Governance and economic incentives for reducing the contribution of tropical deforestation to climate change. The project will contribute toward global efforts to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions, thus mitigating the potential economic and environmental impacts of future climate change on Australia. Australia's neighbours will benefit from the project by putting them in a better position to gain financial transfers for foregone benefits of deforestation, and by insights on better systems o ....Governance and economic incentives for reducing the contribution of tropical deforestation to climate change. The project will contribute toward global efforts to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions, thus mitigating the potential economic and environmental impacts of future climate change on Australia. Australia's neighbours will benefit from the project by putting them in a better position to gain financial transfers for foregone benefits of deforestation, and by insights on better systems of governance. The positive effects enjoyed by neighbouring countries are likely to translate into improved relations with Australia. At the level of international negotiations, the research will support Australia's ambitions for a meaningful post-Kyoto climate change agreement.Read moreRead less
Mapping recombination blocks in Brassica. DNA technology provides new ways to study genomes. Understanding how the genome behaves during plant breeding will help design strategies for the breeding and selection of improved crop plants.
Regulatory design for water quality management in urban catchments. This project aims, through empirical research (i) to evaluate the effectiveness of current regulatory, quasi-regulatory and other policy strategies for water quality management in urban catchments (including total/integrated catchment management); (ii) to provide practical policy prescriptions concerning how through judicious regulatory and institutional design, those problems may be best addressed for the future; and (iii) adva ....Regulatory design for water quality management in urban catchments. This project aims, through empirical research (i) to evaluate the effectiveness of current regulatory, quasi-regulatory and other policy strategies for water quality management in urban catchments (including total/integrated catchment management); (ii) to provide practical policy prescriptions concerning how through judicious regulatory and institutional design, those problems may be best addressed for the future; and (iii) advance regulatory theory by developing a framework for understanding the relative effectiveness of different regulatory regimes in the context of urban catchment management. Its empirical focus is on the Swan-Canning river in Western Australia.Read moreRead less
Characterising structural variation in the canola genome. Characterising structural variation in the canola genome. This project aims to develop and apply genomic tools to identify and characterise structural genome variation in canola, a major Australian export crop, to better understand genome evolution and accelerate canola breeding. Advances in DNA sequencing revolutionise our understanding of crop genomes, their evolution and impact on the inheritance on agronomic traits. Variation of genom ....Characterising structural variation in the canola genome. Characterising structural variation in the canola genome. This project aims to develop and apply genomic tools to identify and characterise structural genome variation in canola, a major Australian export crop, to better understand genome evolution and accelerate canola breeding. Advances in DNA sequencing revolutionise our understanding of crop genomes, their evolution and impact on the inheritance on agronomic traits. Variation of genome structure between individuals could be important in the inheritance of important agronomic traits. Recent advances in technology permit the detailed characterisation of structural variation on a previously unfeasible scale. Anticipated outcomes are enhanced global food security, supporting rural Australian economies, and accelerating the improvement of other major crops.Read moreRead less
China's Industrialisation and Demand for Energy and Minerals. Understanding China's medium and long-term growth prospects and the implications for both demand and supply of resources are critically important to Australian economic policy and performance, as well as to investment decisions of Australian resource producers, and professional decisions of Australians in a wide range of occupations. Analysis of the medium and long-term demand for resources from China would be beneficial for Australia ....China's Industrialisation and Demand for Energy and Minerals. Understanding China's medium and long-term growth prospects and the implications for both demand and supply of resources are critically important to Australian economic policy and performance, as well as to investment decisions of Australian resource producers, and professional decisions of Australians in a wide range of occupations. Analysis of the medium and long-term demand for resources from China would be beneficial for Australian resource industries. It is also important to Australian budget, education and infrastructure policy. Increasing Chinese demand for resources will be critical in shaping global environmental policies.Read moreRead less
Local Capacity Regulation: Facilitating Participatory Environmental Policy. This project aims to develop a participatory strategy capable of substantially improving the environmental performance of small and medium sized enterprises. Its outcome will be to show how local knowledge and capacity can be mobilized to fulfill regulatory and other environmental goals. Its significance will be (i) to develop principles for, and a broader model of local capacity regulation that is robust, sustainable an ....Local Capacity Regulation: Facilitating Participatory Environmental Policy. This project aims to develop a participatory strategy capable of substantially improving the environmental performance of small and medium sized enterprises. Its outcome will be to show how local knowledge and capacity can be mobilized to fulfill regulatory and other environmental goals. Its significance will be (i) to develop principles for, and a broader model of local capacity regulation that is robust, sustainable and easily reproduced, and capable of being applied to a wide range of other environmental and regulatory contexts and (ii) to develop an institutional framework that can facilitate effective community intervention in other domains of governance.Read moreRead less
Improving water market outcomes through a better understanding of market behaviour. The issue of water resources and their sustainable use is probably the most important issue facing the rural sector. The water reform process and its aim to secure water for the environment will cause economic and social pain and result in structural change within the irrigation sector. Properly functioning water markets will play an instrumental role in facilitating this process by providing water for the envir ....Improving water market outcomes through a better understanding of market behaviour. The issue of water resources and their sustainable use is probably the most important issue facing the rural sector. The water reform process and its aim to secure water for the environment will cause economic and social pain and result in structural change within the irrigation sector. Properly functioning water markets will play an instrumental role in facilitating this process by providing water for the environment and allowing water to move between competing resources. This study will enable policy makers and water managers to optimise the positive outcome of water markets and increase the likely success of programs to purchase environmental water.Read moreRead less
Identifying cost-effective reforestation approaches for biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration in the Australian wet tropics. There is great potential for rainforest reforestation to help in the protection of Australia's tropical flora and fauna. Little is known, however, about how to reforest pasture to rainforest for the purpose of maximising the recovery of native biodiversity. We propose a unique experimental study of rainforest reforestation practices with biodiversity conservat ....Identifying cost-effective reforestation approaches for biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration in the Australian wet tropics. There is great potential for rainforest reforestation to help in the protection of Australia's tropical flora and fauna. Little is known, however, about how to reforest pasture to rainforest for the purpose of maximising the recovery of native biodiversity. We propose a unique experimental study of rainforest reforestation practices with biodiversity conservation as a primary goal. Reforestation is currently an unlikely option for most landholders in Australia's tropics given the lack of data on the economic benefits obtainable from such efforts. Our study examines the profits obtainable through the carbon market for each reforestation approach with the goal of increasing the feasibility of rainforest reforestation in North Queensland.Read moreRead less
Auctions of Standing Trees. This project is critical to the ecological well-being of Australia. Standing trees are extremely important in Australia because they prevent soil erosion and stabilize water tables; their location influences fire risks. Much timber is sold at auction. While it is possible and desirable to learn how other nations use auctions to sell standing trees, information from those locales needs to be used with care when adapting it to the Australian experience. The project ....Auctions of Standing Trees. This project is critical to the ecological well-being of Australia. Standing trees are extremely important in Australia because they prevent soil erosion and stabilize water tables; their location influences fire risks. Much timber is sold at auction. While it is possible and desirable to learn how other nations use auctions to sell standing trees, information from those locales needs to be used with care when adapting it to the Australian experience. The project will use state-of-the art theory and methods to implement novel public policy. It will also develop expertise necessary to implement modern economic methods in environmental policy settings.Read moreRead less
Analysis of legislation and policies affecting the development of Indigenous wildlife-based enterprises. Entrepreneurial enterprise development by Indigenous people in remote regions is being encouraged as part of government policy to move people off welfare and into work. Indigenous knowledge of wildlife makes it a logical source of wealth generation but a range of legal and policy constraints add to substantial existing social and logistical problems. An understanding of the legal processes in ....Analysis of legislation and policies affecting the development of Indigenous wildlife-based enterprises. Entrepreneurial enterprise development by Indigenous people in remote regions is being encouraged as part of government policy to move people off welfare and into work. Indigenous knowledge of wildlife makes it a logical source of wealth generation but a range of legal and policy constraints add to substantial existing social and logistical problems. An understanding of the legal processes involved in establishing and maintaining sustainable and ongoing wildlife-based enterprises will improve their chances of success, and will also offer the opportunity to change regulatory frameworks to ensure consistency, remove contradictions and encourage workforce participation. The research will have national and international implications.Read moreRead less