Commissioned by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, the ‘Enabling Design for Environmental Good’ reports were produced by experts in eco-design and sustainability from across research and industry to inform a coordinated approach by government and industry to transition Australia to a circular economy.
The recommendations highlight opportunities for Australia to use design to improve the sustainability of production processes, materials, products and business models across local industries, as well as the risks of not doing so.
Australia has a goal to transition to a circular economy by 2030, but RMIT project lead and Associate Professor Simon Lockrey said Australia was still in the early stages of its circular economy journey. Countries such as The Netherlands, who are seven years into their transition, are already making progress within fashion, water and technology.
“We’re already seeing the impacts of climate change playing out now,” said Lockrey from the School of Design.
“It’s not just impacting the environment, it's also impacting the global supply chain, causing delays and driving up costs.”
That is why the research team is calling for a central body run out of the federal government to coordinate Australia’s transition to a circular economy through design.
“This call for a new and coordinated approach to designing sustainable products and industries is not a nice-to-have, but an urgent necessity,” Lockrey said.
"We need an approach that ties together the interests of the federal, state and local governments, which will help businesses and industry work towards a common goal.”