Sustainable Development: What Drives The Public Sector?

Many in the contaminated sites industry are motivated to work each day by their passion for the environment. Similarly, many recognise sustainable development as a concept or mechanism through which to achieve desirable outcomes within the industry, as well as society and the wider environment. However, three decades after sustainable development was accepted as a goal for humanity it is still not being widely or routinely achieved, with at times devastating outcomes. Why is that? And, in particular, why aren’t our public decision-makers driving achievement toward it?

In this webinar, Dr Mitzi Bolton discusses her PhD research into factors influencing public sector decisions and the achievement of sustainable development in Victoria. Sharing what drove her to a PhD, what she learnt from interviewing and surveying folks across the Victorian Public Sector, and possible solutions - no silver bullets are promised though, Mitzi hopes to stimulate discussion on what ALGA and its members can do to help encourage sustainable development to be achieved.

About the presenter:

Dr Mitzi Bolton

Research Fellow

Monash Sustainable Development Institute, Monash University

Dr Mitzi Bolton is a Research Fellow at the Monash Sustainable Development Institute, where she is looking at how systems thinking can help address complex public problems such as achievement of sustainable development. This has led to work on artificial intelligence, national sustainability hubs, and training for regulators.

Previously, Mitzi worked in the public sector for almost 12 years, at both the Victorian and national level. She was the inaugural EPA Victoria Contaminated Environments Principal Expert, Chair and founder of the National Contaminated Environment Network of regulators, and has a longstanding association with ALGA including as a former member of its Board, Melbourne Branch and Sustainable Remediation interest group committees.

This event is kindly sponsored by: