Developing catchment-scale expertise
Griffith University is a top-ranked Australian university for natural and physical sciences research and teaching. Water management and whole of water cycle approaches to research and teaching are part of the interdisciplinary School of Environment and Science, including Queensland's only (and Australia's first) professionally accredited Environmental Science degree. Students are provided with catchment-scale expertise to prepare them for real world water management challenges through specific water-related qualifications. World-class research in water and coastal management is conducted through the Australian Rivers Institute and the International WaterCentre.
Sustainable Development Goals
Griffith University is aligned to the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and is committed to ensuring clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, and the preservation of marine life, working towards a sustainable and environmentally responsible future.
Off-campus water conservation support
Through Griffith’s research activities, Griffith University provides a number of off-campus water conservation support programs, including support for local, rural, and international communities.
Read about some of our case studies below.
Griffith’s International WaterCentre is leading the Water for Women funded research project ‘Pacific Community Water Management Plus’. This project was established in 2019 and is ongoing throughout 2023 and 2024, and is exploring how Civil Society Organisations ( CSOs) and governments can better enable rural community water management and conservation in the Pacific to improve SDG 6 outcomes, using community water management plus practices. In Fiji, this project has created practical guides for government, civil society and other actors designing programs or activities to address water security challenges experienced by rural Fijian communities. Throughout 2023 and 2024, the projects has focused on supporting water conservation behavioural change programs to promote water conservation behaviours by everyone in communities. These guides are supported by education videos entitled ‘Water Conservation is Everyone’s Business’.
PACWAM Water Conservation Guide Water Conservation is Everyone's Business
In 2023, the International WaterCentre implemented a behaviour change campaign with community members in Vanuatu to support rainwater tank use in rural communities, creating water conservation behaviours and practices. Rainwater provides one of the main drinking water supplies for households in rural Pacific communities. Recent research showed that over 80% of surveyed villages reported their water tanks becoming empty or very low in the dry season, and over 70% of tanks tested on some islands had presence of bacterial indicators (poor water quality).
This project was funded by World Vision Australia, World Vision Vanuatu, and the Australian Government’s Water for Women Fund. The campaign was designed to encourage and foster improved maintenance, operation, and management behaviours that ensure the safe and secure capture, handling, storage, and use of rainwater for drinking purposes across the entire service chain – “From roof to mouth”.
Currently, only three types of wetlands are considered Blue Carbon ecosystems: mangroves, saltmarsh and seagrass.
However, other tidal wetlands also comply with the characteristics of what is considered Blue Carbon, such as tidal freshwater wetlands, transitional forests and brackish marshes.
In a new study, based on work completed in 2023 and 2024, scientists from Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, South Africa, Vietnam, the US and Mexico have highlighted the increasing opportunities for Blue Carbon projects for the conservation, restoration and improved management of highly threatened wetlands.
Led by Griffith University’s Dr Fernanda Adame Vivanco, from the Australian Rivers Institute, the team compiled information on the biophysical characteristics of various tidal wetlands and their managing potential, and concluded that all wetlands below the highest astronomical tide, directly or indirectly influenced by tides, should be classified as blue carbon ecosystems.
A new Griffith-led study has developed a framework to operationalise global ‘theories of change’, coordinating local and global actions to secure a future where humans live in harmony with nature.
Published in Nature Sustainability in 2023, the research translates global-scale theories of change, into tangible steps for conservation of ecosystems. These steps take account of the economic and political conditions in each nation to ensure conservation actions have the best chance of working.
Global theories of change provide broad, overarching guidance for the conservation and sustainable use of Earth’s ecosystems, including water conservation, but they don’t inform how conservation actions will lead to benefits for society and ecosystems. A robust theory of change must consider the social, economic and political factors that allow actions to be successfully implemented – known as ‘enabling conditions’.
In their research, Dr Christina Buelow, a Research Fellow at the Australian Rivers Institute, and colleagues outline a three-step framework for applying global theories of change like the KM-GBF.
The interactive web app, designed by the team, can be used to explore national blue carbon status and ultimately generate regional enabling profiles to inform localised theories of change that underpin National Biodiversity and Strategy Action Plans.
Coordinating actions across nations will be key to achieving conservation and biodiversity targets like that set out in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Promoting conscious water usage in the wider community
Through its research partnerships, Griffith University works with both urban and regional communities to guide and build pathways of change that enable resilience to various water-induced natural and social pressures, such as floods and catchment activities. These activities include the promotion of conscious water usage in these communities through campaigns, events and co-design research.
Read about some of our case studies below.
The iKnow, weKnow project is collaboratively creating a toolbox of innovative, community-based approaches for water and energy management and conscious water usage in remote Australia. The co-designing of a resilient water and energy toolbox for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island communities project is a three-year project (2023-2026) funded by project partners in Queensland, Western Australia, Northern Territory and an Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage grant. The name iKnow, weKnow represents the combination of Indigenous knowledge, technical water and energy expertise, and digital technologies. It emphasises inclusivity, transitioning from individual behaviours to collective action to promote water conscious behaviours and ensure water and energy security in a climate-changed future remote and isolated communities in Australia, thus transforming water and energy use practices. The project is being conducted in four communities – Djarindjin (Western Australia), Atitjere (Northern Territory), Mapoon and Warraber (Queensland).
Healthy Land and Water (HLW) is a peak environmental non-government organisation for South East Queensland. For over 20 years, HLW has been dedicated to investing in and leading initiatives to build the prosperity, liveability, and sustainability of our region.
Griffith University partners with HLW to provide community-focused projects to improve water management, including the promotion of conscious water usage, and biodiversity conservation. Griffith University academics contribute to HLW scientific and advisory committees to deliver meaningful environmental outcomes for South East Queensland communities through partnerships and science-led solutions
Educational programmes on fresh-water ecosystems for communities and students
Griffith University provides educational opportunities for students and communities, locally and nationally, through a range of specific water-related qualifications, off-the-shelf or custom-designed short courses, and community events and outreach. These initiatives include topics including fresh-water ecosystems, water management, water irrigation practices, and catchment and soil sciences. They are designed specifically for local and national communities, including practitioners, community members and leaders, government, non-government organisations or civil society organisations, business and students.
Read about some of our educational case studies below.
The fact that the Gulf of Carpentaria region is seen as one of Australia’s iconic, pristine natural environments, full of wildlife and natural wonders, can lead to complacency when it comes to monitoring the health of these ecosystems over time making them particularly vulnerable.
A 2022-2024 collaboration between Griffith University and the Carpentaria Land Council Aboriginal Corporation ( CLCAC ) is helping to overcome this complacency. This is being achieved through the development and implementation of an educational program on freshwater ecosystems. As part of this program, Traditional Owners are being trained to take the lead monitoring and safeguarding fresh and marine waterways in the Gulf of Carpentaria region, thus promoting good aquatic stewardship.
Aquatic systems, such as wetlands, lakes, rivers and streams, groundwater seeps and estuaries can suffer from water quality problems, both natural and manmade, which impact drinking water supplies, and the animals and plants that live in these systems. There is also increasing pressure from water development, which can impact on waterway productivity and health.
Traditional owners have lived in northern Australia for tens of thousands of years and have a deep knowledge and connection to these aquatic systems, and a desire to protect them.
In the southern Gulf of Carpentaria lands, the CLCAC undertake ranger programs support the aquatic health of the lands and waters. Their program now includes water quality monitoring in both marine and freshwater lakes, wetlands, rivers and estuaries, thanks to a collaboration CLCAC initiated with Griffith University researchers.
This educational program involved developing a monitoring program tailored for each ranger group and identification of sites either of particular significance and/or where there is concern about water quality. Throughout 2023 three ranger groups conducted their own regular monitoring of the region, with an additional group trained in 2024.
The Climate Change and Water short course explores climate change mitigation and adaptation, with a specific focus on best practices in water resources management (WRM) and conservation, and water, sanitation and hygiene (WaSH) for achieving water security outcomes in our local and regional community of South-East Queensland and the Pacific.
The online educational program - short course - ran throughout 2022 and 2023.
It was targeted at practitioners and residents of the Pacific who would benefit from upskilling and expanding their knowledge of climate change, water conservation and management, and adaptation and mitigation opportunities. The course was suitable for community leaders, practitioners, policy makers, decision markers, students, utility directors and employees of water associations in Australia and the Pacific.
Key topics include:
- An Introduction to WASH + Water Resource Management
- Climate change and hydrological cycle
- UNFCCC National Climate Resilience and Adaptation Strategies + AR6 IPCC report – implications for regions
- Water, climate, and Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6)
- GEDSI and climate change.
- Climate resilience for rural and urban WaSH and WRM, including GEDSI sensitive adaptation and planning tools and approaches.
- Nature-based solutions for building resilience (i.e. against floods and drought, and for water supply).
- Climate change and natural resources management and land-use planning at a basin/catchment scale.
- Climate finance, environmental economics, ecosystem service accounting and cost-benefit analysis of climate adaptation options
Griffith University provides a number of educational short course programs, both professional development and training programs and outreach and engagement events and workshops.
The International WaterCentre’s short courses include the following thematic areas:
- water leadership
- water-resilient communities and catchments (including freshwater ecosystems)
- water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in the water cycle
- water management, conservation, governance and finance
- Climate Change and Water
Our outreach and engagement activities include free and paid: webinars, workshops, field trips and seminars promote fresh-water ecosystems (water irrigation practices, water management/conservation) for local or national communities.
Our outreach, education and engagement activities are targeted at community leaders and practitioners. Activities were ongoing throughout 2023 and 2024.
The QWMN is improving the state’s capacity to model its surface and groundwater resources and their quality, by providing the tools, information and collaborative platforms to support best-practice use of water models, and the uptake of their results by policy makers, community members and natural resource managers. The engagement program of the Community of Practice is designed to help develop and support programmes and incentives that encourage and maintain good aquatic stewardship practices. Water models are developed and used in Queensland to inform decision making across a range of water policy, planning and management issues, including, but not limited to, water resource planning, groundwater impact assessment, flood risk management and Great Barrier Reef water quality improvement. The purpose of the QWMN is to build the capacity and collaboration in the Queensland water modelling sector, to fill strategic sectoral gaps are strengthen the sector. Throughout 2023, QWMN outreached to community, practitioners, government, academic, and business sector stakeholders and included all parts of the catchment in water management and conservation through workshops and events.
This 2023 Australia Awards Short Course, took a systems approach to water utility reform and performance improvement starting from water resources through to water supply and wastewater services. Twenty-seven participants from a range of organisations and government agencies across Indonesia including: Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Public Works and Housing, Palembang City Government, Water.org, Perpamsi Water Utility Association, travelled to Australia for two weeks as part of the short course, providing information on the opportunities and tools used to improve water utility while understanding the relevant political, governance, policy and regulatory environment.
The participants had the opportunity to learn from Australia’s experience by attending academic presentations and institutional visits in Brisbane and Sydney including Seqwater, Lockyer Valley Regional Council, Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water (DRDMW), Queensland Government, Unity Water, Urban Utilities, Queensland Competition Authority and Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney to name a few.
Community outreach for sustainable oceans, fisheries, aquaculture and tourism
Griffith University offers educational programmes and outreach for local and national communities, including practitioners, on sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism through its research and partnerships. Fisheries production across the globe is either static or in decline, with pressures from overfishing, pollution and climate change. Griffith supports efforts to ensure the future sustainability of fisheries production by integrating ecosystem, economic and social drivers including outreach activities to raise awareness about overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices.
Read about some of our community outreach case studies below.
Krish Gnanapragasam is a PhD candidate in Griffith Business School. Krish’s research focuses on understanding the current state of the coastal fishery and exploring sustainable solutions to combat overfishing, taking Sri Lanka as a case study. This research is multidisciplinary and uses a mix of research methods. Through this research, Krish worked with fishers to identify practical strategies to reduce overfishing. Results show that while they disagree with about reduction they are willing to adopt fishing-free days and seasonal fishing closures. But they would need compensation during these periods.
Griffith University researcher Ryan Heneghan was recently awarded a Discovery Early Career Researcher Award. Feeding 10 billion people by 2050 will require increasing reliance on a sustainable supply of food from the sea. Yet, the world’s ocean ecosystems are already experiencing growing, immense pressure from the effects of both climate change and overfishing (including illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices), thus jeopardising future food supplies as crucial ecosystems suffer and fail. New approaches to managing these interacting, global-scale stressors are urgently needed.
Building on Dr Heneghan's 2020 to 2024 work, this project will explore the potential of climate-adaptive sustainable fisheries management to address this challenge, delivering advanced tools for intelligent, strategic management approaches that adapt fisheries planning to counteract the impacts of climate change on fish production. By uncovering the potential of climate-adaptive fisheries, this project will better enable Australia—and countries in our region most susceptible to climate change—to sustainably plan their future food security, supporting Australia’s role as a leader in marine management practice across the Asia-Pacific.
FishID is part of a suite of tools developed by The Global Wetlands Project (GLOW) from Griffith University between 2020 and 2023, which is committed to empowering coastal and marine conservation. FishID is an innovative system that uses AI to identify, count and measure aquatic animals and plants. FishID improves environmental monitoring outcomes, which in turn promotes sustainable management of fisheries and aquaculture, for various stakeholders including resource managers and communities.
The Blue Economy Cooperative Research Centre is funded from 2019 to 2029 and was established to undertake industry focussed research and training to support the growth of the Blue Economy with a focus on two new, emerging, and transitioning ocean industries for Australia: offshore aquaculture and renewable energy production. Griffith is working as part of this project to deliver forums, tools and approaches to assist regulators, practitioners and emerging industries to implement ecologically, economically and socially sound Marine Spatial Planning of Australia’s offshore waters, and contribute to educational programmes that promote the sustainable management of fisheries and aquaculture.
Griffith University is informing and empowering coastal conservation through practitioner and community education and outreach in the Global Wetlands Project (GLOW). GLOW is an ongoing project, funded through the Queensland Department of Environment, Science and Innovation, to elevate scientific understanding of critical issues facing coastal wetlands and build online tools to help address these issues, thus promoting sustainable oceans and tourism. These tools allow practitioners, local community, government and policymakers to gain new insights on dynamic coastal ecosystems including: Moreton Bay LIVE which aims to showcase the rich marine life found in Moreton Bay, giving a fisheye view of life beneath the waves and the Mangrove Carbon Web App which is designed for practitioners, community, industry, research, and policymakers to help explore the contribution of mangrove protection to mitigating emissions.
Using a social marketing approach, which refers to the use of marketing principles and techniques to influence behaviours that benefit individuals and society, the ‘Switch Your Fish’ project addressed the decline of Snapper and Pearl Perch stocks off Queensland’s Sunshine Coast due to overfishing. Delivered in partnership using an outreach approach, this project aimed to voluntarily change fishers’ behaviour and alleviate fishing pressure on these species, promoting sustainable oceans and fisheries, while reducing destructive fishing practices.
A scientific paper was published in 2023, detailing the 900+ priorities to rebuild fishing stocks. Over 200 stakeholders contributed and a consensus approach was used to identify the top 25 priorities for change.
Nutrient Release from Aquaculture Activities
The 2 main species farmed in Queensland pond aquaculture are black tiger prawns (Penaeus monodon) and barramundi (Lates calcarifer). The aquaculture industry has potential to expand as wild-caught fish become increasingly less available and as demand for seafood continues to grow. Managing waste nutrients from intensive freshwater and marine pond aquaculture is a global challenge. In 2023, Professor Burford communicated her research results, industry practices, and regulatory policies to a broad range of stakeholders. She identified gaps in knowledge, ongoing community concerns, and potential avenues for further improvements in the environmental management of shrimp farms in Australia. This was based on her 2021-2022 project, which sought to develop a better understanding of current nutrient management practices used by the prawn and barramundi sectors of the pond aquaculture industry in Queensland. A further aim was to identify opportunities for improved nutrient management, environmental assessment and regulation for aquaculture activities within the Reef catchment, and more broadly across Queensland, to ensure sustainable fisheries.
Australian Rivers Institute: Sustainable fisheries and coastal ecosystems
At the Australian Rivers Institute, we provide practical, evidence-based solutions, education and community outreach for tackling the increasing challenges to marine ecosystem health, biodiversity and fisheries from excessive nutrients and toxicants, fishing pressure, overfishing and climate change. Marine ecosystems are under increasing threat from these stressors but they also support activities highly valued by humans, including tourism, fisheries, aquaculture, and recreation. In an era of rapid global change, we work with practitioners, government and industry through community outreach and research to enhance the values derived from coastal ecosystems, including tourism, fisheries, aquaculture, and recreation. We support efforts to ensure the future sustainability of fisheries production by integrating ecosystem, economic and social drivers. Our work is focused on Australia and developing countries to help balance production and environmental sustainability of fisheries and minimise overfishing and destructive fishing practices.
Our alumni
Many of our alumni are actively working on improving water management across South-East Queensland and internationally and continue to partner with Griffith to shape positive outcomes for our aquatic and marine environments.
Events that support SDG 6 and SDG 14
Griffith University supports, hosts and organises events aimed to promote integrated water management and the conservation and sustainable utilisation of the oceans, seas, lakes, rivers and marine resources. In 2023, Griffith supported a number of key events including:
In 2023, Griffith’s CoastEd offered community events to promote practical conservation and sustainable use of ocean and marine resources (including seas, lakes and rivers). The program provided syllabus and excursion material to primary and secondary schools (supporting them to organise events promoting sustainable use and conservation of coastal and marine environments), as well as local incursion and excursion programs and online sessions Australia-wide.
In 2023, Griffith's Climate Action Beacon ran a session at the Swell Festival. These events bring Indigenous knowledge, climate and coastal sciences, beach cultures and the arts together to support people and their communities in responding to climate changes. The event included surfers, artists and environmentalists engaging in conversations about being authentic custodians of our oceans and finding creative solutions in a changing climate. Altered Tides: Creative coastal recreation in a climate changed future events are a partnership between Griffith University, Gecko Environment Council and SWELL Sculpture Festival, supported by Griffith’s Climate Action Beacon. The festival seeks to promote conservation and stewardship of our oceans.
The International WaterCentre at Griffith University runs the Community of Practice for the QWMN . This engagement activity was established in 2017 and has been ongoing since the time, continuing into 2024. It aims to build the capacity and collaboration in the Queensland water modelling sector, to fill strategic sectoral gaps are strengthen the sector and to encourage and maintain good aquatic stewardship practices. Throughout 2023, events included a number of stakeholders from community, government, academic, and business sectors and included all parts of the catchment from upper catchment modelling to coastal and marine ecosystems promoting the sustainable use of land and water, as well as integrated water management approaches.
The International WaterCentre at Griffith University ran the Water and WASH Futures Conference for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Brisbane in February 2023. This conference brought together Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and Water Resource Management (WRM) professionals and actors from connected sectors, to discuss the challenges facing the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 Clean Water and Sanitation targets, including those related to the conservation and sustainable utilisation of our waterways, in the context of a changing climate.
Contact Griffith Sustainability
Griffith Sustainability Room 0.08, Building N23, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Road, Nathan QLD, 4111