Energy, resources and sustainability
BCEC research examines the interplay between energy systems, resource markets and sustainable development, exploring how policy, industry and environmental factors interact to shape economic, social, and ecological outcomes. Our work spans the dynamics of renewable and non-renewable energy production and consumption, the impacts of commodity price volatility, and the role of governance, innovation, and global market forces in driving sustainable transitions.
This theme addresses challenges in Australia and internationally, including the economic impacts of oil, gas and mineral cycles; energy poverty and its consequences for health and wellbeing; the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices; and the implications of the circular economy for emissions reduction and environmental quality. BCEC researchers have analysed the links between carbon emissions, inequality, and economic growth, and examined how democratic and institutional settings influence environmental outcomes.
Our analyses bring together advanced econometric modelling, scenario forecasting and cross-country comparative research to inform energy and sustainability policy. This includes studies on the uptake and impacts of renewable energy technologies, migration and labour market dynamics in resource-dependent regions, and the socio-economic trade-offs of environmental regulation. Through this work, BCEC contributes robust, evidence-based insights to support a just and equitable transition to a low-carbon economy.
BCEC welcomes opportunities for collaboration on energy, resources and sustainability research. Contact us at bcec@curtin.edu.au to explore potential partnerships and projects.
Related Projects
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Supporting small businesses through the business of electrification
Unpacking the role of the resources sector in harnessing and developing Australia’s STEM capability
The Insertion of Australia and WA in International Gas and Oil Markets
The impact of tariff structure changes on energy vulnerable households
Energy poverty in WA: A comparative assessment of drivers and effects
Related Publications
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The resources sector makes a vital contribution as the anchor for Australia’s science, research and industrial base. As the sector undergoes a structural evolution to capture a greater share of the minerals, materials and manufacturing value chain, new research commissioned... Read article
The resources sector makes a vital contribution as the anchor for Australia’s science, research and industrial base. As the sector undergoes a structural evolution to capture a greater share of the minerals, materials and manufacturing value chain, new research commissioned... Read article
Executive Summary Western Australia’s prosperity has been shaped by one of the most remarkable resource endowments in the world. Over the past several decades, the state’s resources sector has transformed it into a global economic powerhouse. Resources now contribute around... Read article
Executive Summary Western Australia’s prosperity has been shaped by one of the most remarkable resource endowments in the world. Over the past several decades, the state’s resources sector has transformed it into a global economic powerhouse. Resources now contribute around... Read article
View the slides by lead Bankwest Curtin Economic Centre authors Professor Alan Duncan and Dr Silvia Salazar from the launch of the report WA’s Resources Sector in Transition: Securing long term value in a changing world. About the report The... Read article
This study examines the effects of tourism openness on climate change and circular economy outcomes within a Waste Kuznets Curve framework. Drawing on a newly compiled global panel dataset of circular economy indicators covering 64 countries over the period 1995–2022,... Read article
The Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre team acknowledges the Wadjuk Nyungar people as the traditional owners of the land on which the Centre is situated.