Curtin University Sustainability Policy Institute
A key player in Curtin's work on sustainability is the Curtin University Sustainability Policy (CUSP) Institute, based in Fremantle.
The CUSP Institute aims to be an innovative provider of frontline research, teaching and policy advice in sustainability policy, with an emphasis on implementation.
Its four key areas of research include:
- Sustainable cities: city policy, urban planning, transport, water and waste
- Sustainable regions: natural resource management, regional and rural WA, rangelands, coasts and the sea, Indigenous sustainability
- Sustainable global development: innovation in technology, renewable energy, population policy, women and development
- Sustainable politics, policy and economics: social justice, environmental justice, globalisation, policy development, participatory democracy, social movements to achieve sustainability.
The Institute also facilitates the development of new research projects which support specific industry and government initiatives, increasing their viability by working to gain government and industry funding for sustainable development research.
The Institute is headed by Professor Peter Newman, one of Australia's leading academics and planners. He coined the term 'automobile dependence' to describe how we have created cities where we have to drive everywhere and has been warning cities about preparing for 'peak oil' for more than 30 years. In Perth Peter is known for his work in saving, rebuilding and extending the rail system which is now considered a global model.
