Research clusters

The ANU Institute for Climate, Energy & Disaster Solutions provides leadership on climate change, energy transition & disaster-risk research and teaching.

As an interdisciplinary institute of almost 600 members, we bring together researchers and students from 26 Schools across ANU. We support a range of research clusters, comprising groups of people, often from different disciplines, working together to build communities of practice across specific research areas. These may be long-term ongoing collaborations or convened around specific projects.

Adaptation, livelihoods and development in Asia and the Pacific »

Many countries in the Asia & Pacific region are incredibly vulnerable to climate impacts, particularly our Pacific island neighbours and low-lying Asian nations

Agriculture, food and nutritional security »

Food systems are complex, dynamic, and comprise many different interacting subsystems, that food system policies often fail to recognise.

Biodiversity »

There are strong inter-relationships between climate change and biodiversity.

Carbon removal »

It's becoming apparent that reducing our greenhouse gas emissions is unlikely to be enough to prevent dangerous climate change.

Climate economics and policy »

Researchers in this group are focused on institutional responses to climate change, covering reducing greenhouse gas emissions and climate change adaptation.

Corporate engagement and action »

In the absence of transformative action by governments, many in the business community are charging ahead with action on climate, energy and disaster solutions.

Earth systems »

Research on Earth systems considers processes of the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere, biosphere and solid Earth, along with their interactions.

Energy economics and policy »

Expertise in energy economics and policy at ANU is concentrated in the Crawford School of Public Policy and the Research School of Economics.

Energy storage and recovery »

Short-term energy storage is becoming increasingly important to smooth out peaks of high energy demand and low energy supply

Extreme events and future scenarios »

As the world has warmed, due to anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, there has been a marked change in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events.

Fusion power »

Fusion is the process that powers the sun and stars. It has the potential to deliver effectively limitless, clean, base-load power for future generations.

Health »

Addressing climate change will have numerous health benefits for our society.

Hydrogen economy »

Hydrogen has the potential to provide the missing link between renewable energy - such as wind and solar power - and industrial energy users that have yet to fi

Indigenous peoples, cultures and knowledges »

The knowledges and cultures of Indigenous peoples, damaged and dismissed by the colonial project, bring country-centred perspectives to mitigating and managing

Industrial decarbonisation »

Industrial decarbonisation is a new research cluster, and the parameters are currently in development.

Law, governance and institutions »

Law, governance and institutions (LGI) produce, direct, and are disrupted and reshaped by climate change, energy supply chains, and disaster risk and response.

Low carbon and resilient cities »

Cities’ transformation towards low-carbon and climate-resilient future is a long-term and multi-dimensional process.

Psychology, communication and the arts »

The arts can provide powerful ways to challenge, inform and engage people in conversations about global challenges.

Renewable fuels »

Research into renewable fuels at ANU takes place across three research schools.

Risk, vulnerability and resilience »

This cluster will include governance, policy and planning, hazard and risk assessment, PPRR at all levels, and a community focus.

Security »

Exploring the relationships between human security and climate change, the energy transition, and disaster risks.

Smart grid »

In the future, the electricity grid will feature millions of intermittent and distributed generation sources.

Solar photovoltaics »

Photovoltaics research at ANU is at the global cutting edge, spanning the entire spectrum of solar electricity technologies.

Solar thermal »

Our research encompasses basic sciences, engineering and techno-economics for development and advancement of solar thermal and hybrid energy conversion.

Sustainable transport »

Transport is the second largest source of carbon emissions in Australia after electricity production. 

Water and flooding »

Climactic changes are leading to changes in water cycles, with droughts and floods become more intense and severe.