The Chancellor's column

September 2008

Sustainability at Monash

In July I participated in the Gippsland Energy Summit. Although this was not specifically a Monash event it was held at our Gippsland campus. Appropriately, the venue was our new auditorium that has been built to the highest of environmental standards, featuring solar protection, extensive thermal insulation, rainwater harvesting for landscape irrigation, waterless urinals, energy efficient lighting and maximum utilisation of natural light. Not only that, but I was pleased to note that the sound quality of the public-address system was superb.

The Summit was held against the backdrop of the Garnaut Climate Change Review Draft Report released the previous week. Speakers and questioners expressed considerable concern about the future of the brown coal industry in the La Trobe Valley, but also broad excitement about the opportunities that might ensue from a properly structured economic playing field. Monash was well represented, with the head of the Monash Sustainability Institute, Professor Dave Griggs, speaking about the role of universities in mitigation and adaptation, and Monash University Council Member Mr Ian Nethercote (CEO of Loy Yang Power) speaking about the potential impact of new coal technologies on the Australian economy.

Against this backdrop, what is the role of the University? Monash has a large number of academics contributing to research and teaching. Eight of our scientists shared in the Nobel Peace Prize given to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The challenges for Australia, and indeed the planet, are in numerous areas in which we have expertise: the economic implications for various sectors of taxes, caps and targets; the regulatory and legal ramifications of global warming and the related mitigation and adaptation strategies; medicine, sociology, and a myriad of science and technology know-how in climate, energy efficiency, energy generation, ecosystems, biodiversity, and water management. It’s a long list!

There is no silver bullet to mitigate humanity’s contribution to global warming. Instead, Monash experts can and will help in a variety of fields such as transport efficiency and educating large consumers on optimal use of water, energy and management of waste.

One of the biggest opportunities for Monash to contribute is in Gippsland. Our Gippsland campus is in the heart of Victoria’s brown-coal electricity-generating region. We can take the lead with research initiatives to develop more efficient utilization of Victoria’s brown coal resources based on carbon dioxide capture and storage.

Finally, Monash is pitching in by practicing what it preaches. Although we have a long way to go, Monash is already minimizing its energy consumption. It is approaching the problem on two broad fronts. The first is to achieve behavioural change by raising awareness of the importance of avoiding waste. The second is to use a myriad of technologies to improve the efficiency of lighting, heating and transport throughout our campuses.

There is a lot to be done. To marshal our resources most efficiently, the newly formed Monash Sustainability Institute will take an active role in pulling together Monash’s huge pool of talent to cooperate on new projects in the sustainability field. We are absolutely committed to improving sustainability through research, education and action. Expect to see numerous announcements in this field over the next few years.

Dr Alan Finkel AM (BE 1976, PhD 1981)
Chancellor
Monash University