Why?


Queensland communities and regions can benefit from a carefully managed shift to a low-emissions future.

Regional Queensland is the backbone of our State’s industries. If done right, it has unique opportunities to support new industries, which can thrive in a decarbonised global economy.

In harnessing Queensland's strengths and protecting its natural and cultural assets, we can foster new industries and empower communities to grow.


Approach


There is power in the collective. 

Maintaining a wide network of regional researchers, local governments, industries and community groups, we are creating a strong knowledge exchange and feedback loop between our network and both the State and Federal governments to: 

  • understand local needs;
  • draw on regional experiences; 
  • translate the evidence to ensure local and regional decision-makers have the latest information at their fingertips;
  • inform policy and strategic planning, and 
  • support the development of practical pathways for economic transition.  

This work builds upon the highly successful Communities in Transition (Clean Growth Choices) program developed between Regional Economic Centre of Excellence (RECoE) and the Department of Environment and Science.

Aims


  • Deliver evidence-based, facilitative mechanisms needed to support and enhance economic transformation. 
  • Identify options and pathways for transition to net zero regional economies 
  • Develop and apply community development tools to facilitate transformational decision-making.
  • Assess options for secure, affordable regional emissions reductions.
  • Outline the planning and institutional arrangements necessary to achieve the State's net zero targets.

Projects


  1. Community economic pathways – Understand the community development processes needed to build place-based capacity to support regional and community decarbonisation pathways.
  2. Regional planning – Identify options available at the regional scale to enable secure, affordable decarbonisation to best achieve the State’s decarbonisation targets.
  3. Workforce skills and needs – Assess workforce needs, drivers and strategies in a decarbonising economy.

Research


Community is key to Queensland’s energy future
Community is key to Queensland’s energy future
Creating public value and social value through the decarb agenda
Creating public value and social value through the decarb agenda
Decarbonising Queensland- Four pillars toward a resilient and inclusive low-carbon economy
Decarbonising Queensland- Four pillars toward a resilient and inclusive low-carbon economy
Webinar: Decarbonising Regional Development
Webinar: Decarbonising Regional Development

Team


Professor Allan Dale
THEME LEAD,RESEARCH COMMITTEE
Community and regional transformations
Professor Allan Dale

The Cairns Institute

James Cook University

Professor Delwar Akbar
RESEARCHER,RESEARCH COMMITTEE
Community and regional transformations
Professor Delwar Akbar

Centre for Regional Economies and Supply Chain

CQUniversity

Professor Hurriyet Babacan
RESEARCHER,RESEARCH COMMITTEE
Community and regional transformations
Professor Hurriyet Babacan

Rural Economies Centre of Excellence

James Cook University

Professor Ian McKenzie
RESEARCHER
Community and regional transformations
Professor Ian McKenzie

Faculty of Business, Economics and Law

The University of Queensland

Professor John Rolfe
RESEARCHER,RESEARCH COMMITTEE
Community and regional transformations
Professor John Rolfe

Centre for Regional Economies and Supply Chains

CQUniversity

Research Themes


Nature-based solutions and environmental integrity
Nature-based solutions and environmental integrity
Queensland’s decarb capability and innovation ecosystem
Queensland’s decarb capability and innovation ecosystem