Alternative Media Group

Forum for a sustainable nation

Author:

Staff Writer

Posted:

Thursday, 12 April 2012

Sustainable growth will be the hot topic up for discussion at Saturday’s public forum at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS).

The forum hosted by Sustainable Population Australia (SPA) will examine the larger issues surrounding sustainable growth, including access to renewable resources, corporate investment and resolutions to this global problem.

Three distinguished environmental science and management experts will speak at the event.

CSIRO scientist Dr Graham Turner said the problem in resolving sustainable growth in Australia is our assumption that economic growth and efficiency are connected.

“Generally when you have lots of efficiency in the workplace, but you aren’t growing the economy, then theoretically you could end up with half the labour force unemployed, because you don’t need to have so many people because you’re so efficient,” he said.

The forum will explore several areas including what corporate Australia is doing to help lead the way for consumers to embrace renewable energy as a viable resource.

Emeritus Professor at UTS’s School of Management, Dexter Dunphy, said he will speak about corporate sustainability change programs at the forum.

“There is a major shift now in a wide range of corporations that are moving at all sorts of levels to employ more sustainable practices.

They are doing extraordinary jobs in all sorts of difficult circumstances who are trying to advance these things,” he said.

Julian Gribb, an award-winning science journalist and author, said his presentation will focus on the crucial role of resources in our immediate future.

“We are running out of oil, water and soil. If various areas of the world go into famine, they will fail to sustain their food supply.

We need to take control when it comes to Australia.”

President of SPA, Sandra Kanck, said governments have chosen to the ignore the issue and time is running out for our sustainable future.

“We have got to start taking evasive action. We no longer can keep our heads buried in the sand.”

The free forum will be at the University’s Haymarket campus.

By Samantha Malagre

Like this article? Register as a subscriber here. It's free! We'll keep you up to date with new stories on the site.