About Us

Across the world societies are facing complex global issues associated with climate change, energy, food and water security, resource depletion and population growth. Due to these concerns, sustainable development is becoming increasingly important to individuals, communities, business and industry, and policy makers at all levels.

Sustainable development has matured from a purely environmental focus in the 1990s and is not a fixed state of harmony but rather a process of change in which the exploitation of resources, the direction of investments, the orientation of technological development, and institutional change are made consistent with future as well as present needs.

We are living in a time of unprecedented awareness that economic development must be sustainable and that societies at all levels will need to adopt strategies embracing the principles of sustainable development to adapt, survive and prosper in the 21st century.

Sustainable development is one of four key areas of research focus at Curtin. The University has committed $25 m over 5 years to the development of ASDI through partnerships with industry and government.

ASDI provides multidisciplinary research and policy solutions to the complex challenges of sustainable development and attracts quality researchers and students to the sustainable development field in Western Australia.

ASDI intensifies and integrates Curtin’s research effort across 16 existing research Centres and Institutes.

ASDI engages in environmental, social, economic and governance research across all faculties of the University. This will lead to research-informed policy development.

ASDI is a catalyst for Curtin to provide research in the areas of Energy Policy, Efficiency and Technology, Water Management, Climate Change Adaptation and Coastal Development, Sustainable Resources, Urban Development and Sustainable Cities, Regional Development, Indigenous Futures and Community Engagement, Asia Partnerships, Sustainable Food, Information and Infrastructure Security.

This website aims to provide resources to Government, industry, researchers and community members alike to access a range of information on sustainability matters.  A Dialogue has been established to encourage thinking and discussion around issues of sustainability.

Sustainable development in the 21st century is a core issue facing the globe.  It is important we integrate solutions, be forward thinking in our outlook and innovative to approaching solutions.