for download here.

Image credit: iStock.com/pcess609 

source http://sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/energy/news/construction-industry-s-pathway-to-net-zero-by-2040-131487568

The Central City District Commissioner for the Greater Cities Commission (GCC), Peter Poulet, has been appointed Director of the UNSW Cities Institute.

Launched in August 2022, the UNSW Cities Institute is an independent entity that plans to collaborate with government, industry, education, community, local partners and international partners to lead the reinvention of cities. It aims to advance highly productive, sustainable, prosperous, healthy and socially-just urban futures for Sydney, New South Wales, Australia and globally.

By collaborating across all UNSW faculties and key research centres, Poulet will build strategic teams to implement the mission of the institute.

Poulet is an architect with 35 years of experience in the private, public and university sector, as well as a practising and exhibiting visual artist. His professional background includes his current role as Central City District Commissioner for the Greater Cities Commission (GCC), delivering the NSW Government’s vision for Sydney’s future, and his previous appointment as NSW Government Architect, a key position he held from 2012 to 2018.

“The Cities Institute has a broad umbrella and the opportunity to engage with a variety of stakeholders and people who affect conditions in our cities, and we are able to make significant changes for the future, particularly for the next generation who are inheriting the decisions we’re making now about our cities,” Poulet said.

“It highlights the notion that our cities should be more equitable and give better and more equal access to opportunities, to jobs and housing, health and wellbeing, which is essential for a successful society.

“My vision for the Cities Institute is that it will become the go-to place for independent bodies to seek advice and opinion around how our cities should work better and what we as a collective community should do to facilitate that,” he said.

Claire Annesley, Dean of UNSW Arts, Design & Architecture, said: “We’re thrilled to have a director who will craft a vision for what the future of Cities Institute looks like with a diverse range of partners, who is ambitiously trying to solve problems, is established in his career and has an eye on the younger generation to solve problems through a diverse and inclusive approach.”

The Committee for Sydney, an advocacy and urban policy think tank for Greater Sydney and a key stakeholder for the institute, also welcomed Poulet’s appointment and his experience.

Image caption: Peter Poulet with Claire Annesley. Image credit: UNSW

source http://sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/sustainability/news/unsw-cities-institute-appoints-director-692765541

Greening Australia has appointed Stephen Dunne as its new Chair. Dunne has significant experience in financial services including a 21-year stint at AMP Capital, where he was CEO for 12 years. He is also a farm owner with an investment in livestock breeding, farmland conservation and restoration, and has seen the impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss firsthand.

Dunne holds multiple board positions, including the Chair of the QIC Natural Capital Investment Committee, Chair of the Investors Group on Climate Change (IGCC) and Director & Chair of the Investment Committee for the Cbus Super Fund.

Dunne said he is excited to take on this role and drive strategy and investment in tangible, on-ground climate action and biodiversity loss.

“We are seeing an exponential growth in both the need and demand for environmental restoration, and rapid development in environmental markets to funnel investment into meeting this demand. Greening Australia is playing a pivotal role in helping to build these markets and in delivering the on-ground work that underpins them, so it’s a really exciting time to join the organisation,” Dunne said.

According to Dunne, climate change and biodiversity loss are great threats to the economy and to livelihoods. Greening Australia aims to address these challenges by 2023. In Australia and globally, a large amount of capital is required to shape a sustainable future, but Dunne is optimistic that this can be achieved.

Greening Australia is currently recruiting for a new CEO to work alongside Dunne. Outgoing CEO Brendan Foran is confident that Dunne’s financial services background, vision and alignment with the organisation will drive success for Greening Australia as it continues to scale and speed up its operations in this critical decade for ecosystem restoration.

“We’re currently seeing enormous disruption in the environmental sector, with unprecedented demand from investors and policy discussion from government. I look forward to seeing the continued success and growth of Greening Australia under the leadership of Stephen and the new CEO,” Foran said.

Greening Australia has also appointed Scott Anderson to its board. Anderson is a Birriah and Nywaigi Traditional Owner and business management and community engagement specialist. He is the Chair of Greening Australia’s Thriving on Country Committee, a committee that is integral to the delivery, evaluation and governance of Greening Australia’s reconciliation journey.

Image credit: iStock.com/zetter

source http://sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/sustainability/news/stephen-dunne-appointed-chair-of-greening-australia-554009233

The Minister for Climate Change and Energy and the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) have approved $65 million funding for VS1, Vast Solar’s 30 MW/288 MWh reference plant in Port Augusta, South Australia. This project aims to be the catalyst for an Australian concentrated solar thermal power (CSP) industry.

The $203 million project aims to demonstrate the technical and operational performance of Vast Solar’s modular CSP technology for the Australian market. VS1 is the first utility-scale CSP plant that will deploy Vast Solar’s technology, which can generate clean, low-cost, dispatchable power by capturing and storing the sun’s energy during the day to be used to generate heat and power, including at night.

CSP uses mirrors to concentrate and capture heat from the sun in solar receivers, with high temperature heat transferred via sodium and stored in molten salt. The stored heat can then be used to heat water to create steam to power a turbine and produce electricity, or the heat can also be used directly to decarbonise some industrial processes.

The CSP uses turbines similar to those found in coal and gas power plants to generate electricity, which could create jobs for skilled workers displaced by the closure of fossil fuel-fired power plants.

ARENA has supported the Vast Solar technology since 2012, including providing $9.9 million in funding towards the 1.1 MW CSP Pilot Plant in Jemalong, New South Wales.

Vast Solar is currently working with state and federal governments to identify the site of the first full-scale manufacturing facility, which will produce the Australian designed CSP technology.

Prototype manufacturing facility. Image credit Vast Solar.

The announcement follows recent news of AU$19.48m and EUR13.2m funding from HyGATE, a collaboration between the Australian and German Governments, for Solar Methanol 1 (SM1), a project to help decarbonise hard-to-abate industries.

“The scale of the energy transformation underway is massive – it’s great to see an Australian company developing breakthrough technology to create jobs and clean, reliable and affordable power in the regions,” said Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen.

According to Bowen, this technology could meet the need for dispatchable renewable energy, energy security and longer duration storage. It will help support Australia’s target of getting the electricity grid to 82% renewables by 2023.

Darren Miller, ARENA CEO, said the expansion of Vast Solar’s technology into a commercial project shows that CSP technology could play a role in generating and storing renewable energy at scale.

“With the increasing need for dispatchable renewable generation and longer duration energy storage, CSP has potential to assist Australia’s energy transition alongside pumped hydro and large-scale batteries,” Miller said.

Vast CEO Craig Wood thanked ARENA and the commonwealth government for their support in the project.

VS1 is expected to take two years to build with commercial operations commencing late 2025.

Top image caption: Vast Solar’s Jemalong-based pilot plant.

source http://sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/energy/news/arena-provides-65m-funding-for-vast-solar-s-csp-plant-282859303

Seven years back, a marine biologist filmed a sea turtle with a straw stuck up its nostril. The video went viral and drew global attention to the plastic polluting our oceans. That visual served as a catalyst and helped accelerate the move away from single-use plastics in many parts of the world. But there’s also plastic that cannot be seen and these microplastics find their way into our waterways, soil, livestock and aquatic life, and eventually into humans.

A recent study commissioned by World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) revealed that humans could be consuming 5 g of microplastics each week. That equates to the weight of a credit card, according to University of Newcastle, which conducted the research for WWF.

Littering and inadequately managed waste are often considered amongst the main causes of plastic waste. While large pieces of plastic waste are readily visible, research studies now indicate that microplastics are a growing area of concern. While wide awareness about some forms of visible plastic pollution such as straws and grocery bags is leading to bans in many jurisdictions, it will be more difficult to legislate against microplastics.

Plastic pieces measuring less than five millimetres across are considered microplastics and are often created by the fragmentation of large plastic pieces over time. Primary microplastics are also mass-produced when manufacturing abrasive cleaning agents, plastics manufacturing and plastic powder for moulding.

Cosmetic microbeads used in facial scrubs are also a significant source of microplastics. The fashion industry too is coming under scrutiny and is considered the largest source of primary microplastics accounting for close to 30 to 40% of the global microplastics pollution.

Laundry wastewater is a major source with synthetic textiles in particular releasing acrylic, nylon and polyester microfibres. With every wash, synthetic fabrics release microfibres which are similar to microbeads found in cosmetics. A garment can release 700,000 fibres in a single wash.

Scientists are only beginning to understand the effects of synthetic textile waste. Microfibres are the major marine pollutant throughout the world, with an estimated 13 million tonnes of coastal synthetic fabric waste entering the ocean each year. The adverse impact on animal life is significant. Australian researchers have discovered that zooplankton exposed to microplastic fibres produced half the usual number of larvae and that the resulting adults were smaller.

Microplastics are also extremely persistent, and it is close to impossible to remove them once they find their way into the environment. Plastics smaller than 100 nanometres are nanoplastics typically formed when microplastics are exposed to light at moderate temperatures. These can impact humans and animals at the cellular level, passing through cells and tissue. One study that deliberately let pregnant mice inhale extremely tiny particles later found them in almost every organ in their fetuses.

Microplastics from a variety of sources — manufacturing, textiles, laundry, industry — find their way into wastewater systems. Preventing the spread of microplastics would be the most beneficial and practical solution and it is important to look at the role that sewage plays in the distribution of microplastics. Between 80 and 90% of the plastic particles contained in sewage persist in the sludge, according to a UN study.

Sewage sludge is commonly applied to fields as fertiliser, and as a consequence, several thousand tons of microplastics end up in our soils each year and even in our tap water. Terrestrial microplastic pollution is much higher than marine microplastic pollution — estimated to be four to 23 times more, depending on the environment.

The surfaces of tiny fragments of plastic also act as carriers for disease-causing organisms and spread through the environment. Microplastics can also interact with soil fauna, affecting their health and functions. New research shows that the presence of microplastics can stunt the growth of earthworms, and even cause them to lose weight — potentially having a serious impact on the soil ecosystem.

Sewage is a significant distributor of microplastics with 80 to 90% of the particles contained in sewage, such as from garment fibres, persisting in the sludge. Sewage sludge is then often applied to fields as fertiliser and it has been estimated that several thousand tons of microplastics end up in our soils each year.

Scientists are racing to find solutions to clean up microplastics. There is work being done on magnetic liquids and plastic-eating mushrooms, but a viable mass-scale remedy is not yet in sight. Preventing microplastics from entering our environment, it appears, may be the best approach and the first and best line of defence currently.

CST Wastewater Solutions provides locally developed drum screen technology that can prevent blockages, overflows and environmental damage. “Our technology’s fine screening capabilities go down to 200 microns and can be implemented in municipal sewage systems and by industrial users,” said Michael Bambridge, Managing Director, CST Wastewater Solutions. “The horizontal drum screens will screen out a lot of microplastic you can see, which is a step towards addressing this significant environmental threat.”

CST’s horizontal in-channel rotary drum screening technology is locally manufactured and built to be both robust and adaptable. Compared with traditional screening at wastewater treatment plants, its in-channel technology has lower fluid head loss at peak flows to increase solids removal efficiency.

When dealing with fine screening of larger flows, the technology has the advantage of mechanical simplicity, self-cleaning and high-efficiency screening. This can result in reduced maintenance and lower whole-of-life costs compared with other types of screens, such as band and inclined drum screen designs.

There are growing calls for industry to close the plastic tap to prevent the oceans from becoming plastic soup. Effective wastewater screening can go a long way in alleviating the problem.

source http://sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/wastewater/article/action-needed-to-prevent-earth-from-becoming-a-plastic-planet-993032579

The Andrews Government is investing in more sustainable water sources, such as recycled water, to keep parks and sporting facilities green while saving drinking water.

Harriet Shing, Minister for Water, announced $4.9 million across nine projects as part of the Integrated Water Management Grants program, including $1.3 million for the Monterey Recycled Water Scheme in Frankston North.

The Frankston community will benefit from the 2.3 km pipeline which will deliver 73 megalitres of recycled water to three public sites, including football, cricket and soccer grounds and The National Golf Club – Long Island.

“Investment in recycled water infrastructure will deliver a secure water supply for open spaces to remain green during dry spells — creating better recreational outcomes for local communities,” Shing said. “Building the new pipeline will diversify our water sources, helping to secure sustainable water supplies for our growing population.”

The pipeline may be extended in future to support local schools and additional community spaces and sporting facilities.

The Monterey Recycled Water Scheme will cost a total of $4 million, part funded by South East Water, Frankston City Council and The National Golf Club – Long Island. It is expected to be complete in 2024.

The funding is part of the government’s $56.6 million investment towards the Central and Gippsland Region Sustainable Water Strategy, which sets out a long-term plan to improve water security, livability and waterway health for the next 50 years.

Projects funded:

• Monterey Recycled Water Scheme — $1,332,500
• Muddy Gates Stormwater Harvesting Scheme — $1,400,000
• Myuna and Betula Reserve Stormwater Harvesting Scheme — $570,000
• Apollo Bay Golf Course Recycled Water supply — $450,000
• Mt Baw Baw Recycled Water Project — $115,000
• Reconfiguring the Werribee system business case project — $510,000
• Large Scale Alternative Water Grid – South-east: Business Case development — $150,000
• Surf Coast Hinterland Concept Design and Business Case (Stage 1 Large-Scale Recycled Water and Stormwater Grid) — $248,000
• Stormwater Harvesting in Northern and Western Geelong Growth Area – Concept Design — $150,000
   

Image credit: iStock.com/tuachanwatthana

source http://sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/water/news/recycling-water-for-a-green-victoria-1524580892

AECOM has announced the appointment of Kaya Wilson as climate resilience lead. In this role, Wilson will assist clients in identifying, understanding and enhancing climate resilience in a complex world, focusing on national and Australian Capital Territory Government clients.

According to Richard Barrett, AECOM Chief Executive, ANZ, the company is working across many major projects to help implement tools to understand the risks and opportunities of a changing climate.

“Specialist climate-related roles will be integral as we manage the impact of climate change. Importantly, we are seeing significant action, such as a Territory-wide climate risk assessment for the Australian Capital Territory Government, and in New Zealand, the first national climate change risk assessment,” Barrett said.

Wilson’s earth science experience spans industry, academia and government sectors, including roles at Geoscience Australia and the Australian Climate Service. He holds a PhD from the University of Newcastle focused on tsunami modelling.

Wilson is also a published author, diversity and inclusion consultant, and public speaker.

source http://sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/sustainability/news/aecom-appoints-climate-resilience-lead-985884686