boat in Wollongong Harbour

Luminaries: Sustainable transitions in the Illawarra - a smooth or bumpy road ahead?


The demands of clean energy transitions and decarbonisation will unleash unprecedented transformations across regions, including the Illawarra. The focus of research and policy to date emphasises the opportunities for shaping both prosperous regional economies and sustainable energy futures. But impending regional transformations are multidimensional. The impacts of energy transitions ripple out across society. Massive social transformation brings opportunity, but it also presents challenges that must be navigated if sustainable, ecologically and socially-just regional futures are to emerge.

Much of the policy and technical work on decarbonisation proceeds from the assumption that change will be linear or smooth. We now know from research internationally, and in our region, that this will not be the case. In this panel, leading researchers from the Australian Centre for Culture, Environment, Society and Space (ACCESS), discuss their latest research and what we can learn from research on sustainable regional transitions globally. They will overview the changes coming our way, and tease out what the ripple effects are for people and the environment, and how we could best navigate a path forward.

When: Thursday, 31 August, 4-5 pm AEST
Where: Online via Zoom. Link to join the webinar will be emailed after registration.

Moderator: Professor David Currow

Panellists:

Luminaries brings together researchers, industry experts and thought leaders for a conversation every fortnight. Join us for this interdisciplinary series and discover how research and collaboration is tackling global challenges.