Griffith University

Griffith University was awarded $200,000 in grant funding as part of the Queensland Government youth research grants to help stimulate interest in research that reflects the needs and views of young Queenslanders.

Twenty young people delivered 8 research projects across the following topics:

  • climate action and the environment
  • sustainable communities.
Show transcript

It is my belief that the choices we make today shape the future for our youth. Therefore, I think it's important to involve youth voices and equip them with the knowledge to address the sustainability issues.

Our research looks into how to include traditionally marginalized groups such as Indigenous youth and remote Queensland in the energy transition.

Through this project, I've learned there is a gap in youth involvement and I'm eager to explore it more and make an impact.

If you imagine the Gold Coast, you've got Surfers Paradise and you've got the beaches. So when sea levels are expected to rise by 0.8 metres, that will all be gone.

We've looked at 23 different coastal hazard reduction plans and we've spoken to over 30 stakeholders to really figure out how Queensland as a whole is going to deal with coastal hazards.

You're setting ways to effectively engage your people in decision making, emphasising and policies. We’re interested in finding out the most effective and conveniently accepted accessible methods and mediums. Enabling creation of a sufficient inclusion system. I believe to the youth will be able to give empowerment and positive development and to the society.

The research we conducted found that self-efficacy improves their climate, education and self-efficacy is the ability to take action.

Our research has found a way to evaluate programs, to find ways in which participants can feel capable, competent and engaged in all of the work that they're doing.

The challenge our research addresses is how we incorporate planetary health education in curriculum, especially health and medical curricula. Planetary health education is one of the most important curricula to deliver health education for a broader and more sustainable future.

The average clothing consumption globally has increased dramatically over the last 20 years. It's gone from about seven kilograms per person to 13 kilograms, and it's a lot worse than that in developed countries.

My aim with this project is to educate people my age and to show them that our purchases, it's no longer just a purchase, it's a spending data job insecurity.

This research is important to me because it serves as a reality check. Fast fashion has become a hobby for most, and we as consumers need to be more conscious and aware of what we want and ask ourselves the right questions before every purchase.

For our project, we went on a one week field trip to the Maranoa region. The purpose of this research trip was to find young people's voices and tell their stories.

The rural area is being perceived as the most vulnerable group in facing the climate change impact. However, there is rarely any reports from the media reporting about the youth value and 30 minutes in the climate change adaption.

This led to us using journalism as a research tool to tell these people's stories. As a journalism student, I'm really passionate about combining research with real people and real issues in the community to give a voice to those often left unheard.

So in the last few years, almost every person in Australia experienced some kind of climate change event, whether it was the droughts, the floods or the fires. The severity of these issues highlighted the need for policymakers to prioritise climate change. 90 to 100% of climate scientists agree on the existence of human induced climate change. However, in Australia, up to 30% of people believe that climate change occurs naturally.

Historically, in Australia, climate change has been a very divisive issue politically. My research centres around the question what makes politicians change their mind on climate change? I hope that my research would have a practical application into real world politics. I hope that it would empower young people to look into what politicians are actually thinking and doing and saying. I hope that my research would help change the minds and hearts of politicians and create a political system where politicians are free to change their minds on important topics such as climate change.

Summary of Griffith University’s research projects

Climate action and the environment

Power to the (young) people: including Indigenous youth voices in the clean energy transition

This project explored the question: How can young Indigenous people be meaningfully engaged and included in the clean energy transition in remote Australia? By drawing upon lessons from broader literature on youth engagement, the team synthesised a framework for youth engagement applicable to remote Indigenous community contexts. The framework includes seven key elements that build individual capacity, are necessary supporting systems and create an enabling environment to support sustainable and sustained inclusion of young Indigenous people in the clean energy sector.

Fast fashion: what’s the problem anyway? Mapping the social and environmental impacts within the system

This project used a literature review to investigate the fast fashion system—aiming to identify the social and environmental impacts across the fashion life cycle and determine where key pressures are felt. The project team created a system map infographic and a social media campaign. The components focused on educating young people about the scale of the impacts from overconsumption of fashion, and the intersections of environmental harm and social injustice associated with the fast fashion industry.

What makes high-profile people change their stance on climate change?

This project aimed to identify and appropriately communicate what makes high-profile individuals change their position on climate action. In doing so, the project sought to support students to work with researchers and partners to co-design and deliver a framework for engaging high-profile individuals on what influenced a change in their stance on climate action.

Reporting young people’s perspectives of climate change in southwest Queensland

This project aimed to address the marginalisation of young people's perspectives on climate change, particularly in rural and regional Australia. It sought to investigate the representation of young people's interests and perspectives in media coverage of climate change impacts in southwest Queensland and develop participatory journalism practices to amplify their voices in media discourses. The research outputs include journalism data, student-written stories, a web-based platform, academic articles on the effectiveness of experiential learning, and pedagogical reflections.

Transforming climate change and human health education using key Planetary Health principles and frameworks

This interdisciplinary project aimed to transform climate change and human health education using key Planetary Health principles and frameworks. Through literature reviews, videos, questionnaires, and presentations, the project seeks to gain a better understanding of the impacts of climate change on human health, embed planetary health approaches in education curricula, and foster intergenerational leadership in climate change and health action. The project also includes future research into the use of Planetary Health approaches in other disciplines' curricula.

Evaluation of local level coastal climate adaptation in Queensland

This project aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the QCoast2100 program, which funded local governments along the Queensland coast to implement Coastal Hazard Adaptation Strategies (CHAS) to prepare these communities for sea level rise and coastal flooding. The project evaluated completed CHAS documents in terms of best practice coastal adaptation strategies and practices. Research outputs include an evaluation report, interview data, a journal article, and a working paper on motivating climate action, future climate transitions, and climate justice. The project was conducted in collaboration with the Climate Ready Initiative, which focuses on developing partnerships and projects to address climate risks and opportunities.

Sustainable communities

The impact of the Participatory Youth-Led Educating Program—A study into learner engagement and self-efficacy

This project evaluated the impact of the Participatory Youth-Led Educating Program (PYEP) on learner engagement and self-efficacy. It tracked the engagement of participants throughout the program across behavioural, social, and emotional domains, and their reported journey of self-efficacy. The project produced a literature review, program evaluation tool, video, and worked with Zero Positive for Schools to improve young people's understanding of climate change. The project's evaluation demonstrated that participants gained knowledge, confidence, and understanding of complex climate change issues.

Engaging young people in decision-making on climate action: identifying key priorities

The project examined effective ways of engaging young people in decision-making on climate action and identifying their key priorities for engagement. A literature review was conducted in Phase 1, which identified gaps in knowledge and possibilities for future research. The working paper with recommendations was submitted to government, industry, and peak associations. The project undertook focus groups and round tables with young people in Phase 2.