Spotlight on environment

Kelp forests, vibrant underwater jungles of brown seaweed, flourish in the shallow ocean waters off a third of the world’s coastlines. These lush canopies are vital ecosystems that support an incredible diversity of marine life. A recent study led by UNSW Sydney, published in Nature Communications, reveals that these kelp forests are not only ecological treasures but also hold immense economic value. The research estimates that kelp forests contribute an average of $500 billion annually through ecosystem services such as fisheries, nutrient cycling, and carbon removal. This significant valuation highlights the critical role these ecosystems play in supporting both marine biodiversity and human society.
 
Dr Aaron Eger is the lead author of the study from UNSW Science. The marine ecologist is the founder and director of the Kelp Forest Alliance – a research-driven not-for-profit dedicated to accelerating the protection and restoration of kelp forests worldwide.

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UNSW Philanthropy
philanthropy@unsw.edu.au
+61 2 8936 4700

Clean water is essential for all life on our planet, yet global water issues have never been so prominent, and the demand for solutions has never been so high.

The UNSW Global Water Institute is a world leader in water research, innovation and problem-solving. Drawing on water expertise from seven faculties and 13 specialist centres across the University, we have created the nation’s most advanced water-knowledge hub.

Your support of our programs will generate life-giving impacts. With your help, we can improve access to clean water the world over, create more efficient irrigation solutions to meet the growing demands on food production, form better responses to the effects of climate change, and develop a greater understanding of how to conserve and protect our aquatic environments.

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UNSW Philanthropy
philanthropy@unsw.edu.au
+61 2 8936 4700

Australia currently sends 40 per cent of its waste to landfill. Amid the debris are valuable materials that have the potential to be transformed into brand new products.

Scientia Professor Veena Sahajwalla heads a team at the UNSW Centre for Sustainable Materials Research and Technology (SMART@UNSW). The Professor and her team believe passionately in the idea of ‘mining’ our overburdened landfills and reclaiming the wealth of materials like carbon, silica and that lie embedded in our waste. Right now, they're working closely with industry partners to develop processes and technologies that will direct some of the world's most challenging waste streams away from landfill and back into production.

By contributing to the work of the UNSW Sm@rt Centre, you will be helping to revolutionise recycling, reinvent the global supply chain, and set us up for a more sustainable future.

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UNSW Philanthropy
philanthropy@unsw.edu.au
+61 2 8936 4700

Uncertainty about the risks of climate change and how these will play out has significant challenges and opportunities across all sectors of society.

The UNSW Institute for Climate Risk & Response drives innovative research and education in climate risk. Partnering with industry we help build capability in the identification and measurement of risks and advise on the responses to manage these.

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UNSW Philanthropy
philanthropy@unsw.edu.au
+61 2 8936 4700

UNSW Bushfire is driving breakthroughs in fundamental and applied research into bushfire behaviour and propagation. We're developing scientifically rigorous models that integrate with fire safety and risk management systems.

Extreme fires occurring in Australia and other countries are becoming more prevalent due to climate change. However, fundamental understanding is lacking. Further research is required to improve our global understanding of extreme bushfires and their associated processes. Currently, these events are beyond existing firefighting capabilities and incur the most significant environmental, economic, health, and social costs.

Active areas of research within UNSW Bushfire include dynamic fire propagation, extreme fire development (including firestorm occurrence), critical fire weather events, mathematical modelling of fire behaviour and associated processes, bushfire risk at the wildland-urban interface, and the impacts of climate change on fire regimes.

With your support, UNSW Bushfire will generate vital new knowledge, and innovations in policy and practice, to halt the increasing threat of extreme fire behaviour.

There are a number of areas within UNSW Bushfire that you can support. Direct your gift to where it matters most to you. Read more about our UNSW Bushfire giving opportunities here.

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UNSW Philanthropy
philanthropy@unsw.edu.au
+61 2 8936 4700

Australia has lost around 30 species to extinction since European colonisation, largely due to feral predators. A project run by UNSW, Wild Deserts, is now transforming part of Sturt National Park into a refuge for endangered and threatened native mammals.

Your contribution will help us fence off a large area of wilderness, keeping out feral predators as we reintroduce seven locally extinct mammals.

With your support, we hope the greater bilby, western barred bandicoot, golden bandicoot, greater stick-nest rat, burrowing bettong, crest-tailed mulgara and the western quoll will soon be thriving again.

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UNSW Philanthropy
philanthropy@unsw.edu.au
+61 2 8936 4700