Highlight projects

The challenge:

When ABC TV first aired War on Waste in 2017, it was clear the program touched a nerve with the Australian public. Stories of positive action towards waste reduction, inspired by War on Waste, were collected by the broadcaster and formed the basis of an internal evaluation of the show’s impact. 

In 2018, leading up to the second season of War of Waste, the ABC approached ISF to formalise the impact evaluation process and to use it to glean insights on the show’s second season. Of particular interest this time was the program’s role in influencing organisations, institutions and government and how this might lead to top-down change towards reducing Australia’s waste footprint.

How we did it:

First, researchers from ISF and the War on Waste production team worked together to identify a range of known and possible impacts of War on Waste. This was complemented by an open public survey, distributed widely via the ABC’s communications channels.

The next step was to use the data collected to inform an evaluation framework, classifying each identified impact according to the type and stage of change, the person or group responsible and the likely influence or contribution of War on Waste, in order to develop an overall picture of the size and nature of the impacts of the program.

The results of measuring impact against this framework, along with a collection of case studies and testimonials, were published in a final report.

What we found:

War on Waste has triggered system-wide changes that are slashing the waste footprint of hundreds of Australian organisations, largely due to the engaging and entertaining format of the series.

The biggest impact of War on Waste was inspiring those with the power – in businesses, government, education institutions and community organisations – to make changes to follow the examples of stories presented in the show and catalyse these ideas into action. This represented 49 percent of all impacts.

ISF researchers identified 452 high-impact waste-reducing initiatives across businesses, schools, universities, government and community organisations in which War on Waste played a key role. Among them, Woolworths supermarket’s decision to remove 3.2 billion single-use plastic bags a year from its checkouts.

Following series two, 68 percent of viewers reported behavioural changes in response to War on Waste, equating to about 20 percent of the adult Australian population.

Read more:

War on Waste Impact Report

The challenge:

Increasingly, global financial markets are embracing financial systems aligned to deliver climate and sustainability objectives and as the world moves to meet the requirements of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, the investment opportunity in green infrastructure is estimated at $100 trillion.

The European Union (EU) responded to this opportunity by seeking advice from a High Level Expert Group (HLEG), comprised of 20 industry experts. The HLEG’s recommendations for a risk-averse approach to investment in sustainability form the basis of the EU’s Action Plan on Sustainable Finance adopted by the European Commission (EC) in March 2018.

ISF researchers were asked to review the EU Action Plan, comparing each of its 10 action points to the current state of play in Australia.

How we did it:

ISF researchers began by identifying key stakeholders and institutions in the Australian finance world and conducted interviews with 23 representatives from across five groups: financial institutions, market infrastructure and facilitation, external observers, peak bodies, and regulatory agencies.

From the results of these interviews, the ISF team were able to see where the EU Action Plan could be applied within an Australian context, and to make recommendations for actions Australia could take towards delivery of an action plan.

What we found:

Unlike the EU, Australia lacks the key centralised initiatives and leadership found in the EU. Because the long-term move towards a sustainable finance system requires a series of changes simultaneously undertaken by different stakeholders. There is a need for central coordination and leadership and a clear pathway for change.

Consistency and coherence of definitions, labels and benchmarks pertaining to sustainable finance will improve understanding and boost the Australian financial sector’s confidence in ‘green’ markets.

The strong reporting and disclosure frameworks for Australian companies and prudential operators should be extended to every part of the finance sector and should include environmental, social and governance concerns.

Responsibility for sustainable finance should be across the Australian financial system with individual stakeholder groups understanding of their own agency and holding one another accountable.

Read more:

Unlocking Sustainable Finance report

The challenge:

The Pacific region is highly exposed to a number of threats: natural disasters, non-communicable diseases, and changes in global economic systems. Pacific island nations depend on agriculture and fisheries for a mix of livelihoods and national economic development. There are also major challenges relating to biosecurity, distributing food to remote areas, and increases in unhealthy diets.

This combination of factors has led a leading regional scientific and technology agency, the Pacific Community (SPC), to develop an integrated way of working in food systems and health in the region. This initiative will help SPC gather the technical diversity and expertise of the organisation and support different types of food systems interventions that can support food and nutrition security and resilience in the region.

SPC engaged ISF to assist in developing a ‘Food Systems for Health and Nutrition Integrated Program’ using a mix of qualitative and co-production-oriented research methods.

How we did it:

This project required us to build a shared understanding of food systems from the ground up, with a range of Pacific-based technical experts working in a range of sectors – ranging from fisheries to hydrology and statistics. The project required our team to actively engage with the different parts of SPC to advance the structure and design of a program that supports the visions of the organisation. Through a mix of interviews, discussions, and active engagement with a core management team from SPC, we designed a five-part workshop to co-produce the design of the integrated programme.

While the final co-design workshop was planned to take place in Fiji, COVDI-19 disrupted everyone’s work and travel schedules. To adapt, we rapidly converted a two-day workshop into a multi-staged online facilitation processes, which we ran with SPC over three weeks. Using participatory visioning methods, we created a program design for SPC to now develop further.

What we found:

The major findings from this work indicate that there are limited genuinely system-oriented policies and programs in the Pacific region, creating a big opportunity for SPC and Pacific nations to lead the way in this type of thinking. Our program design identified clear next steps for engaging Pacific governments and relevant stakeholders, piloting new activities, and governing the program. We also found that taking an open and future-oriented approach to the activity enabled different technical expertise to identify how they can support resilience food systems in the future. In light of the disruptions of 2020 and rapid changes in the world, we have supported SPC in their long-term vision and strategy for taking a more holistic approach to working in food systems.

Read more:

About the project in its final stages during COVID-19

The challenge:

Australia’s recent experience of drought and bushfires has shown that it is crucial for governments to plan strategies and put in place structures to combat the effects of climate change on our communities. To properly prepare, they must first gain a clear understanding of the environmental, social and economic vulnerabilities particular to each community. 

ISF has worked in close partnership with the NSW Government to develop the Enabling Regional Adaptation (ERA) program, a process of gathering information about regional communities to inform the strategies put in place to combat climate change in those areas.  

Between 2013-2019, ISF worked with state and local governments, agencies and other local stakeholders to conduct Enabling Regional Adaptation studies in eight regions across NSW – Greater Sydney, South East, Riverina Murray, North Coast, Far West, New England North West, Central West Orana, and Illawarra Shoalhaven.

In 2019, a ninth and final study was completed in the Hunter-Central Coast region and a report will be published on the NSW Government website in 2020.

How we did it:

As with all regional ERA studies, the Hunter-Central Coast ERA began with an information gathering exercise in which ISF researchers collected background climate change, socioeconomic and sector information and staged cross-sectoral workshops  with key regional decision makers to assess the specific effects of climate change on regional systems, and their capacity to adapt. This information was integrated to identify areas of regional climate change vulnerability and adaptation responses.

ISF researchers then mapped out models of key regional systems that shape government service delivery including: Aboriginal cultural heritage, the circular economy, community resilience, emergency management, industry transformation, planning, natural systems, transport and infrastructure, and water and water security. The models outlined key transition pathways to improve regional resilience, and developed potential ‘first-steps’ projects, to activate the transition pathways and move towards a transformed system.

Project outcomes:

The reports generated by ERA informed regional planning processes in NSW through cross-agency Regional Executive Committees with the support of NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet.

Of note:

The ERA program engaged more than 1,700 public sector decision makers in approximately 60 participatory workshops, making it arguably the largest consistent consultation of its type on climate change adaptation in the world.

Read more:

Project reports published by the NSW Government

The challenge:

Increasing the take-up of renewable energy in Australia means ensuring that the systems we choose to employ on a wide scale deliver efficient, reliable and safe electricity to Australia’s distribution networks. Solar power is a clear front-runner, but some believe that small-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) systems may negatively impact the performance of Australian electricity networks by increasing voltage variability.

The federal government’s Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) engaged ISF researchers to examine the issue, and to clearly demonstrate that solar PV and batteries can be a valuable resource for businesses that manage electricity networks.

How we did it:

ISF researchers believed that the issue of voltage regulation with solar PV could be mitigated with the innovative use of ‘smart’ inverters and that together the inverters and storage batteries for solar power present an advantage for energy providers.

To test this theory, ISF set up two demonstrations in partnership with electricity providers Essential Energy in New South Wales and AusNet Services and United Energy in Victoria, Reposit Power, the Australian Photovoltaic Institute, and the New South Wales and Victorian governments.

The first, in 2017-18 tested the technical voltage control capability at a small scale. The second, 2018-19 tested the system at a commercial scale. For this, the project’s partnering electricity providers provided control and integration technology and ISF recruited 90 of their customers and to provide feedback throughout the process.

The outcomes of the demonstrations were condensed into a report prepared by ISF, which not only showed how use of inverters and batteries would control voltage, but also their commercial value. 

What we found:

The demonstrations proved that both solar and batteries can support network voltage. The project’s success opens the door to a suite of new business opportunities based on the premise that rooftop solar can be an asset to everyone.

Recognition:

ISF, AusNet Services, Essential Energy, Mondo and Repost Power scooped the 2019 Australian Clean Energy Summit’s esteemed Innovation Award for Networks Renewed.

Read more:

Networks Renewed on the ARENA website