Industry Projects

Here is a selection of projects conducted for partners in industry and government.

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment

A/Professor Abbie Rogers, A/Professor Michael Burton and team have been working with Deakin University and partners to deliver a project-level environmental economic accounting for coastal blue carbon ecosystems.

The UWA team contributed to the development of the DCCEEW Guide to measuring and accounting for the benefits of restoring blue carbon ecosystems, providing the recreational and existence values, guidance on aligning exchange and welfare values, and ensuring alternative decision support tools were considered. The team also helped to apply the guide in case studies; a case study from the Hunter River and a case study from East Trinity Inlet.

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Professor David Pannell is working Monash University to revise the INFFEWS tools and contribute to the adaption and translation of relevant INFFEWS guidelines to Mekong countries, including stakeholder events.

The tool will be used for pilot projects in the Mekong area, as well as help to inform the design of framework, and development of a cost database and funding tool.

WA Department for Water and Environmental Regulation

Dr Abbie Rogers and Dr Carmen Elrick-Barr are developing a better understanding of the environmental and social values held by the community for the Cockburn Sound marine area and surrounding coastline. The survey findings will inform future policy for the environmental protection and the ecologically sustainable development of the Sound.

See our Industry Note for a snapshot of the results.

Oceans Institute

Dr Alaya Spencer-Cotton has been working with colleagues in the Better Oceans Program to conduct a study on the Social Dimensions of Offshore Wind in Australia. The project took a national snapshot of the current social licence for offshore wind energy using social survey methods to understand values and preferences. The national benchmark survey (3,015 respondents) maps out the current understanding and perceptions of the public on offshore wind, measures the current social license to operate, and explores the links between peoples’ environmental and ocean values, their beliefs, and their support for offshore wind.

Read our Industry Note to learn more about the results.

WA Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage

Dr Abbie Rogers and Associate Professor Michael Burton undertook a project to develop a methodology to measure the coastal values affected by erosion and sea level rise. Working with the DPLH, local government and the community, key public assets impacted by coastal hazards were identified, and a set of instruments to quantify community values for these assets were designed and tested.

The instruments can be downloaded from the DPLH website.

WA Department of Transport

Associate Professor Michael Burton and Dr Abbie Rogers worked with the Westport Taskforce to assess community preferences for harbour expansion options to service the Greater Perth Region.

This quantitative assessment was used by the Taskforce to inform their multi-criteria analysis for shortlisting port development recommendations.

Minderoo Foundation

Professor David Pannell, Professor Jessica Meeuwig and a team of researchers collaborated to map the economics of plastic pollution on an international scale.

A review was undertaken to provide the current knowledge and key information gaps relevant to estimating the external costs of ocean plastics.

WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development

Professor David Pannell and Dr Fiona Dempster were contracted to the DPIRD to develop a conceptual framework for the benefits, costs and risks from soil amelioration approaches in the western region to support Grower understanding and adoption decisions.

South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub

Through the Transformational Projects Program, A/Prof Ram Pandit and colleagues, including sub contractor Tom Picton, are leading a study into a natural asset company equity structure to transform Western Australia. This is a scoping study, paving the way for the future use of natural capital accounts to measure the extent, condition, and value of natural assets over time. 

Read the media release for more information.

Industry and Government Partnerships

Beyond the above projects, we have many other partnerships, including the following:

  • Australian Farm Institute

  • Grains Research and Development Corporation

  • Australian Institute of Marine Science

  • WA Biodiversity Science Institute

  • WA Marine Science Institute

  • Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research

  • CSIRO

  • Fisheries Research and Development Corporation

  • WA Department of Water and Environmental Regulation

  • WA Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions

  • WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development

  • Water Corporation of Western Australia

  • Swan River Trust

  • WA Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage

  • WA Department of Transport

  • NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment

  • VIC Department of Environment, Lands, Water and Planning

A full list of our partners and stakeholders is available here.

Accessing our services

If you would like to obtain our services to conduct research, consulting or training services, please contact one of our Directors to discuss scope of works, outputs, budget, and a timeline.

Co-Director - Abbie Rogers

Phone: +61 (08) 6488 5506. Email: abbie.rogers@uwa.edu.au

Co-Director - David Pannell

Phone: +61 (08) 6488 4735. Email: david.pannell@uwa.edu.au