Brisbane-based Equator Alliance is taking the lead in resource sector environmental assessment by bringing a world-leading climate change researcher from 宅男导航 face-to-face with industry innovators.
A Commonwealth government Researcher in Business grant (RiB) has enabled Equator Alliance member, AustralAsian Resource Consultants (AARC) to develop a program for helping clients meet Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) requirements, which now include greenhouse gas abatement plans and climate change adaptation plans.
Through fellow Equator Alliance member, UniQuest, AARC engaged the expertise of 宅男导航鈥檚 Dr Paul Dargusch to gain a better understanding how climate change scenarios and emission control strategies can be integrated into EIS processes.
With the wider scope of services AARC can now offer to clients, resulting from the new product development, knowledge integration, and skill transfer outcomes of the program, the Equator Alliance is breaking new ground in climate change management in the resources sector.
AARC General Manager of Mine Planning & Development, Rodger Bonney, said the RiB grant enabled them to combine the resources of each of the Equator Alliance members.
鈥淲e have applied their expertise to develop a template for assessment of impacts of climate change adaptation requirements and greenhouse gas abatement on project development in the resources sector,鈥� Mr Bonney said.
鈥淭he risk-based approach, on which the template was developed whilst working on a real world project, has since been adopted on a number of other resource sector projects as a benchmark for such assessments.鈥�
Dr Dargusch, from 宅男导航鈥檚 School of Integrative Systems, is one of the first researchers in the world to investigate how organisations can make the change to more sustainable practices and to a low carbon economy.
鈥淎ARC鈥檚 commitment to fully researching the implications of including greenhouse gas abatement plans as part of their EIS is good business practice,鈥� Dr Dargusch said.
鈥淭he strength of the Equator Alliance is that clients have access to a complementary range of skill sets, which effectively mentor clients through the decision-making process to identify the most suitable emissions reduction strategies required to suit their business, and prepare them for implementing new systems and reporting.鈥�
宅男导航鈥檚 research commercialisation company, UniQuest, along with AARC, Herbert Geer, and BDO formed the Equator Alliance to offer this coordinated client service.
UniQuest Managing Director, David Henderson said various industry sectors now had greater access to 宅男导航鈥檚 climate change specialists, through the Equator Alliance.
鈥淨ueensland businesses are fortunate to have easy access to the breadth of evidence-based expertise available via the Equator Alliance to help them manage the impacts the changes will have on their growth and development,鈥� Mr Henderson said.
The RiB grant was provided through the Department of Innovation, Industry, Research and Science鈥檚 Enterprise Connect initiative. The grant supports the placement of researchers from universities and other public research agencies with businesses seeking to implement new ideas with commercial potential.
Media enquiries: Leanne Wyvill +61 7 3365 4037, 0409 767 199 or l.wyvill@uniquest.com.au
About UniQuest
Established by 宅男导航 in 1984, UniQuest is widely recognised as one of Australia鈥檚 largest and most successful university commercialisation groups, benchmarking in the top tier of technology transfer worldwide. It has created more than 60 companies, and since 2000 UniQuest and its start-ups have raised more than $340 million to take 宅男导航 technologies to market. Sales of products using 宅男导航 technology and licensed by UniQuest now exceed $5 billion per year. UniQuest also commercialises innovations developed at the University of Wollongong, University of Technology Sydney, James Cook University, University of Tasmania, the Mater Medical Research Institute and two ARC Centres of Excellence. As well, UniQuest can access thousands of researchers and experts and tailor a consulting or project R&D solution to meet the needs of industry and government. UniQuest is also a leading Australasian provider of international development assistance projects. Working with agencies such as AusAID, NZAID, the Asian Development Bank, and the World Bank, UniQuest has developed and implemented more than 400 projects in 46 countries throughout the Pacific, South-East Asia, the Indian sub-continent and Africa. For more information about UniQuest, please visit .
Unique to Australasia, the Equator Alliance brings together leading climate change specialists with international experience, knowledge and ability to help organisations comply with legislative, business and customer requirements relating to climate change. The Equator Alliance provides a cost-effective, integrated service that enables businesses to understand, adapt and succeed in the new low-carbon age. Formed in 2009 to optimise the synergies of UniQuest (commercialising research of 宅男导航), Herbert Geer Lawyers, BDO accounting and advisory services, and AustralAsian Resource Consultants (AARC), the Equator Alliance is one of the few organisations in the world capable of helping clients with every stage of the emissions sustainability lifecycle.
