A Strategic Framework for the Population and Environment Nexus in Australia: A whole of knowledge approach

在21世纪，为具有全球竞争力的未来进行战略规划变得越来越重要。许多部门都在与环境和资源问题作斗争，这些问题影响到我们管理和预测国家经济和社会趋势的能力。例子包括：水、虫害、疾病、气候、农业、自然资源的过度开发、主要城市和沿海地区日益增加的人口压力、生物多样性丧失、土壤盐碱化等。澳大利亚气候多变，生态系统极其多样而脆弱，在200多年的人类活动中已经承受了严重的压力。目前，我们对人口-环境（自然资源）关系的认识相对无知。这确实是一个复杂的问题，澳大利亚大陆遭受的一些最严重的破坏是在人口很少的时候发生的。几十年来的冲突、混乱、冷漠和回避阻碍了我们对这一问题的认识和行动。在全球形势日益紧张的背景下，关于人口与环境之间相互作用的知识和知情辩论对澳大利亚的可持续未来至关重要。这个问题涉及许多学科，包括环境科学、地理学、人口学、经济学、人类生物学、健康和政治学，因此一个整体的知识（或跨学科）方法是必不可少的。该项目将综合和分析各种观点，以制定战略框架，有效和全面地支持未来的政策和决策，并增加澳大利亚的国家和全球机会。

Strategic planning for a globally competitive future is increasingly vital in the 21st Century. Many sectors struggle with environmental and resource issues that impact on our ability to manage and predict national economic and social trends. Examples include: water, pests, disease, climate, agriculture, over-exploitation of natural resources, increasing population pressure on major cities and coasts, biodiversity loss, soil salinity, etc. Australia has a highly variable climate with a mega-diverse and fragile ecosystem that has already undergone serious pressure from over 200 years of human endeavour1,2. Currently we are operating in relative ignorance regarding the population-environment (natural resource) nexus. It is a complex issue indeed, some of the worst damage to the Australian continent was effected when the population was very small. Our knowledge and action on the topic have been hindered by decades of conflict, confusion, indifference and avoidance. In the context of an increasingly stressed global situation, knowledge and informed debate on the interaction between population and environment is central to a sustainable future for Australia. This issue cuts across many disciplines, including environmental science, geography, demography, economics, human biology, health, and political science therefore a whole of knowledge (or trans-disciplinary) approach is essential. This project will synthesise and analyse the range of perspectives to develop the Strategic Framework that will effectively and comprehensively underpin future policy and decision-making, and enhance Australias national and global opportunities.