Research Research areas Environment & Sustainability toc About The ANU Fenner School of Environment and Society is one of the few places where economists and hydrologists, historians and ecologists, foresters, geographers, political scientists and climatologists work together on the environmental challenges and opportunities facing us. Ranked 24th in the world (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2016), we are a major focus for integrated environmental research and training. Through links to other ANU schools, external research organisations and the policy community, we bring our skills and perspectives to bear on issues such as biodiversity loss, water, energy, drought and climate change. We offer perspectives on complex environmental and sustainable development challenges, drawing on decades of quality empirical and applied research. Research focuses on understanding environmental changes across a range of scales in time and place, enabling the school to provide past, present and future narratives to guide science, policy and management. The School has a particularly strong track record researching long-term environment and sustainability issues and challenges, and has extensive national and international networks with governments, NGOs, research organisations and the private sector, offering significant longitudinal expertise, knowledge and influence. Of particular importance to us is our capacity to encourage sound policy and governance outcomes that support sustainability. We offer this guidance through a number of avenues: by providing professional development for policy leaders; training for environmental leadership; partnerships with practitioners; and offering support for those holding governance roles at local, state, territory, federal or global levels. Facilities Kioloa Coastal Campus The 348-hectare ANU Kioloa Coastal Campus is one of Australia’s premier field stations, offering a diverse ecology which encourages research across all scientific disciplines. View the facility Makerspace The ANU MakerSpace is an initiative by the Research School of Physics and Engineering, where we know people learn by doing. View the facility Mulligans Flat - Goorooyarroo nature reserves In partnership with the ACT Government and CSIRO, ANU researchers are working to improve box-gum grassy woodland for biodiversity at the Mulligans Flat and Goorooyarroo Nature Reserves. View the facility Mulloon Creek natural farms A partnership between the ANU Fenner School of Environment and Society and the Mulloon Institute has allowed ANU students and researchers to study ecological farming principles at Mulloon Creek Natural Farms for 20 years. View the facility National Arboretum Canberra research site The National Arboretum Canberra research site provides researchers with a unique environment to investigate climate variability, climate change, water use and precision measurement of trees and forests. View the facility National Computational Infrastructure The National Computational Infrastructure (NCI) is home to the Southern Hemisphere’s most highly-integrated supercomputer and filesystems, Australia’s highest performance research cloud, and one of the nation’s largest data catalogues—all supported by an expert team. View the facility Podcast Studio The CPAS Podcast Studio is open to staff and students throughout ANU (not just scientists!) to record and grow podcast series. Your success is our success: we want to help you make the biggest and best podcast series in the world. View the facility Science precinct Our new $240-million science precinct on the ANU campus has state-of-the-art biological and chemical research laboratories, as well as a teaching hub. View the facility Wood Library Designed by Eggleston, MacDonald and Secomb, the Forestry Building (#48) was officially opened on 16 May 1968 by HRH the Duke of Edinburgh with the unveiling of a wooden sculpture in the building’s main foyer. View the facility Articles New report shows alarming changes in the entire global water cycle Earth’s water cycle is clearly changing. Globally, the air is getting hotter and drier, which means droughts and risky fire conditions are developing faster and more frequently a new report on the global water cycle concludes. Read the article Climate change is leaving African elephants desperate for water The African savanna elephant is listed as endangered. If the situation doesn’t change, Africa – indeed, the world – may lose one of its most iconic animal species. Read the article Aussies snakes are undervalued: here’s how to be a friend from afar "We have to learn to perceive these animals not as some unbelonging enemy in our environment, but as intrinsic parts of the landscape and as critical servants to the balance of ecosystems," says ANU snake expert Associate Professor Gavin Smith. Read the article Load More Events Mon, Feb 6 2023, 3 - 6pm ANU Climate Update 2023: Save the Date ANU Climate Update 2023 will present an overview of how our climate is changing and how we are responding to these changes in Australia and around the world. View the event toc
