Goal 15 - Life on Land

Goal 15 - Life on Land

RMIT is dedicated to advancing Sustainable Development Goal 15, focusing on the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, forest management, desertification combat, and biodiversity preservation.

RMIT supports the protection and restoration of terrestrial ecosystems through research, education and operational initiatives that promote biodiversity, ecological resilience and nature-positive outcomes. 

Researchers work across areas including conservation, regenerative landscapes, ecosystem restoration and environmental management. 

Through collaboration with Traditional Owners, community partners, industry and government, RMIT contributes to safeguarding biodiversity and supporting healthier environments for future generations.

Highlights of recent SDG 14 aligned activity are included below, with more information available in our 2025 Sustainability Annual Report (PDF 13 MB), with our 11 years of reporting progress outlined on the Sustainability Annual Report webpage.

Broader sustainability contributions are also highlighted in our organisational Annual Report, which are tabled in the Victorian Parliament.

2025 Case Studies

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RMIT researchers are demonstrating how wetlands can support biodiversity, improve water quality and strengthen landscape resilience. 

Research undertaken through the Centre for Nature Positive Solutions has shown how restoring degraded floodplain wetlands can increase carbon storage, improve ecosystem health and support more resilient agricultural systems. 

These nature-based approaches provide practical solutions that benefit both people and the environment.

RMIT researchers partnered with the Yirrganydji Traditional Custodians, the Blue Carbon Lab and Cairns Airport to better understand and protect mangrove ecosystems along the Barron River on Yirrganydji Country. 

The research found that approximately 300 hectares of mangroves capture more than 2,000 tonnes of carbon each year, highlighting the importance of healthy coastal ecosystems for environmental resilience and climate mitigation. 

Beyond the scientific findings, the project demonstrates a collaborative model that places Traditional Knowledge, Indigenous leadership and community priorities at the centre of environmental research. 

By bringing together Indigenous knowledge systems, scientific expertise and industry partners, the project provides a strong example of how collaborative stewardship can help protect and restore natural ecosystems for future generations.

RMIT researchers are helping landholders transform farm dams into thriving ecosystems that support biodiversity, improve water quality and strengthen climate resilience. 

In partnership with Melbourne Water, Bass Coast farmers and other stakeholders, researchers from the Centre for Nature Positive Solutions are applying nature-based approaches that improve environmental outcomes while supporting productive agricultural landscapes. 

By reimagining farm dams as habitat corridors and biodiversity hotspots, the project demonstrates how practical land management solutions can deliver benefits for ecosystems, communities and agriculture. 

Through this work, RMIT is helping protect and restore terrestrial ecosystems while supporting more resilient and sustainable landscapes. 

2024 Case Studies

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The Interdisciplinary Conservation Science Research Group (ICON Science) at RMIT University leads efforts to understand and manage the interactions between society and the natural environment. Emphasizing a multidisciplinary approach, ICON Science integrates ecological, social, and economic dimensions to enhance biodiversity conservation.

Focusing on urban and semi-rural environments, ICON Science addresses the gap between conservation theory and practical application. By examining the drivers of change in these complex settings, the group contributes valuable insights into sustainable ecosystem management.

Operating within RMIT's Centre of Urban Research (CUR) and Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Remediation (EnSuRe), ICON Science also collaborates with the Threatened Species Recovery Hub and Clean Air and Urban Landscape Hub of the Australian Government’s National Environmental Science Program. These partnerships enhance conservation efforts and promote sustainable land use practices.

ICON Science's work not only advances academic understanding but also informs practical conservation strategies that benefit ecosystems and communities, exemplifying RMIT's commitment to impactful research and sustainable development.

A study published in Nature Communications by the RMIT Centre for Urban Research highlighted insufficient urban tree canopy cover in eight cities.

Despite many trees, only 3 per cent of buildings in central Melbourne and 17 per cent in Sydney have adequate canopy cover. The study, which included Melbourne and Sydney, found that while most buildings have views of at least three trees, few meet the 30 per cent canopy cover standard. This impacts urban cooling, flood risk, and biodiversity.

The research uses the ‘3-30-300’ rule, recommending a view of three trees, 30 per cent canopy cover, and 300 metres proximity to a park. impacting urban cooling, flood risk, and biodiversity.

Dr Thami Croeser from RMIT emphasises the need for better urban tree management, as local councils often lack the resources for proper care.

RMIT University is advancing global understanding of how climate change affects wetland ecosystems, which are vital to ocean health and biodiversity. Led by Dr Stacey Trevathan-Tackett, an international team buried 19,000 teabags across 180 wetlands in 28 countries to measure how temperature influences wetland carbon storage.

The study found that rising temperatures accelerate organic matter decay, reducing carbon preservation in wetland soils. Since wetlands play a critical role in filtering water, protecting coastlines, and storing carbon that would otherwise enter marine environments, these findings have direct implications for SDG 14: Life Below Water.

By identifying which wetlands store the most carbon, RMIT’s research supports efforts to conserve blue carbon ecosystems, such as mangroves and seagrasses, that mitigate climate impacts, enhance water quality, and sustain marine biodiversity.

SDG Alignment Mapping Overview

As reported in the 2025 Sustainability Annual Report, there were 35 course units and 117 research projects aligned with SDG 15 in 2025, representing a wide range of initiatives related to life on land. 

Other SDG alignment insights are captured in the data below.

35 Course Units

117 Research Projects

10 International Research Partnerships

115 Publications

  RMIT Global Average
Publications in Top 25% Journal Percentiles by SIR (%) 94.3 64.6
Citations per Publication 4.6 2.3
Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) 1.8 49%
National Contribution (%) 4.2% N/A
International Collaboration  59.1 29.8
Developing Country Collaboration (%) 49% N/A
Low to Lower-Middle Income Country Collaboration (%) 19% N/A

Research Projects and Initiatives Over the Years

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Evaluating interactions of beachgoers and their dogs with local wildlife in Philip Island

Phillip Island Nature Parks (PINP) are currently pursuing a number of interventions and awareness campaigns aimed at reducing conflicts and harmful interactions between off-leash dogs and local wildlife on PINP-managed beaches.

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Aquatic Pollution Prevention Partnership

The aims of this research partnership between Melbourne Water and RMIT University is to help prevent aquatic pollution.

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The Adoption of Sustainable Agricultural Practices in Vietnam

Conventional farming in developing countries contributes to climate change and environment deterioration while bringing negative health effects to both farmers and consumers. Arguable it will not solve the problem of food security.

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The Litter Trackers: Reducing Littering by Education

Most litter that ends up in Port Phillip Bay comes from the catchments. Education is an integral tool for achieving long-term change in community behaviors and reducing litter in waterways and the Bay.

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Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Sentient' by Hollie Johnson, Gunaikurnai and Monero Ngarigo.

Learn more about our commitment to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples