Explore Griffith’s initiatives and actions
Griffith’s initiatives and actions are designed to inspire positive change and promote sustainability in all aspects of university life. Discover how the University is advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), explore the SDG Roadmap and join us on the path to a more sustainable future.
Explore opportunities for cross sectoral dialogue about the SDGs
Griffith actively initiates, supports, and participates in cross-sectoral dialogue about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through conferences and collaborative events that bring together government bodies, non-government organisations (NGOs), universities, and other partners, we work to ensure that expertise and resources from across society are combined to address SDG -related challenges. By fostering these partnerships, Griffith helps drive effective solutions to complex sustainability issues. Listed below are examples of 2024 initiatives that Griffith actively participated in and organised.
The Global Development Conference 2024 (GDC 2024) was held in Suva, Fiji, from November 26 to 28, 2024. With the theme "Global Synergies: Climate Resilience Strategies for a Sustainable Tomorrow", the conference highlighted the critical regional significance of Fiji as an island nation highly vulnerable to climate change while emphasising the nation’s priorities and regional initiatives for building resilience.
Designed as a platform for knowledge-sharing, capacity-building, and networking, amongst government and non-government organisations, including researchers, policy-makers, government officials and practitioners, GDC 2024 stood out for its focus on South-South collaboration and the essential role of research in advancing global development. Unique in its approach, the conference integrated climate science and social science research, fostering a multidisciplinary dialogue that addressed the urgent global challenge of climate resilience. The conference acted as a mechanism to support cross sectoral knowledge exchange about the SDGs .
Griffith University supported the Global Development Conference in 2024, with Sustainability Manager Kerryn Devenny serving as a member of the conference organising committee working to shape the conference program. She also worked to ensure participation of many Griffith researchers as attendees and plenary speakers, enabling them to participate in cross-sectoral dialogue about the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Climate Action Beacon organised the Social Science Community for Great Barrier Reef Symposium, which was held at Griffith University Gold Coast Campus, from September 11 to 13, 2024. The three day symposium brought together researchers, practitioners and policymakers from across government and non-government organisations (NGOs) to highlight the diverse stories of the Great Barrier Reef and its peoples, unpick moral dilemmas around decision-making in an uncertain world and showcase past successes and evolving challenges. The event provided a platform for multi-sectoral stakeholders to share knowledge, research findings, and cutting edge methodologies and engage in critical and creative thinking about the social dimensions of reef conservation, catchment and land management, and sustainable development on our changing planet, thus supporting SDGs 13, 14 and 15 on climate action, life on land and life below water.
The Social Science Community for Great Barrier Reef Symposium Forum was organised and hosted by Griffith University in 2024.
It is supported by the Social Science Community for the Great Barrier Reef, which is an initiative of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, that includes government and non-government collaborators from across Australia:
Water security, WASH, and climate resilience are deeply interconnected, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region, where climate challenges such as rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and water scarcity are becoming more severe. This conference explored how ensuring access to safe water, sanitation, hygiene, and effective water management is not only critical for health but also foundational to building resilience in the face of a changing climate.
Working collaboratively with partners across the region, Water for Women and International WaterCentre (IWC) at Griffith University hosted this conference as an opportunity for professional, practitioners and Development Partners working in water, WASH, climate and gender equality, disability and social inclusion (GEDSI), to share best practices and integrated approaches as a fundamental requirement of climate resilience. Throughout 2024, the IWC at Griffith University planned the conference with a programme committee which included actors from the Australian Government, Non-Government Organisations, Universities, and CROP agencies. The conference was successfully delivered in 2025 concurrently in both Fiji and Thailand.
Contact Griffith Sustainability
Griffith Sustainability Room 2.40, Building N54, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Road, Nathan QLD, 4111