Opening Session of the 2026 International Industrial Ecology Day (Session 1): Global influence, domestic opportunity: Australia's contribution to 25 years of industrial ecology
How can industrial ecology turn complex evidence into better sustainability decisions?
Environmental and sustainability policy confronts interconnected problems, contested values, uncertainty, and knowledge gaps. As a scientific foundation for decarbonisation and the circular economy, industrial ecology helps policymakers and business leaders understand these connections, assess trade-offs and identify pathways towards more sustainable outcomes. Over the past 25 years, Australian industrial ecologists have helped shape international research, assessment, and policy. Yet this global influence has not always been matched by the uptake of industrial ecology in domestic decision-making. This session showcases major Australian contributions to understanding resource use, environmental pressures, and human wellbeing, and how they apply to sustainability pathways globally and in Australia. Looking ahead, it asks how Australia's research strengths can translate into stronger partnerships with government and industry, and more effective action on climate change, resource efficiency, and the circular economy.
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Chair:
Prof Roy Green, University of Technology Sydney
Panellists:
Prof Manfred Lenzen, University of Sydney
Prof Xuemei Bai, Australian National University
Dr Richard Wood, Newcastle University
Prof Usha Iyer-Raniga, RMIT
Dr Heinz Schandl, CSIRO
Associate Professor Andre Stephan, Construction and Environmental Performance, University of Melbourne
