Sustainable Development Goals at our University
In 2019, we signed the University Commitment which recognises the significant scope of work needed to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the important role university communities play in reaching these goals. We are committed to sustainability for ourselves, our surrounding communities, and the world.
The SDGs offer a shared framework for all levels of government, businesses, community groups and education organisations to prioritise action between 2015 to 2030, across environmental, socio-cultural and economic sustainability.
How we measure our impact for the SDGs
We use the Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Ratings (previously Impact Rankings) and other frameworks, such as the Sustainability Tracking Assessment and Rating System (STARS), to measure our progress towards sustainability. The THE Impact Ratings aim to evaluate university performance in relation to the SDGs.
SDG13 Climate Action
Climate Action aims to take climate action encompassing mitigation and adaptation. It includes climate change measures incorporated into strategies and plans, using investment to support rapid decarbonisation of our economy, a focus on green jobs and sustainable, equitable and inclusive growth, improved education and awareness-raising, and increased institutional capacity to address climate risks, all fostered through cooperation.
The University acknowledges the climate emergency by being a signatory to the Race to Zero initiative. We are carbon neutral certified, are implementing an Emissions Reduction Strategic Plan, and have achieved full divestment from fossil fuel exposed investments. The University prioritises research on climate impacts and engages with community, business, and government to raise awareness, mitigate impacts, and contribute expertise to strategies and policies. Climate emergency causes, impacts, mitigation, and adaptation are the focus of a number of courses that we offer.
Low carbon energy use
Low carbon energy tracking
https://www.utas.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/1240963/Energy-infographic.pdf
The University of Tasmania measures the amount of energy use by source, including low carbon energy. A summary of energy use is publicly available at: Energy Management infographic
The University also monitors and controls its energy use through an online register, which links the information to buildings and locations. The University conducts regular energy audits of buildings across all our campuses.
Energy data is also reported publicly at: University of Tasmania's Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) report.
Environmental education measures
Local education programs on climate
The University of Tasmania delivers a range of local education programs, public lectures, community outreach initiatives and school engagement activities that build understanding of climate change risks and impacts while promoting mitigation, adaptation, disaster resilience, impact reduction and informed responses to climate-related challenges. These activities are available to school students, teachers and the wider Tasmanian community and are delivered through both in-person and online formats..
The Curious Climate Schools is a University of Tasmania program that connects school students aged 10-18 with trusted climate experts, and provides climate education resources to schools in Tasmania. Commencing in 2020, Curious Climate Schools is an ongoing program aiming to deliver public-powered scientific engagement, bridging the gap between experts and children with credible, relevant information about climate change. Each student question is answered in video or webpage format by the panel of experts, and those answers are uploaded to the Curious Climate Schools website, where they can be explored by students and their teachers, as well as the wider public. The Curious Climate program has received various accolades over time, including being the winner of the Benefitting Society category at the 2022 Green Gown Awards Australasia, and highly commended in the International Green Gown Awards in 2023, winner of the Australian Financial Review Higher Education Awards - Community Engagement and highly commended of the Association of Tertiary Education Management Award of Excellence – Industry and Community Engagement the same year.
Through Curious Climate Schools, the University promoted The Heat Is On, an award-winning climate education game that helps secondary students explore how people and communities can adapt and thrive in a changing climate. The program supports climate adaptation education through experiential learning and was showcased to Tasmanian teachers in 2025 through professional learning events. Teachers were able to experience the game firsthand, explore curriculum links and identify opportunities to incorporate climate adaptation and resilience education into classroom teaching. Funding available in 2025 enabled the program to be offered to participating schools at no cost.
The University’s Island of Ideas program, launched in 2020, provides dedicated educational outreach activities for the wider community through a series of free public lectures and discussions that are open to all Tasmanians, including alumni, local residents, displaced people, community organisations and online participants. The program is specifically designed to share University expertise beyond the campus and stimulate informed public discussion on issues of social, environmental and economic importance. The wide range of topics are aligned to and guided by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Given the University's internationally recognised expertise in climate science, Antarctic research and adaptation, SDG13 Climate Action is regularly featured. Climate-focused events help community members understand climate change risks and impacts, explore adaptation and resilience strategies, examine approaches to disaster preparedness and early warning, learn about emissions reduction opportunities, and discuss responses to extreme weather, sea-level rise and other climate-related hazards. Island of Ideas events are delivered both in person and online, removing geographic barriers and enabling broad community participation across Tasmania. The series brings together researchers, policymakers, industry leaders and community voices, creating accessible opportunities for lifelong learning and public engagement. By providing free access to leading researchers and experts on climate change issues, Island of Ideas demonstrates a sustained and structured approach to community education and public engagement. Some recent examples include:
- Tassie’s Wild Weather Up Close (2025), discussing extreme weather, disaster resilience and climate impacts. This talk brought together a meteorologist, climate extremes expert and a disaster resilience specialist to discover what extreme weather means for land, livelihoods and future.
- Voyage to Antarctica’s Floodgates (2025), examining glacier melt, sea-level rise and climate science. This session discussed what four science agencies found at the Denman Glacier, and why it matters for all of us.
- Cut Bills, Cut Emissions: Electrify Everything (2025), highlighting practical emissions reduction strategies. This talk discussed how, by switching to electric cars, heaters and appliances powered by renewables, households can cut thousands from their annual bills while reducing emissions dramatically and putting Tasmania at the heart of Australia’s clean-energy transformation.
- Dispatches from the Far South (2026), exploring warming oceans, sea-ice decline and future climate scenarios.
- Critical Minerals, Critical Moment (2026), discussing the role of critical minerals in the low-carbon transition. Bringing together research, industry and on-the-ground experience, this discussion considered how Tasmania can navigate economic opportunity, environmental responsibility and energy priorities, while contributing to a more responsible global approach to critical minerals development.
- Designing for a Regenerative Future (2026), examining regenerative responses to environmental and climate challenges. This conversation explored regenerative design across tourism, education, ecological restoration and community-led practice. And discussed how innovative design approaches can help communities respond and adapt to climate change and other environmental and social challenges.
Furthermore, The University launched the free massive open online course (MOOC) The Climate Shift: Exploring Science, Empowering Action in 2025, providing accessible climate education to the broader community. The course covers climate science, human influences on climate change, climate impacts, adaptation, mitigation strategies and practical actions individuals and communities can take to build resilience and reduce emissions. The course is grounded in the latest research conducted at the University and takes a fresh, multidisciplinary look at the causes, impacts and responses to climate change. Designed to be flexible and engaging, the course includes videos, audio, written content and interactive activities. Participants are encouraged to apply what they learn at home and in their communities.
In 2025, the University also launched the Young Tassie Climate Change-Makers Project, which engaged young people aged 12-16 in co-designing climate change education for Tasmania. Through regional workshops and collaboration with decision-makers, participants explored climate impacts, adaptation, resilience and climate action while helping shape future educational approaches for young Tasmanians. This initiative builds climate literacy and empowers young people to participate in informed decision-making about climate-related challenges.
Climate Action plan, shared with local government and community groups
The University of Tasmania is committed to accelerating climate action in line with the Paris Agreement and global efforts to limit warming to 1.5°C. To achieve this, the University developed its Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Strategic Plan 2022-2030 (PDF 2.0 MB), a comprehensive climate action plan that addresses greenhouse gas emissions across scopes 1, 2 and 3.
The Plan supports the University's commitments under Race to Zero and its long-standing carbon neutral certification by the Australian Government’s Climate Active Carbon Neutral Standard. It sets a target to reduce gross emissions by at least 50% by 2030 from a 2015 baseline and includes 42 measurable actions covering energy, transport, procurement, waste, construction and business travel, each supported by clear responsibilities, implementation timelines and performance indicators. The Plan guides climate action and provides an example for others to follow.
By making the Plan publicly available and actively sharing implementation lessons with government and community stakeholders, the University contributes to climate action beyond its own operations and supports the transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient Tasmania.
To support climate action beyond the University and to support the transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient Tasmania, the Plan is publicly available and actively shared with local government, government agencies and community organisations. This includes distribution of the Plan and presentations on its implementation through forums such as the Tasmanian Government-related Entities Sustainability Working Group meeting, engagement with the City of Hobart Climate Team, and discussions with community organisations including Sustainable Living Tasmania, Tasmanian Climate Collective and Net Zero Channel Inc. For example, collaboration with Tasmanian Government-related entities during 2025 and 2026 resulted on their development of the Tasmanian climate scenarios for sustainability reporting, which provides four climate scenarios to support Tasmanian Government-Related Entities (GREs) in meeting their climate-related disclosure obligations.
University experts also contribute directly to climate planning and decision-making beyond Tasmania. For example, in 2025 University climate researchers worked with government agencies on climate data and scenario development to support strategic planning, including participation in the NSW Government Common Planning Assumptions process.
Through these engagements, the University contributes practical knowledge, lessons learned and examples of institutional climate action that support broader community and government responses to climate change.
Both the City of Hobart and the City of Launceston, home to the University's largest campuses, acknowledge collaboration with the University in their climate action planning through the 2040 Climate Ready Hobart Strategy (2025-2040) and Local Action for Global Impact: A Community Emissions Action Plan (2025-2050), respectively. Likewise, the Tasmanian Government's Climate Change Action Plan 2023-25 highlights ongoing collaboration with the University of Tasmania on climate-related initiatives.
The University also collaborates with government, industry, NGOs and the wider community to advance climate action through research, education and operational leadership, and contributes expertise to strategies and policies, helping to accelerate emissions reduction and climate resilience across Tasmania and beyond. For example, in 2025 the University of Tasmania and Hydro Tasmania (renewable energy supplier) signed a new Strategic Collaboration Agreement, signaling a renewed commitment to building a resilient Tasmania that will thrive into the future. Through research, innovation and education, the teams will exchange talent, equipment and expertise to make this partnership deliver for our planet at a time where a climate crisis is putting pressure on our communities and environments.
Co-operative planning for climate change disasters
The University of Tasmania works collaboratively with government agencies to support co-operative planning for climate-related disasters and strengthen community resilience. Through multidisciplinary research, planning partnerships and practical decision-support tools, the University contributes evidence and expertise that inform disaster risk reduction, emergency preparedness, response, recovery and long-term climate adaptation strategies.
Fire Centre
The University’s Fire Centre brings together researchers, fire practitioners, government, land management agencies, communities and individual landowners to develop practical solutions for living with increasing bushfire risk. The Centre provides research platforms, decision-support tools and collaborative partnerships that help governments and communities improve preparedness for one of Australia's most significant climate-related disasters. Its approach emphasises co-design across government agencies, local councils, community organisations and land managers to develop locally relevant fire-preparedness and risk-reduction strategies.
As a recent example, the Practical and Sustainable Pathways to Community Coexistence with Bushfires Project (2023-2028) aims to develop adaptation pathways so Australian communities can co-exist safely and sustainably with intrinsically flammable landscapes. In collaboration with local, regional and national governments, state Department of Police, Fire & Emergency Management, Aboriginal communities contributing traditional knowledge, and world-leading fire scientists, this project is expected to provide insights into the drivers of climate-related fire disaster, concrete outcomes such as optimal preventive and mitigation plans, and greatly improved community understanding and involvement.
Likewise, the University Reserve Bushfire and Biodiversity Management Experiment project (2024-2027), in collaboration with the City of Hobart Council, investigates the effects of fuel management on climate-related fire risk and wildlife habitat. The experiment is taking place on the University of Tasmania Bushland Reserve in Sandy Bay, Hobart, which typifies much of the wider Hobart landscape on drier sites and requires multiple management interventions. The experiment has been co-designed with City of Hobart as a test of their management approaches. The project supports cooperative planning for bushfire disasters by bringing together local government, researchers and communities to identify effective prevention, preparedness, mitigation and recovery strategies.
Climate Futures Research Group
The University’s Climate Futures Research Group brings world leading climate science expertise to the challenges of local planning and adaptation. It bridges the gap between fundamental climate science and the local adaptation needs of Australian industries, government agencies and communities. The need to understand the consequences and impacts of climate change on Australia and to enable planning for climate change disasters, adaptation and mitigation at a regional level is widely recognised across industry and government. Some key recent projects include:
'A Natural Hazards Atlas for Tasmania: Mapping Natural Hazards to Build Disaster Resilience and Preparedness' project (2024-2027), supported by the National Emergency Management Agency’s Disaster Ready Fund, supports strategic planning and investment to improve preparedness for current and future climate-related disasters and strengthen community resilience. The project is developing a multi-layered online resource that monitors and provides detailed data on natural hazards such as bushfires, floods, and storms. It aims to provide locally relevant and accessible information that supports disaster preparedness, disaster risk assessment and planning for climate-related disasters (including bushfires, floods, storms and extreme weather events) for multiple sectors across all of Tasmania. The fine-scaled climate information that underpins this document is accessible within the Tasmanian Government’s Land Information System Tasmania (TheLIST), making it usable in hard-copy and digital forms.
Furthermore, the Next Gen Regional Climate Projections for Tasmania project (2025-2027), supported by the Tasmanian Government, will deliver high-resolution climate projections for Tasmania. Outputs of the Next Gen Climate Projections will be integrated into the Tasmanian Government’s Land Information System Tasmania (TheLIST) and the forthcoming Natural Hazards Atlas for Tasmania web platform, ensuring public access to data that supports risk assessment and adaptation planning. The project will also deliver decision-support tools, sector-specific reports and capacity building, helping communities, industries and governments make informed decisions for a changing climate. The Climate Futures Research Group is working closely with Tasmanian stakeholders, including government agencies, to ensure the delivery of climate information that meets planning, preparedness and adaptation needs. The project will deliver climate information and decision-support tools that help governments, industries and communities prepare for and respond to climate-related disasters, including bushfires, flooding, extreme weather and coastal impacts.
Other research groups and projects
The University's Disaster Resilience Research Group regularly works with government and industry to collectively strengthen society's resilience to disasters, recognising the need to promote cooperation between research entities and those involved in emergency management to develop new products that enhance disaster resilience. The Group's research focuses on co-operative disaster planning and resilience, including climate change disasters, both locally in Tasmania, nationally in Australia and internationally, which may include communities displacement. For example, the Multi-hazard public information and warning platforms for the future project (2025-2027). explores current and changing perceptions and usage of multi-hazard public information and warning platforms amongst diverse Australian communities. This project is supported by the Natural Hazards Research Australia, the Australia's national centre for disaster risk reduction and natural hazard resilience. The research will support the strategic direction of developing a national, all-hazard emergency warning app, as recommended by the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements. More widely, it will build a deeper understanding of community expectations and multi-hazard communication and warning needs, helping to frame future communication of hazard risks and warning information and the future use and development of multi-hazard public information and warning platforms.
Likewise, other researchers across the University’s academic portfolios participate in co-operative planning, working with government, for climate change disasters. For example, the Understanding Climate Risk: Co-designed Applications for Local Decision Making project (2024-2025) was led by the University of Tasmania in partnership with the National Environmental Science Program Climate Systems Hub and in collaboration with governments at state and local level. Funded through the National Emergency Management Agency's Disaster Risk Reduction Package, the project supports the objectives of Australia's National Disaster Risk Reduction Framework by strengthening the ability of local decision-makers to understand and plan for climate-related disasters. Through a co-designed approach, the project worked to improve the accessibility and practical application of climate risk information, enabling governments and other decision-makers to better assess compound disaster risks, including interconnected impacts from heatwaves, bushfires, floods and storms. By combining climate science with local knowledge, stakeholder perspectives and narrative scenario approaches, the project provides practical tools and resources that support disaster preparedness, adaptation planning and long-term disaster risk reduction.
Information and support for government in local climate change disaster/risk early warning and monitoring
The University of Tasmania contributes to climate-related risk monitoring, preparedness and early warning systems to support governments, emergency management organisations and communities. The University’s work helps decision-makers identify emerging hazards, assess climate-related risks, improve public warning systems and strengthen community resilience. Through partnerships with government agencies, industry and communities, the University contributes scientific evidence, monitoring capabilities and practical information that support climate adaptation, emergency preparedness and disaster risk reduction across Tasmania and Australia.
Natural Hazards Atlas for Tasmania
'A Natural Hazards Atlas for Tasmania: Mapping Natural Hazards to Build Disaster Resilience and Preparedness ' (2024-2027), supported by the National Emergency Management Agency’s Disaster Ready Fund, is being designed as a publicly accessible platform that monitors and provides locally relevant information about climate-related risks including bushfires, floods, storms, extreme temperatures, coastal hazards and sea-level rise. The project aims to improve disaster preparedness, support risk assessment and strengthen resilience by providing detailed hazard information to inform and support local and state governments, emergency services, businesses and communities across Tasmania.
The Atlas will provide fine-scale hazard information through a user-friendly online platform, regional reports and integration with the Tasmanian Government's Land Information System Tasmania (TheLIST). By making hazard information accessible and relevant at local scales, the project supports evidence-based planning, climate adaptation and disaster risk management across the state.
Development of the Atlas has been informed through extensive stakeholder engagement involving government agencies, emergency management organisations, planners, industry and community representatives. Surveys, interviews and workshops completed during 2024 and 2025 identified user needs and priorities, ensuring the Atlas is co-designed to support practical decision-making, risk monitoring and preparedness activities.
Improving Public Warning Systems for Natural Hazards
The University is a partner in the ‘Multi-hazard public information and warning platforms for the future’ project (2025-2027), funded by the Natural Hazards Research Australia, the Australia's national centre for disaster risk reduction and natural hazard resilience. This project examines how communities access, understand and use hazard information and emergency warnings, with particular attention to accessibility, comprehension and usability across diverse populations.
The project's findings will support the future development of multi-hazard public information and warning systems, including the strategic direction of a national all-hazard emergency warning application recommended by the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements. The research will help emergency management and weather agencies improve warning delivery, strengthen community preparedness and enhance the effectiveness of future warning capabilities.
As part of the project, University of Tasmania researchers are examining how people with low literacy, low digital literacy and limited access to digital technologies may experience barriers to receiving emergency warnings. This work aims to improve the inclusiveness and effectiveness of government public warning systems, particularly for vulnerable and under-served communities
Air Quality and Smoke Forecasting for Emergency Decision-Making
University researchers are contributing to the ‘AQFx visualisation platform for air quality and smoke forecasting’ project (2023-2025) in partnership with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). The project improves the science, forecasting capability and near-real-time data systems required to provide robust and nationally consistent forecasts of air quality impacts, including smoke from climate-related bushfires.
The platform is designed to provide timely and accurate information to emergency services, health agencies, environment departments and other stakeholders, supporting informed decision-making during air quality and smoke events. By improving forecasting capability and providing near-real-time information on current and predicted air quality conditions, the project helps agencies issue advisory early warnings and respond more effectively to environmental hazards affecting public health and safety. Through this work, University researchers contribute directly to climate-related hazard monitoring, forecasting and communication systems that support emergency preparedness and risk management.
Supporting Government-Led Disaster Risk Management and Climate Resilience
The University of Tasmania contributes to climate-related disaster risk reduction through its participation in the NSW Bushfire and Natural Hazards Research Centre (BNHRC), a government-funded research partnership established to improve how governments, emergency services and land managers prepare for and respond to natural hazards in a changing climate. The Centre was established following recommendations from the 2020 NSW Bushfire Inquiry and works directly with government agencies and emergency management organisations to generate evidence that informs policy, planning and operational practice.
The BNHRC brings together researchers, policymakers, emergency response agencies, public land managers and Aboriginal knowledge holders to co-design research that addresses real-world disaster and climate risk challenges. Participating government and emergency management partners include the NSW Rural Fire Service, State Emergency Service, Reconstruction Agency, Fire and Rescue, and the state Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. Through these collaborations, research is specifically designed to support government decision-making and improve preparedness for bushfires, floods and other climate-related hazards.
The Centre's mission is to generate high-quality evidence that improves natural hazard management across communities. Its research supports the identification, assessment and management of climate-related risks and helps government agencies develop more effective approaches to disaster preparedness, resilience-building and hazard management. Through its involvement in the BNHRC, the University of Tasmania contributes scientific expertise that informs government action and strengthens the evidence base used by regional and state authorities to reduce disaster risks and enhance community resilience in the face of increasing climate change impacts.
Next-Generation Climate Projections for Tasmania
The University's Climate Futures Research Group secured Tasmanian Government funding to develop a Next Gen Regional Climate Projections for Tasmania (2025-2027). The project will deliver details climate information at a 4-kilometre resolution, providing governments, industry and communities with improved understanding of future climate conditions across the state.
The projections will support decision-making in areas including infrastructure planning, natural resource management, agriculture, community safety and climate adaptation. By providing contemporary, locally relevant climate information, the project will help organisations identify climate risks, evaluate future hazards and plan for long-term resilience. Researchers are working closely with end users to ensure the information is accessible, practical and suited to real-world planning and risk management needs.
Marine Observations Supporting National Climate Risk Assessment
University of Tasmania researchers contribute to Australia's climate risk monitoring capability through the Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS), a national marine observing network that collects long-term environmental data from Australia's oceans and coastal environments.
In 2025, IMOS data informed Australia's first National Climate Risk Assessment, delivered by the Australian Climate Service and the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. The assessment identified current and future climate risks to Australia's people, infrastructure, economy and natural environments, providing a national baseline for climate risk assessment and adaptation planning. IMOS data contributed to dozens of projects within the assessment, including projects addressing marine ecosystems, Antarctica and climate change, and primary industries.
The National Climate Risk Assessment informs priorities for climate adaptation and resilience action and provides a framework for future climate risk assessments across Australia. Through its ongoing contributions to IMOS, the University helps provide the environmental monitoring evidence required to understand emerging climate risks and support informed adaptation responses.
Collaboration with NGOs on climate adaptation
The University of Tasmania collaborates with non-government organisations (NGOs) and community partners to advance climate adaptation education and build capacity for responding to climate change. Through research partnerships, ecosystem restoration initiatives and community engagement programs, the University works with NGOs to generate, share and apply knowledge that helps communities, industries and ecosystems adapt to a changing climate. Some key examples follow.
Giant Kelp restoration partnerships
The University of Tasmania collaborates with non-government organisations (NGOs) to support climate adaptation through a series of Giant Kelp Restoration projects (2023-2026). These projects involve partnerships between the University's Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), The Nature Conservancy Australia, Natural Resource Management South (NRM South), and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), bringing together the knowledge, experience and capacity of researchers, conservation organisations, industry participants and community stakeholders.
The projects aim to develop and apply methods for large-scale restoration of Giant Kelp forests, an ecosystem that has been significantly affected by climate-driven ocean warming and marine heatwaves. Through collaboration with NGO partners, the projects generate and share knowledge about ecosystem restoration and nature-based climate adaptation, helping build capability for the long-term management of climate-affected coastal ecosystems. Lessons from restoration activities contribute to broader understanding of how marine environments can adapt to changing climatic conditions and inform restoration efforts in other locations.
By restoring Giant Kelp forests, the partnership supports ecosystem resilience and provides a range of ecosystem services, including habitat for commercially important species, improved water quality and coastal protection. The projects also support industries and community groups that depend on healthy marine ecosystems, including fisheries and dive tourism
Conservation Covenants for Ecosystem Restoration and Climate Adaptation
The University is collaborating with The Nature Conservancy Australia and other Australian universities on the ‘Using Conservation Covenants for Ecosystem Restoration & Climate Adaptation’ project (2024-2027). This partnership brings together researchers and an environmental NGO to investigate how conservation covenants can be used not only to protect existing ecosystems but also to facilitate ecological restoration and adaptation to climate change.
Historically, conservation covenants have acted as "passive" protection mechanisms—legal agreements that stop a private landholder from clearing existing native bushland or destroying high-value ecosystems. This project aims to reform that paradigm by exploring how covenants can facilitate active interventions in climate adaptation by designing flexible frameworks that allow habitats to transition as climate change shifts species distributions and alters ecosystems.
A key component of the project is engagement with non-academic stakeholders, including organisations involved in administering conservation covenants and supporting landholders. Through this collaboration, the research generates knowledge that can help practitioners, conservation organisations and land managers apply conservation covenants more effectively to achieve climate adaptation and restoration objectives.
Climate resilience in agrysistems
The Climate Resilience in Agrisystems Project (2025-2028), is a collaboration between the University of Tasmania and the NGO Landcare Tasmania. The partnership connects climate adaptation research with community-based land management and farming networks, enabling the co-design of approaches to address climate-related challenges facing agricultural systems.
Working closely with farming communities and Landcare groups, the project focuses on improving on-farm biodiversity, strengthening the wellbeing of farming families, and encouraging ongoing participation in community-based environmental programs. The collaboration supports climate adaptation education through the exchange of knowledge between researchers, farmers and community organisations, helping translate research into practical approaches for managing climate-related risks and building resilience.
Through its mixed-methods research approach, the project aims to generate actionable insights that can assist landholders, community organisations and policymakers to strengthen ecological health, support sustainable agricultural production and enhance community resilience in the face of a changing climate.
Commitment to carbon neutrality
Commitment to carbon neutral university
The University has been carbon neutral certified since 2016 by the Australian Government's Climate Active Carbon Neutral Standard. The Standard is based on international standards (e.g., ISO standards, Greenhouse Gas Protocol) and tailored to the Australian context. All emissions identified as occurring because of an organisation's business activities are considered for relevance using the relevance test. The criteria for relevance are adapted from the Greenhouse Gas Protocol - Corporate Standard and ensure the carbon account appropriately reflects the emissions of the organisation and meets the expectations of consumers and internal and external stakeholders. All relevant emissions sources (direct and indirect, covering scopes 1, 2 and 3) are included in the University’s greenhouse gas inventory and commitment to carbon neutrality, as required by the Standard.
To achieve carbon neutral certification, the University has:
- Measured and reduced emissions where possible. To meet our commitment to climate action, Race to Zero and carbon neutral certification, the University has developed a comprehensive Greenhouse Gas Inventory covering all the University’s relevant emissions, and an ambitious Emissions Reduction Strategic Plan, aiming to reduce gross emissions by at least 50% by 2030 from a 2015 baseline year
- Offset remaining emissions. Offset projects selected satisfy the Climate Active offset integrity principles – additional, permanent, measurable, transparent, address leakage, independently audited and registered. We use a mix of removal and reduction projects to offset all our annual emissions. Projects also deliver benefits to the Tasmania community and to regions from which our international students originate, and provide environmental and/or socio-cultural co-benefits aligning with the University's values.
- Publicly reported on carbon neutrality. You can find the University's Public Disclosure Statements in the Climate Active certified organisations webpage, and the latest University's Greenhouse Gas Inventory in the Sustainability Portal.
- Undertaken independent validation (i.e. audit or verification) by an environmental auditor or carbon consultant at least once every three years. The University's latest independent technical assurance was conducted in 2025.