The october 2023 Sustrem/Ecoforum conference held in Melbourne was an incredible opportunity to discuss with our peers the many ways that remediation practitioners and environmental scientists can have a positive impact on the health of our planet and our communities. So many great examples of how human ingenuity and our ability to solve complex problems by working collaboratively are already bringing tangible solutions to the global environmental challenges we face.
The Ecoforum conference is organized by ALGA (Australian Land and Grounwater association). Sustrem was sponsored by ISRA (International Sustainable Remediation Alliance).The theme of the Conference was “Meeting the Challenges for a Sustainable Future”. This event marked a significant milestone for ALGA, as it was the largest-ever conference: ;600+ delegates – local and international, 120 speakers – including 18 keynotes. Themes included : emerging contaminants, Net Zero, Climate Change and Adaptation, Circular Economy: Avoidance, Reduction and Reuse, Social Sustainability. GHD was awarded 2023 SR project of the year for “Jackson Place Remediation”: Jackson Place, a former landfill in a significantly constrained urban area, was successfully remediated in 2022 and is now a public, vibrant green space in the heart of Sydney. Early and ongoing stakeholder engagement inspired a community-led remediation approach, achieving its environmental goals in a cost- effective manner and vastly improving the land value of the site.