Confronted by a range of global issues, solutions require an open mind and holistic approach.
In the face of Earth’s sixth mass extinction event, our researchers have wasted no time in taking action.
The Red List of Ecosystems (RLE), developed by an international team of scientists and practitioners including Deakin University researchers, was adopted as the global standard for ecosystem risk assessment.
It aims to assess the risk to the world’s protected areas – including land, ocean and freshwater environments.
The RLE helps to categorise threatened listings equally among countries to promote better co-ordination of conservation efforts across jurisdictions.
Australian governments have agreed in principle to use the RLE as its assessment methodology to ensure consistent environmental reporting across both State and Federal levels.
Researchers have found that not only has the list helped communities avoid ecosystem collapse, but its associated socio-economic impacts are helping to inform better environmental decisions too.
In Australia, the assessment of the endangered Coastal Upland Swamps influenced legal protection and government recommendations for changes to the design of proposed mines.
Similarly, the Mountain Ash forest in the Yarra Ranges was assessed as Critically Endangered and, as a result, provided recommendations for timber production, job security, and biodiversity conservation.
The Red List of Ecosystems is one of many Deakin projects that demonstrate how research has the potential to influence and change culture.
This is research, not as you know it.
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