About us
Future Earth Australia is a national platform to catalyse, collaborate, and connect research and practice for sustainability transformations. Hosted by the Australian Academy of Science, we are a national node in the global Future Earth network and member organisation to the Belmont Forum.
Future Earth Australia (FEA) is a national branch of Future Earth, a global sustainability, research, and innovation network.
Future Earth is supported by four Custodian Organizations: the United Nations Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (UNESCO), the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the International Science Council (ISC), and the Belmont Forum. This international profile allows us to connect with leading sustainability organisations.
FEA is the new Australian member of the Belmont Forum. The Belmont Forum is a unique mechanism that brings together international funding platforms around shared global environmental change challenges. It aims to strengthen transdisciplinary approaches to climate science to address complexity and equity.
Vision
Future Earth Australia’s vision is that Australia and its people thrive in, and contribute to, a sustainable and equitable world.
Aim
Our core aim is to accelerate transformation towards a more sustainable and equitable planet.
Mission
To establish an interconnected platform of expertise and innovation capable of forming solutions to sustainability challenges, especially those facing Australia or our region.
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) call for action by all countries to promote prosperity while protecting the planet.
The goals recognise that ending poverty must go together with economic growth, and addresses social needs such as food security, health, education, social protection and job opportunity. These social needs are reinforced by a functional and safe global environment.
Future Earth is advancing sustainability by implementing the Sustainable Development Goals from research to practice.
Future Earth Australia’s ‘Accelerating Sustainability through Science Impact and Engagement’ Strategic Plan provides direction and purpose for the organisation from 2022-2025.
Our Purpose
FEA provides Australian researchers and institutions pathways to collaborate nationally and internationally on global change and resilience issues.
We aim to:
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Bring together and assist members to capture the opportunities provided by international collaborative programs, particularly those tied to the Sustainable Development Goals
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Showcase Australian members’ research capacity to international communities
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Increase members’ research impact in domestic science policy and international science diplomacy
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Enhance the capacity and reputation of members’ researchers through transdisciplinary research participation and professional development opportunities
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Build recognition and support for transdisciplinary sustainability science across the sector.
Our Team
Future Earth Australia is guided and directed by its Steering Committee, made up of one representative from each member institution, and two Early Career Researcher and Professional representatives (one university, one non-university).
Our Steering Committee members consist of professors, researchers, thought-leaders and influencers in Australian sustainability.
FEA sits within the National Committees of the Australian Academy of Science and is overseen and governed by the Academy’s Executive and Council. Day-to-day operations of FEA are undertaken by our Secretariat staff.
Secretariat
Secretariat Bios
Kate Nairn - Director
Kate Nairn has over 15 years of experience coordinating scientific projects and policy in government, academia, and the not-for-profit sector. An engaging facilitator and experienced presenter, Kate loves to bring people and ideas together for network and solution building. With wide-ranging experience within the climate change and sustainability space she currently leads the Future Earth Australia team to ensure transdisciplinary science and research drives sustainability policy and practice. Kate has significant experience and a passion for Indigenous collaboration.
Mia Jaggers - Research & Policy Assistant
Mia is studying a Bachelor’s degree in Environment and Sustainability at the ANU, majoring in Resource Environmental Management and Science Communication. Her passions lie in communication and practical resilience to climate change.
Members
