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Waste Management in Australia Is an Environmental Crisis: What Needs to Change so Adaptive Governance Can Help?

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  • Stephen Jones

    (School of Business, The University of Queensland, Queensland 4072, Australia)

Abstract

Research suggests that strengthening cooperation between governments is required to support improved policy outcomes. Despite established cooperative agreements between the levels of government in Australia, a lack of urgency and consistency continues to drive unsustainable approaches toward waste management practices. Adaptive governance has emerged as a potential approach for addressing complexity, with multiple actors collaborating in the design and implementation of challenging environmental issues. The main findings of this research highlight key challenges in multilevel systems and reforms required to establish institutional arrangements that support key adaptive governance enablers in the context of cooperative approaches to waste management.

Suggested Citation

  • Stephen Jones, 2020. "Waste Management in Australia Is an Environmental Crisis: What Needs to Change so Adaptive Governance Can Help?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-17, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:21:p:9212-:d:440537
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Judith Petts, 2001. "Evaluating the Effectiveness of Deliberative Processes: Waste Management Case-studies," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(2), pages 207-226.
    2. Karpouzoglou, Timothy & Dewulf, Art & Clark, Julian, 2016. "Advancing adaptive governance of social-ecological systems through theoretical multiplicity," Environmental Science & Policy, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 1-9.
    3. Ljiljana Rodić & David C. Wilson, 2017. "Resolving Governance Issues to Achieve Priority Sustainable Development Goals Related to Solid Waste Management in Developing Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-18, March.
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    1. Lien Thi Kim Trinh & Allen H. Hu & Song Toan Pham Phu, 2021. "Situation, Challenges, and Solutions of Policy Implementation on Municipal Waste Management in Vietnam toward Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-16, March.
    2. Ciara O’Dwyer & Atiq Zaman & Jessica K. Breadsell, 2022. "The Uptake of Container Deposit Schemes: A Case Study in Perth, Western Australia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-30, September.
    3. Gavin Melles, 2021. "Figuring the Transition from Circular Economy to Circular Society in Australia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-20, September.
    4. Bilal Abdellaoui & Hamid Ech-cheikh & Mohammed Sadik & Ahmed Rachid & Saâd Lissane Elhaq & Adnane Mounadel, 2025. "A review on ship-generated oily waste management at ports: current practices, challenges and future directions," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 27(3), pages 5925-5980, March.
    5. Riccardo Armillei & Bruce Wilson & Jessica Reeves, 2025. "Embedding a Circular Economy through Local Government in Gippsland: A Case Study, Utilising Smart Specialisation Methodology," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 5(2), pages 851-871, April.
    6. Min Wang & Xiaohan Yuan & Shuqi Yang & Kahaer Abudu & Kongtao Qin, 2022. "Research on Spatial Planning of Petrochemical Industrial Parks from the Perspective of Symbiosis: Example of Yueyang Green Chemical Industry Park," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-17, April.
    7. Lynda Andeobu & Santoso Wibowo & Srimannarayana Grandhi, 2022. "Medical Waste from COVID-19 Pandemic—A Systematic Review of Management and Environmental Impacts in Australia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-25, January.
    8. Jovheiry García Guerrero & Juvenal Rodríguez Reséndiz & Hugo Rodríguez Reséndiz & José Manuel Álvarez-Alvarado & Omar Rodríguez Abreo, 2021. "Sustainable Glass Recycling Culture-Based on Semi-Automatic Glass Bottle Cutter Prototype," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-23, June.
    9. Marcella Bernardo & Hugh Forehead & Isabella De Carvalho Vallin & Sylmara L. F. Gonçalves-Dias, 2023. "Management of Household Plastic Waste in Wollongong, Australia: The Role of Selective Waste Collection Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-17, January.
    10. Zheng Wang & Christophe Guy & Kelvin Tsun Wai Ng & Chunjiang An, 2021. "A New Challenge for the Management and Disposal of Personal Protective Equipment Waste during the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-4, June.
    11. Esther Landells & Anjum Naweed & David H. Pearson & Gamithri G. Karunasena & Samuel Oakden, 2022. "Out of Sight, Out of Mind: Using Post-Kerbside Organics Treatment Systems to Engage Australian Communities with Pro-Environmental Household Food Waste Behaviours," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-17, July.

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