The Future of Australian Mineral Exports. Australia is among the world's largest exporters of steelmaking raw materials, specifically iron ore, coking coal and manganese. This project will develop an integrated econometric model of the global steel industry to forecast future trends in global steel production and the associated demand for raw materials. The results of this research will not only assist Australian mineral exporters in achieving better outcomes in annual pricing negotiations by im ....The Future of Australian Mineral Exports. Australia is among the world's largest exporters of steelmaking raw materials, specifically iron ore, coking coal and manganese. This project will develop an integrated econometric model of the global steel industry to forecast future trends in global steel production and the associated demand for raw materials. The results of this research will not only assist Australian mineral exporters in achieving better outcomes in annual pricing negotiations by improving market knowledge, but also help focus their longer term marketing strategies. The extensive global mine database to be assembled as part of the network flow component of this model will also allow Australian mineral exporters to assess their competitive position relative to foreign producers.Read moreRead less
Designing better soil quality indexes to improve land and environmental management. This project will develop sound methods for capturing diverse soil quality attributes in summary soil quality indexes to facilitate wiser land and environmental management. The project will generate benefits through: 1) improvements in the sustainability of our agricultural industries by providing better tools for matching soils with crops and for more efficient chemical input use on farms, 3) improvements in env ....Designing better soil quality indexes to improve land and environmental management. This project will develop sound methods for capturing diverse soil quality attributes in summary soil quality indexes to facilitate wiser land and environmental management. The project will generate benefits through: 1) improvements in the sustainability of our agricultural industries by providing better tools for matching soils with crops and for more efficient chemical input use on farms, 3) improvements in environmental water quality through reductions in nonpoint source pollution from agriculture, 3) tools for monitoring the recovery of degraded agricultural or mining soil resources, and 4) better conservation contract design.Read moreRead less
Enhancing regional resource synergies through the application of industrial ecology strategies for sustainable development in the Kwinana Industrial Area. The project will investigate the potential contribution of industrial ecology strategies for sustainable development at the regional level in heavy industrial areas, in particular the Kwinana Industrial Area (WA). Industrial ecology mimics natural processes in industrial production and consumption to achieve better environmental, economic and ....Enhancing regional resource synergies through the application of industrial ecology strategies for sustainable development in the Kwinana Industrial Area. The project will investigate the potential contribution of industrial ecology strategies for sustainable development at the regional level in heavy industrial areas, in particular the Kwinana Industrial Area (WA). Industrial ecology mimics natural processes in industrial production and consumption to achieve better environmental, economic and social outcomes. Despite its compelling logic, industrial ecology faces a number of barriers. This research will investigate such barriers and develop and pilot test innovative ways for overcoming those, in particular through the provision of facilitating structures, operational arrangements and evaluation tools.Read moreRead less
The Integrated Bio-economy Project and the Controlled Biosphere. This project aims to develop advanced controlled environment production systems (Controlled Biosphere) that exceed the industry standard for profitability, sustainability and climatic resilience. It will generate new knowledge and innovations in technology integration through a highly multi-disciplinary approach. The project outcomes will yield Techno-Economic and Life-Cycle Analyses, designs of the Controlled Biosphere and support ....The Integrated Bio-economy Project and the Controlled Biosphere. This project aims to develop advanced controlled environment production systems (Controlled Biosphere) that exceed the industry standard for profitability, sustainability and climatic resilience. It will generate new knowledge and innovations in technology integration through a highly multi-disciplinary approach. The project outcomes will yield Techno-Economic and Life-Cycle Analyses, designs of the Controlled Biosphere and supporting policy frameworks. The benefits of this project address worsening resource constraints (e.g. available fresh water, arable land, nutrients); By 2050 we will require 70% more food, and 80% greenhouse gas emissions reductions, to maintain economic, social, political and climate security.Read moreRead less
Assessing willingness to pay for urban water, wastewater, gas and electricity delivery service standards. The utility industry is a substantial component of the Australian economy (2.2 % of GDP), underpinning national production. Recent infrastructure failures, costing up to $200 million per week, have been blamed largely on regulatory approaches that emphasise minimum price and cost solutions to utility service provision without any assessment or consideration of the willingness to pay for serv ....Assessing willingness to pay for urban water, wastewater, gas and electricity delivery service standards. The utility industry is a substantial component of the Australian economy (2.2 % of GDP), underpinning national production. Recent infrastructure failures, costing up to $200 million per week, have been blamed largely on regulatory approaches that emphasise minimum price and cost solutions to utility service provision without any assessment or consideration of the willingness to pay for service quality and the value people place on surety of supply. Research on the role of WTP for service standards in regulating price and service quality is required to prevent future infrastructure failures. This research will provide substantial economic benefits to Australia through improved regulation and better targeting of infrastructure investment.Read moreRead less
Solving the water crisis in Australian cities and towns with options contracts between urban and rural water users. We will equip water resource managers with a powerful and effective tool for the allocation of water resources between rural and urban sectors. The importance of this bridge cannot be understated. To date urban centres have endured stringent water restrictions to manage dwindling urban suppliers, while ignoring the potential benefits of purchasing water from the irrigated agricul ....Solving the water crisis in Australian cities and towns with options contracts between urban and rural water users. We will equip water resource managers with a powerful and effective tool for the allocation of water resources between rural and urban sectors. The importance of this bridge cannot be understated. To date urban centres have endured stringent water restrictions to manage dwindling urban suppliers, while ignoring the potential benefits of purchasing water from the irrigated agriculture sector. Furthermore, rural communities have suffered hardship due to restricted agricultural production during times of drought. This research proposal represents an exciting solution to both problems and offers the tantalising prospect of water shortages in our capital cities and towns becoming distant memories.Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354852
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$10,000.00
Summary
Sustainable Regions for a Competitive Australia. How can metropolitan, rural and remote regions balance economic and job growth, with environmental and social sustainability? This Initiative establishes a Network of researchers to work collaboratively on questions of environmental best practice, community development, regional governance, labour markets, economic development and technology transfer. The Network's vision is to find ways to use existing and future research to help make Australia ....Sustainable Regions for a Competitive Australia. How can metropolitan, rural and remote regions balance economic and job growth, with environmental and social sustainability? This Initiative establishes a Network of researchers to work collaboratively on questions of environmental best practice, community development, regional governance, labour markets, economic development and technology transfer. The Network's vision is to find ways to use existing and future research to help make Australia's regions more competitive on world markets and more environmentally sustainable, and to help build stronger regional communities. The Network cuts across traditional discipline boundaries to find integrated solutions to the real problems confronting Australian regions.Read moreRead less
Water derivatives: conceptualisation, price modelling and economic impacts. Introducing water options is likely to provide farmers with more choices on trading their water allocation and enhance water price certainty. Recent seasons have accentuated the potential benefit of water options: regions with highly secure water in the past have suffered repeated shortfalls in allocations. Water options would alter the behaviour of water managers who would need to ensure sufficient carryover to future s ....Water derivatives: conceptualisation, price modelling and economic impacts. Introducing water options is likely to provide farmers with more choices on trading their water allocation and enhance water price certainty. Recent seasons have accentuated the potential benefit of water options: regions with highly secure water in the past have suffered repeated shortfalls in allocations. Water options would alter the behaviour of water managers who would need to ensure sufficient carryover to future seasons to allow for drought. Options markets may improve the allocation of water between competing users. Such markets, by reducing uncertainty, may reduce excessive adjustment costs arising from drought by improving water access security.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
Economics of Conserving Australian Tropical Wildlife: An Analysis of the Role of Economic Valuation, Property Rights and Commercialisation. Australian tropical native animals are selected to analyse economic valuation (use and non-use valuation) of wildlife species and to assess systematically the role of property rights and commercialisation in conservation. The project will (1) reduce bias of Australian economic studies in favour of temperate species; (2) answer several unresolved questions ra ....Economics of Conserving Australian Tropical Wildlife: An Analysis of the Role of Economic Valuation, Property Rights and Commercialisation. Australian tropical native animals are selected to analyse economic valuation (use and non-use valuation) of wildlife species and to assess systematically the role of property rights and commercialisation in conservation. The project will (1) reduce bias of Australian economic studies in favour of temperate species; (2) answer several unresolved questions raised in the Parlimentary Report on Commercial Utilisation of Australian Wildlife; (3) advance economic theory (e.g. relating to dynamic influences on economic valuation) and provide new insights into property rights making use of empirical and experimental results, and (4) thereby contribute to public policy decision-making.Read moreRead less