Are there still “limits to growth”?

Half a century ago, the famous “Limits to Growth” report from M.I.T. predicted economic and environmental collapse if the world did not husband its resources – how many of its predictions have come true?

Sustainable manufacturing

Sustainable manufacturing employs cleaner and more efficient systems to reduce the use of energy and resources and minimise environmental impacts while ensuring human demands are still met.

Is Australia prepared for foot-and-mouth disease?

Foot-and-Mouth diseases was detected last week in the tourist hotspot of Bali, closer to mainland Australia than it has been in the 130 years since it was last eradicated.

Maintaining a global agenda

Global uncertainties have given birth to pronouncements that range from nonsense to seriously dangerous such as that the WTO is dead and that globalisation has run its full course, but the WTO is not dead, and neither is globalisation.

Don’t bet the farm on agricultural robots

Robots can help farmers improve crop yields and ease labour shortages but their adoption has been much slower than in other realms such as manufacturing.

Local food makes better eating

The 50 year old philosophy of degrowth involves producing quality products in local economies to cover basic needs and promises a more ecologically sustainable future.

Agriculture 4.0 helps farmers do more with less

If integrated correctly, new technologies can enhance crop yields, reduce production costs, improve the traceability of food, eliminate unnecessary waste and detect diseases in advance, but harnessing Agriculture 4.0’s full value won’t be easy.

The return of industrial action?

Rising inflation and stagnant wages are increasing the number of strikes across the country as workers begin to agitate for more rights and better renumeration at the workplace.

Tackling the surge in inflation

Australia’s current surge in inflation, like that in much of the world, reflects a mix of temporary and more sustained factors and demand and supply issues, and navigating this new challenge will require agile economic management on the part of new Labor administration.

Decoupling the minimum wage and inflation

A 5% increase in the minimum wage has emerged as a point of difference in the election campaign, but there may be no need to link the minimum wage to inflation.

Sanctions on Russia could prove a windfall for Australia

Australia is Russia’s closest competitor in global markets and is the obvious winner as Putin’s pariah state loses exports due to international sanctions.

China’s coming industrial transformation and the threat to Australia’s economy

A fall in demand from China for Australia’s coal and iron ore, and competition from Russia on global wheat markets, could see exports of primary materials fall sharply in the future, forcing Australia to develop more profitable alternatives.