Sustainability forum a major step in journey towards Net Zero

Curtin University will help shape Australia’s journey towards a more sustainable future, when it hosts the Net Zero Certification for Urban Precincts forum — a free online event open to the public.

This landmark event, designed for city planners, developers and sustainability advocates, marks a critical step in transforming Australia’s urban areas to meet net zero targets.

Chief Investigator and Curtin Faculty of Humanities’ Dean of Sustainable Futures, Professor Josh Byrne, said certification was a vital aspect of the progression towards net zero and one of the four areas of focus for Pathways to Net Zero Precincts.

“In Australian urban development, net zero is often poorly defined which can lead to confusion and even ‘greenwashing’, where organisations promote themselves as environmentally minded, even if they aren’t,” Professor Byrne said.

The forum will feature panel discussions with representatives from the Green Building Council of Australia, the Clean Energy Finance Corporation and the Urban Development Institute of Australia, who will offer practical guidance on implementing net zero standards in urban projects and detail current tools and responses for decarbonising.

John Curtin Distinguished Professor of Sustainability Peter Newman said the forum was a major contribution to the global net zero agenda. 

“Australian experts will grapple with how best to certify urban developments as net zero,” Professor Newman said.

“Certification will help create a blueprint for urban areas to become sustainable, setting a powerful precedent for the industry.”

Speakers at the forum will delve into global perspectives on certification integrity, the importance of transparency, financial trends supporting net zero development and discussions examining global trends and Australia’s response.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for anyone with an interest to stay up to date with the latest advancements in this space,” Professor Newman said.

PhD candidate Angelina Bowden-Jones will speak at the event and said it was important there was a focus on urban areas in the push towards improved sustainability.

“This forum comes at a time when mandatory climate-related disclosures are about to commence and keeping greenwashing to a minimum is a must,” Ms Bowden-Jones said.

“Urban developments, and in particular, precincts have an important role to play in the pursuit of net zero as their practical scale allows technologies such as solar panels, batteries and electric vehicles to be readily incorporated into design and delivery.

“This forum will be an opportunity for leaders to learn and collaborate, to help with the path towards net zero.”

The Net Zero Certification for Urban Precincts is an online event starting at 9am WST/12pm AEDT on Thursday, November 28 2024.

It is part of a significant national research project Pathways to Net Zero Precincts, a three-year research project collaboration between Curtin, the RACE for 2030 Cooperative Research Centre and a consortium of leading industry and research partners from across Australia with more than 20 researchers all working on pathways to net zero, through researching real world case studies.

For more information or to register to attend visit the event page.