Climate Resilience

Climate Resilience

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Co-design adaptive management strategies with local communities, strengthening climate resilience through sustainable farming and climate-smart landscape practices.

Our research reveals how healthy landscapes and seascapes underpin climate resilience by acting as natural buffers against floods, droughts, and sea level rise.

We investigate how future conditions may influence farming practices, shift species and ecosystem distribution, and affect water security. By mapping vulnerabilities and monitoring change, our research supports adaptive management and long-term planning. This ensures wetlands and other nature-based solutions are integrated into land-use decisions to build resilient landscapes and communities in a changing climate.

The challenge

Climate change is intensifying pressures on coastal and rural communities, threatening natural ecosystems, food security, land productivity, and farming practices. Empowering communities through co-design is essential but requires trust, time, and inclusive engagement to build truly climate-resilient landscapes. Climate variability adds urgency, while sustainable farming and climate-smart practices must be tailored to local needs and capacities to balance ecological goals with livelihoods. Our work addresses this challenge by identifying solutions that strengthen long-term ecological resilience and support communities to adapt to future conditions.

Portfolio

Enhancing Farm Dams

We are establishing farm dam enhancement as a nature-based solution, using fencing, revegetation, hardened access points, and floating wetlands to improve drought resilience, water quality, biodiversity, emissions reduction, and farm productivit.
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Project objectives

This program will quantify the carbon, biodiversity, and productivity benefits of enhancing farm dams. It will identify priority sites, trial management practices, and measure both ecological and economic outcomes. In addition, it will assess incentive schemes to support large-scale adoption, providing a pathway for farm dams to contribute to climate, biodiversity, and agricultural resilience goals.

Expected outcomes

Farmers will gain practical strategies to improve water quality, reduce livestock disease, enhance biodiversity, and lower methane emissions. Policymakers will benefit from clear cost–benefit analyses to shape incentive programs and support carbon market integration. The program will deliver improved farm productivity, measurable cuts to greenhouse gas emissions, and biodiversity gains, positioning farm dam enhancement as a scalable and nature-positive solution for agriculture and climate resilience.

Project outputs

Selected publications
Fencing farm dams to exclude livestock halves methane emissions and improves water quality, Global change biology, 2022
Conserving nature's chorus: Local and landscape features promoting frog species richness in farm dams, Biological Conservation, 2023
Excluding livestock access to farm dams reduces methane emissions and boosts water quality, Science of the Total Environment, 2024
Excluding livestock from farm dams enhances native biodiversity, Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 2025
Incentivising Farm Dam Enhancement: Barriers, Motivations, and Market Potential in Australian Grazing Systems, Journal of Environmental Management, 2025 
Nature positive farm dams, Agricultural Water Management, 2025
Selected media
Farm dams could cut emissions and boost wildlife if farmers get support (RMIT media release, 2025)
Our unsung farm dams provide vital habitat to threatened species of frogs (The Conservation, 2023)
Toxic water can kill livestock within minutes. Fencing and water troughs can reduce the risks (ABC, 2023)
Researchers push for carbon credit payments for Australian farmers who fence their dams (ABC, 2022)
Online tools and resources
Enhance farm dams (ANU Sustainable Farms)
The Ripple Effect project
AusDams.org – farm dam map
Podcast on farm dams by Melbourne Water
Podcast on sustainable management of freshwater systems by SBS
Podcast on farm dams by SBS

Expected completion: Ongoing

CNPS Project Lead:

Dr. Martino Malerba

Dr. Martino Malerba

Senior Lecturer

  • Location City Campus Australia
  • Department School of Science
Dr Malerba leads a team of researchers studying freshwater wetlands – both natural (e.g., wetlands), and artificial (e.g., farm dams, reservoirs, wastewater lagoons). His projects include: Determining the carbon and biodiversity benefits of restoring natural wetlands through revegetation and environmental watering. Testing floating wetlands for emission reduction in wastewater lagoons. Managing farm dams to improve farm productivity, water quality, biodiversity, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Developing low-cost, automated IoT devices for real-time greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity monitoring. Identifying social drivers and barriers to enable the conservation of natural wetlands in agricultural properties.   RESEARCH INTERESTS Teal carbon ecosystems, like coastal wetlands, are crucial in regulating greenhouse gases and mitigating climate change while providing essential habitats for native wildlife. However, their degradation due to land-use change, pollution, water extraction, and landscape modification diminishes their ability to act as biodiversity hotspots and carbon sinks, leading to the release of significant amounts of carbon back into the atmosphere. Dr. Malerba’s laboratory focuses on quantifying carbon emissions, restoring degraded sites, and developing strategies for more sustainable practices. The team also investigates the social drivers of sustainable development and explores financial mechanisms to improve freshwater resource management. For instance, farm dams rank among the highest greenhouse gas emitters of all freshwater ecosystems. Yet, simple management interventions, such as fencing to exclude livestock, can halve methane emissions, improve water quality, and create habitat for native species (Malerba et al., 2022, Global Change Biology). Dr. Malerba frequently collaborates with engineers to develop new technologies that enhance field data collection. For example, the Pondi is a low-cost logger designed to monitor greenhouse gases like methane, carbon dioxide, and nitrous oxide in aquatic and terrestrial environments (Malerba et al., preprint). Also, Dr. Malerba is advancing AI technology for automatically monitoring species through soundscape analysis. The Australian Research Council awarded Dr Malerba a DECRA Fellowship to investigate the sustainable management of freshwater systems. He collaborates with State (Dept. of Primary Industries and Regional Development) and Federal (Dept. of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment, and Water) authorities to develop new methodologies for generating financial incentives through carbon and biodiversity credits. He also collaborates with the Australian National Carbon Inventory team to refine greenhouse gas emission estimates from freshwater systems.

Project partners and funders

Melbourne Water logo.
Australian Research Council logo.
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry logo.
Australian National University logo.
Sustainable Farms logo
Grower Group Alliance logo.
Landcare Australia logo.

Coastal Futures: Investigating coastal ecosystems under future conditions

This program investigates how coastal wetlands may respond to future conditions, aiming to guide coastal adaptation plans, ecological resilience and guide management strategies while also supporting sustainable livelihoods.
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Project objectives

Ensuring wetlands can expand and adapt is vital for buffering coastal communities against climate impacts and maintaining natural flood defences. By guiding restoration and adaptive management, it aims to enhance ecosystem resilience, protect biodiversity, and support sustainable livelihoods under future conditions.

Expected outcomes

This program will generate new knowledge and predictive models of how coastal wetlands respond to climate change, including sea level rise, climate variability, and human pressures. Results will highlight areas of potential wetland migration and accommodation space, providing actionable insights for coastal adaptation and restoration planning. Outcomes include improved tools for integrating wetlands into natural flood defence strategies, biodiversity conservation, and climate mitigation frameworks. By linking ecological resilience with social and economic benefits, the program will strengthen management strategies, support sustainable livelihoods, and guide policy development for climate-ready, nature-positive coastal landscapes.

Project outputs

Academic Publications

Review of methods for quantifying the benefits of coastal wetlands in absorbing and buffering extreme weather event impacts on coastal infrastructure.Ecosystem Services

Prioritizing tidal marsh restoration in grazing lands.Journal of Environmental Management

Spatially explicit ecosystem accounts for coastal wetland restoration.Ecosystem Services
Effects of floating wetlands on greenhouse gas emissions from wastewater lagoons (Report for Westernport Water, 2024)

Expected completion: Ongoing

CNPS Project Lead:

Methane Reduction from Rice Paddies

Rice paddies are a major source of methane emissions globally. This program investigates climate-smart rice farming techniques that reduce emissions while maintaining or improving yields.
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Project objectives

This program explores emission-reducing interventions in rice agriculture, such as alternate wetting and drying (AWD), optimised fertiliser use, and biochar application. It aims to quantify abatement potential, assess feasibility for carbon credit generation, and develop region-specific pathways to scale adoption in Asia and beyond, with co-benefits for water savings, farmer livelihoods, and biodiversity.

Expected completion: Ongoing

CNPS Project Lead:

Professor Peter Macreadie

Professor Peter Macreadie

Professor

  • Location City Campus Australia
  • Department School of Science
Prof. Macreadie is an internationally recognised leader in blue carbon and nature-based climate solutions. He is Director of RMIT University’s Centre for Nature Positive Solutions. His research integrates ecology, biogeochemistry, engineering, economics, and policy to develop measurable and verifiable climate and biodiversity solutions.   Prof. Macreadie’s work has shaped national and international carbon-accounting frameworks. His research informed the world’s first model-based blue carbon crediting method under the ACCU Scheme and has been cited in more than 40 policy documents, including the EU Green Deal, the World Bank’s Blue Carbon Wealth of Nations, UN Ocean Decade guidance, and reports tabled to the United States Congress.   He has published more than 280 scientific papers, with over 18,000 citations and an h-index of 70, in leading journals such as Science, Nature Climate Change, Nature Ecology & Evolution, One Earth, The Lancet Planetary Health, PNAS and Global Change Biology. He collaborates with more than 1,000 researchers across 60 countries, including many of the world’s most highly cited blue carbon scientists.   Prof. Macreadie has secured more than $42 million in research and partnership funding, leading major interdisciplinary programs across blue carbon, teal carbon, ecosystem restoration, natural capital accounting, aquatic biosecurity, coastal protection, citizen science, microplastics, and offshore decommissioning. His ARC Future Fellowship (2025–2029) focuses on scaling blue carbon through improved measurement, finance, and equitable on-ground implementation.   His contributions to science and policy have been recognised through more than 30 awards, including the 2023 Frontiers Planet Prize (Australia), the 2020 Premier’s Sustainability Award (Victoria), and the 2015 David Syme Prize. Prof. Macreadie also leads the development of open-access tools — such as low-cost greenhouse-gas loggers and satellite-based monitoring systems — now used globally to support high-integrity climate and nature markets.

Natural Sequence Farming

We evaluate Natural Sequence Farming interventions to restore hydrological cycles, enhance soil carbon, improve biodiversity, and support long-term agricultural productivity in drought-prone Australian landscapes.
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Project objectives

This project evaluates Natural Sequence Farming, an Australian approach to land and water management that restores natural hydrological cycles by slowing and spreading water, rebuilding soils, and encouraging vegetation recovery. Interventions such as contouring, leaky weirs, and revegetation are designed to hold more water in the landscape, reduce erosion, recycle nutrients, and support biodiversity.

We will investigate how these practices influence water retention, soil health, and biodiversity. The project will also assess carbon storage potential, quantify productivity benefits for farmers, and identify the conditions under which the approach is most effective. By generating robust ecological, carbon, and socio-economic evidence, this work will help determine how Natural Sequence Farming can be applied to build resilience and productivity in drought-prone Australian landscapes.

Expected outcomes

Evidence-based insights will clarify the ecological and economic value of Natural Sequence Farming. Farmers will gain clear guidance on best-practice designs to maximise benefits, and policymakers will have scientific evidence to support broader adoption. Results will show how these interventions improve water retention, reduce erosion, increase soil fertility, and promote biodiversity, strengthening climate resilience and long-term sustainability in Australian agriculture.

Expected completion: 2028

CNPS Project Lead:

Dr. Martino Malerba

Dr. Martino Malerba

Senior Lecturer

  • Location City Campus Australia
  • Department School of Science
Dr Malerba leads a team of researchers studying freshwater wetlands – both natural (e.g., wetlands), and artificial (e.g., farm dams, reservoirs, wastewater lagoons). His projects include: Determining the carbon and biodiversity benefits of restoring natural wetlands through revegetation and environmental watering. Testing floating wetlands for emission reduction in wastewater lagoons. Managing farm dams to improve farm productivity, water quality, biodiversity, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Developing low-cost, automated IoT devices for real-time greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity monitoring. Identifying social drivers and barriers to enable the conservation of natural wetlands in agricultural properties.   RESEARCH INTERESTS Teal carbon ecosystems, like coastal wetlands, are crucial in regulating greenhouse gases and mitigating climate change while providing essential habitats for native wildlife. However, their degradation due to land-use change, pollution, water extraction, and landscape modification diminishes their ability to act as biodiversity hotspots and carbon sinks, leading to the release of significant amounts of carbon back into the atmosphere. Dr. Malerba’s laboratory focuses on quantifying carbon emissions, restoring degraded sites, and developing strategies for more sustainable practices. The team also investigates the social drivers of sustainable development and explores financial mechanisms to improve freshwater resource management. For instance, farm dams rank among the highest greenhouse gas emitters of all freshwater ecosystems. Yet, simple management interventions, such as fencing to exclude livestock, can halve methane emissions, improve water quality, and create habitat for native species (Malerba et al., 2022, Global Change Biology). Dr. Malerba frequently collaborates with engineers to develop new technologies that enhance field data collection. For example, the Pondi is a low-cost logger designed to monitor greenhouse gases like methane, carbon dioxide, and nitrous oxide in aquatic and terrestrial environments (Malerba et al., preprint). Also, Dr. Malerba is advancing AI technology for automatically monitoring species through soundscape analysis. The Australian Research Council awarded Dr Malerba a DECRA Fellowship to investigate the sustainable management of freshwater systems. He collaborates with State (Dept. of Primary Industries and Regional Development) and Federal (Dept. of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment, and Water) authorities to develop new methodologies for generating financial incentives through carbon and biodiversity credits. He also collaborates with the Australian National Carbon Inventory team to refine greenhouse gas emission estimates from freshwater systems.

Project partners and funders

Melbourne water logo

HDR and Honours Research

Our PhD, Masters and Honours students explore climate resilience across coastal and agricultural landscapes, investigating how nature-based interventions strengthen ecosystems, restore hydrological cycles, reduce emissions, and support communities adapting to a changing climate.
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Project summary

Coastal wetlands, including mangroves, saltmarshes and seagrass meadows, face growing pressures from climate change, land-use change and limited funding for conservation. This PhD research aims to improve wetland management using a multidisciplinary approach. It focuses on assessing the potential for carbon finance to support restoration, evaluating the impacts of climate and human activities on wetland ecosystems, identifying opportunities for wetlands to move inland as sea levels rise, and examining how protected areas can help sustain these valuable ecosystems. The research will generate practical insights to inform policy, investment and conservation action.

PhD student: Nipuni Perera (nipuni.perera@student.rmit.edu.au)

Google Scholar Profile

Outputs

Cover page of Farm Dam
Report

Interactive map

Explore AusDams.org

Media and outreach

Farm dams could cut emissions and boost wildlife if farmers get support

A study has found most cattle farmers are willing to invest in enhancing their dams, including improving water quality, biodiversity and reducing emissions – if they receive fair government support.

Restored wetlands reap benefits for climate, drought-resilience after just one year: study

Reviving floodplain wetlands slashes carbon emissions by 39% and restores critical ecosystem functions in one year – without the methane spike typically seen in restored peatlands, a new study has found.

Warming temperatures may shrink wetland carbon sinks

A major global study using teabags as a measuring device shows warming temperatures may reduce the amount of carbon stored in wetlands.

RMIT’s environmental science follows nature’s lead

From floating wetlands and biodegradable scaffolds to groundbreaking work on plastic pollution, micropollutants, and blue carbon, RMIT researchers are pioneering a bold new approach to water and environmental science
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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