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* Home
* About
* Who we are
* Founders

* Our Work
* Communities
* Gender Equality
* Natural Ecosystems
* Impact Missions

* Resources & Publications
* News

MINDEROO FOUNDATION

FOR A FAIR FUTURE

Photo credit: Edi Libedinsky via Unsplash.

Our vision is a society that values all people and natural ecosystems.

We will achieve this by uplifting communities, advancing gender equality,
protecting natural ecosystems and responding to emerging challenges.

OUR FOCUS AREAS

COMMUNITIES

All children reach their full potential in thriving communities.

Learn more

GENDER EQUALITY

All people realise their inherent freedom and equality.

Learn more

NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS

A healthy ecosystem, safeguarded for future generations.

Learn more

OTHER WORK

IMPACT MISSIONS

Our response to existential threats and time-sensitive urgent challenges.

Learn more

Read more
Photo credit: Jessica Wyld.

FOUNDERS

Andrew and Nicola Forrest founded Minderoo Foundation in 2001, and continue to
drive its philanthropic mission today.

We take our name from Minderoo Station, the family homestead where Andrew grew
up in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. It has been a part of the Forrest
family since 1878. Minderoo is an Aboriginal word meaning permanent and clean
water.

ANDREW FORREST

Founder, Minderoo Foundation; Executive Chairman of Fortescue; Director,
Tattarang Group

Dr Andrew Forrest AO is a global business leader and philanthropist. Through
Minderoo Foundation, Tattarang and Fortescue, Dr Forrest is dedicated to leading
the world to address the climate crisis and step beyond fossil fuels through
green metals and green energy.

While he believes some challenges (for example, global warming) can only be met
through business, led by responsible government, Minderoo Foundation focuses on
radical solutions to human rights, ocean health, Indigenous disparity and
equality for women and girls. Minderoo’s endowment now exceeds AU$7.6 billion.

In 2022, Dr Forrest committed US$500 million to the official Ukraine Development
Fund to kickstart post-war reconstruction. Minderoo Foundation has also
contributed US$8 million, including funding Ukraine’s first humanitarian grain
shipment in August 2022 and providing grain storage facilities. In addition,
Minderoo has supplied 170 power generators to Ukraine.

Dr Forrest has a PhD in marine ecology, serves as an IUCN Patron of Nature and
was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to
philanthropy, mining, employment and sustainable foreign investment.

In 2016, he served as a councillor of the Global Citizen Commission, which was
charged by the UN to modernise the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
In 2013, Dr Forrest was appointed by the Australian Government to lead the
country’s response to tackling indigenous disparity – the resultant Forrest
Review was published in 2014.

NICOLA FORREST

Founder, Minderoo Foundation; Director, Tattarang Group

With an enduring motivation to better the lives of children and a commitment to
give a voice to those most vulnerable, Nicola Forrest AO believes in empowering
individuals to better themselves and their communities.

Since 2001, as Founder and Co-Chair of Minderoo Foundation, Nicola has
established and driven programs of work to create positive change for children,
the arts, women and communities. Nicola’s contribution has seen her recognised
as an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO), awarded the University of Canberra
Chancellor’s Award for Philanthropy and invited to chair a working group on
behalf of the Prime Minister of Australia to drive integration between the
philanthropic, community and business sectors.

Under Nicola’s leadership, and in collaboration with partners in Australia and
beyond, Minderoo Foundation has put an emphasis on data and research to identify
and derive solutions to some of the world’s most intractable problems. She has
also led the selection of world-class Scholars and Fellows, to study and reside
in Western Australia within the Forrest Research Foundation – a hub for research
innovation.

Nicola is Life Patron of the Black Swan State Theatre Company shoring up the
company’s sustainability through the establishment of its inaugural Production
Fund. As patron of the Kimberley Foundation Australia, Impact 100 WA and
Sculpture by the Sea, Nicola champions arts, culture and community initiatives
that better the lives of those most vulnerable.

National Press Club Address

It’s time for a high-quality early learning system.

Find out more
Photo credit: Telethon Kids Institute.

COMMUNITIES

All children reach their full potential in thriving communities.

Opportunity and disadvantage are not evenly distributed. They are predetermined
from conception and are intergenerational, concentrated in particular places,
and exacerbated by many social factors.

Often, those that are most disadvantaged are our First Nations people. By
reimagining our approach to the early years and empowering community decision
making, these cycles of disadvantage can be broken and a new trajectory can be
charted.

OUTCOMES

COMMUNITY AGENCY AND BELONGING

Communities are cohesive, collaborative and thriving places, with the power to
make decisions and direct resources to solutions that best address their needs.

EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT

All children between the ages of 0-5 have the ability to develop and learn, so
they can reach their full potential and contribute to a better future for their
communities.

SAFETY AND ECONOMIC SECURITY

Families have access to critical resources for a safe and secure home
environment, giving children between the ages of 0-5 the opportunity to thrive.

Photo credit: Hector Pertuz via Adobe Stock.

GENDER EQUALITY

All people realise their inherent freedom and equality.

Women and girls represent half of the world’s population. By denying women and
girls equal rights and meaningful inclusion, we are denying the achievement of
our goals and ultimately wasting our collective potential.

While Minderoo Foundation considers the gendered impacts of all the problems we
seek to solve, we believe a discrete focus on women and girls is required to
break down the structural barriers that perpetuate many of these issues.

OUTCOMES

EQUAL VOICE AND AGENCY

Women and girls have equal influence in decision making, as well as equal access
to financial resources.

FREEDOM FROM SLAVERY

Women and girls are not disproportionately affected by modern slavery, and
modern slavery is eradicated in all its forms.

Visit Walk Free
Photo credit: ultramarinfoto via Getty Images.

NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS

A healthy ecosystem, safeguarded for future generations.

The ocean is a vital ecosystem that plays a crucial role in sustaining life on
Earth.

We are also dedicated to increasing ecosystem resilience to human driven
threats, including climate change.

OUTCOMES

SUSTAINABLE OCEAN ECONOMY

Human activities in the ocean are ethical, sustainable, and do not compromise
the health of marine environments.

PROTECT AND RESTORE OCEAN ECOSYSTEMS

Biodiversity is preserved for future generations to enjoy, resilient to the
impacts of climate change.

CLIMATE ACTION

Climate change is minimised as a threat multiplier to all our beneficiaries, in
pursuit of a liveable planet free from fossil fuels.

Photo credit: David Gray via Getty Images.

IMPACT MISSIONS

Our response to existential threats and time-sensitive urgent challenges.

The pace of global transformation is unprecedented, and with it comes an
ever-present need to respond to emerging challenges and threats that affect our
collective wellbeing.

Impact Missions are an important part of Minderoo Foundation’s response to
shaping a fair future.

By tackling urgent societal challenges and threats with speed, adaptability, and
clear impact goals, we can make a significant difference in the lives of
individuals and communities worldwide.

OUR IMPACT MISSIONS

INDIGENOUS EMPLOYMENT

Australia’s largest employers are committed, empowered and accountable to
achieving employment parity for First Nations people.

PLASTICS AND HUMAN HEALTH

Focusing on the human health impacts of plastic particles and chemicals, which
is an existential threat.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Facilitate global dialogue and support policies for greater public safety and
government accountability for AI.

CRISIS

Respond to global or national crises that require urgent action.

RESOURCES & PUBLICATIONS

RESOURCES

Global Plastics Treaty

Reducing marine plastic pollution to zero through a comprehensive life-cycle
approach to plastic management.

Explore resources

Mending the Net

Strengthening Australia’s import policies to combat illegal seafood.

Did you know that 65 per cent of the seafood Australians eat comes from
overseas, particularly from countries with poor track records on illegal
fishing, overfishing, modern slavery and unsustainable practices? The Mending
the Net report shows how Australia’s poor import controls mean this seafood
might be ending up on your plate.

Exmouth Research Lab

The Minderoo Foundation Exmouth Research Lab provides scientists with
state-of-the-art facilities enabling high quality, high-impact marine research,
on the doorstep of the World Heritage listed Ningaloo Reef.

Learn More

Resilient Communities Framework

The Resilient Communities Framework is a guide that covers the principles of
effective community engagement to build disaster resilience. It also contains
tools for resilience practitioners, community leaders, policymakers and funders
to support resilience-building efforts across sectors.

Download Framework

Mislabelling restricts consumer choices for sustainable seafood

A landmark national study to determine the scale of seafood mislabelling in
Australia has found more than one in 10 seafood products tested did not match
the label.

Find Out More

PUBLICATIONS

Global Slavery Index 2023

An estimated 50 million people are living in modern slavery.

Explore the index

Plastic Waste Makers Index 2023

More plastic. More waste. More pollution.

Key findings

Indigenous Employment Index

The first comprehensive snapshot of Indigenous workplace representation.

Learn more

Global Fishing Index

Assessing the sustainability of the world’s marine fisheries.

Annual Report

Our stories of impact in 2023.

TOOLS

GLOBAL SLAVERY MAP TOOL

Global map and data portal

Explore the data

PLASTIC WASTE MAKERS INDEX

Scorecards

View the scorecards

INDIGENOUS EMPLOYMENT INDEX

Employer roadmap

Use the tool

GLOBAL PLASTIC WATCH

Mapping the world’s plastic pollution

GLOBAL FISHING INDEX

Explore the global data on fisheries

Explore the Data

PLASTIC HEALTH MAP

Systematic Evidence Map

Use the Tool
Newsby Minderoo Foundation
Media Release3 May 2024

MINDEROO AND STATE GOVERNMENT COMMIT $34.6M BOOST TO EARLY YEARS PROGRAM

Think back on your early childhood – what experiences and circumstances shaped
who you are?
Media Release26 Mar 2024

THE LEEUWIN OCEAN ADVENTURE FOUNDATION EMERGES FROM VOLUNTARY ADMINISTRATION
WITH STRONG COMMUNITY BACKING

The community of Western Australia has united in support for the State’s iconic
tall ship, STS Leeuwin II (Leeuwin).
Media Release27 Feb 2024

MINDEROO FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES NEW PARTNERSHIP TO SUPPORT THE DEMINING OF UKRAINE
FARMLAND

WOODSIDE, WHALES AND THE IMMINENT DANGER OF NEW FOSSIL FUEL PROJECTS

When most Australians were taking a well-earned break over Christmas and New
Year, a delegation of our scientists led by Chairman Dr Andrew Forrest AO were
keeping close watch on Woodside’s seismic blasting for its Scarborough gas
project off Australia’s Northwest coast.
News17 Nov 2023

VANUATU BECOMES FIRST IN THE PACIFIC TO SET A PATH TOWARDS CERVICAL CANCER
ELIMINATION

(PORT VILA Wednesday, 4 October 2023) Women in Vanuatu will have access to
lifesaving cervical cancer screening, vaccination and treatment, thanks to a
transformational program launched yesterday in Port Vila that is being rolled
out across the archipelago nation.
News13 Nov 2023

NATIONAL CAMPAIGN ‘UNCLOUD’ LAUNCHES TO EMPOWER CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE TO SAY
NO TO VAPING

“UNCLOUD – See vaping for what it is” officially launched today and focuses on
young Australians aged 14-25.
News31 Oct 2023

IGNITING DREAMS: YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS PARTICIPATE IN PROGRAM TO ACCELERATE
INDIGENOUS-LED BUSINESSES

MINDEROO FOUNDATION COMMITS $10M IN HUMANITARIAN AID TO GAZA

Minderoo Foundation has committed AU$10 million for humanitarian aid to
civilians affected by the conflict in Gaza, matching the Australian Government’s
package.
News10 Oct 2023

SCIENTISTS ESTABLISH WORLD-FIRST DATABASE MAPPING RESEARCH ON PLASTIC CHEMICALS
TO POTENTIAL HUMAN HARMS

Scientists establish world-first database mapping research on plastic chemicals
to potential human harms.
News18 Sep 2023

PODCAST: HOW SUSTAINABLE IS YOUR SEAFOOD?

In this episode of the Ocean Impact Podcast, Minderoo Foundation’s Director of
Fisheries and Conservation and Co-convener of the Fair Catch Alliance Dr. Chris
Wilcox discusses Minderoo’s recent seafood mislabelling study, the Fair Catch
Alliance, Global Fishing Index, and how consumers can help change seafood
labelling in Australia.
News3 Aug 2023

LABEL QUALITY AND MISLABELLING RATES RESTRICT AUSTRALIAN CONSUMER CHOICES FOR
SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD

A landmark national study to determine the scale of seafood mislabelling in
Australia has found more than one in ten seafood products tested did not match
the label, according to new research by Minderoo Foundation.
News27 Jul 2023

INTRODUCING THE MINDEROO FOUNDATION ARTIST FUND 2023 COHORT AND $50K AWARD
WINNER

Minderoo Foundation has announced its 2023 Artist Fund cohort, and revealed the
winner of the $50,000 Artist Fund prize as choreographer Tara Gower, who will
now expand her First Nations dance project in the Kimberley with the
Foundation’s support.
News26 Jun 2023

MINDEROO’S STRATEGIC IMPACT FUND LOOKS TO CATALYSE CHANGE FOR GOOD

Catalytic capital can play an increasingly important role in impact investing
with the potential to help solve some of the world’s biggest problems, Minderoo
Foundation has told a conference of Asia’s leading social investment
professionals.
News26 Jun 2023

LANDMARK PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN U.S. GOVERNMENT AND MINDEROO FOUNDATION TO GROW
FIRST NATIONS START-UPS

Minderoo Foundation will partner with the U.S. Department of State to launch the
Blak Angels Investment Network, an Australian-first initiative, for and by First
Nations investors.
Media Release20 Jun 2023

ANDREW AND NICOLA FORREST DONATE ONE-FIFTH OF FORTESCUE SHAREHOLDING TO
PHILANTHROPY

Andrew and Nicola Forrest have given nearly A$5 billion more to their
philanthropic foundation Minderoo, through a donation of 220 million Fortescue
shares – one fifth of their shareholding.
News16 Jun 2023

NEW REPORT LINKS COMPOUNDING GLOBAL CRISES TO MODERN SLAVERY

The Global Slavery Index reveals the number of people living in modern slavery
has grown since 2018 against a backdrop of increasing and more complex
conflicts, widespread environmental degradation, climate-induced migration, a
global rollback of women’s rights, and the economic and social impacts of the
COVID-19 pandemic.
Media Release15 Jun 2023

VISION FOR PAULA FOX MELANOMA AND CANCER CENTRE EDGES CLOSER TO REALITY

The building structure of Melbourne’s Paula Fox Melanoma and Cancer Centre has
reached its highest point, marking a major milestone for a centre due to open in
2024.
Media Release7 Jun 2023

THE PLASTIC FORECAST APP

Plastic breaks down into tiny particles in our environment, including our
atmosphere. These are constantly falling to the ground, even more so when
captured in rain.
News24 Apr 2023

XPRIZE LAUNCHES COMPETITION TO END EXTREME BUSHFIRE EVENTS

The 4-year competition will award A$16M to innovate bushfire detection and rapid
response technologies.
News20 Apr 2023

WORLD-FIRST SELECTIVE BREEDING OF NINGALOO CORALS TO FIGHT IMPACTS OF CLIMATE
CHANGE

For the first time ever, a team of international researchers led by Minderoo
Foundation has conducted selective breeding of Ningaloo corals off Australia’s
North West in response to predicted mass coral bleaching due to rising sea
temperatures.
News22 Jul 2021

7-YEAR-OLD MOLLY REVEALS HOW PEEK-A-BOO CAN CHANGE THE WORLD IN NEW TED TALK

Minderoo Foundation has partnered with TED and UNICEF to showcase Thrive by
Five’s global mission to raise awareness about the importance of brain
development in the first five years.
Photo credit: Shana Novak via Getty Images

PLASTIC WASTE MAKERS INDEX

More plastic. More waste. More pollution.

KEY FINDINGS

THERE IS MORE SINGLE-USE PLASTIC WASTE THAN EVER BEFORE (139 MILLION TONNES IN
2021).

Despite rising consumer awareness, corporate attention, and regulation, an
additional 6 million metric tons (MMT) of waste was generated in 2021 compared
to 2019 — still almost entirely made from fossil fuel-based “virgin” feedstocks.

Meanwhile, the top 20 list of petrochemical companies producing virgin polymers
bound for single-use plastic remains effectively unchanged. While global
capacity to produce these polymers is expected grow slower than the historical
rate (2.7 per cent CAGR in 2021-27 vs 3.9 per cent in 2005-20), this still
equates to an additional 60 MMT by 2027, of which we expect 17 MMT to be bound
for single-use plastics.

SINGLE-USE PLASTIC IS NOT ONLY A POLLUTION CRISIS BUT ALSO A CLIMATE ONE.

Cradle-to-grave greenhouse gas emissions from single-use plastics in 2021 were
equivalent to the total emissions of the United Kingdom (460 million tonnes
CO2e).

Most emissions are produced by the oil and gas and petrochemical industries in
the “upstream” part of the lifecycle. Mechanical recycling reduces
cradle-to-grave emissions by at least 30 to 40 per cent compared to producing
polymers from fossil fuels by avoiding upstream emissions. While the emissions
reduction opportunities from recycling are significant, they can only be part of
the solution towards a net zero plastics economy.

RECYCLING IS FAILING TO SCALE FAST ENOUGH AND REMAINS A MARGINAL ACTIVITY FOR
THE PLASTICS SECTOR.

Only strong regulatory intervention can solve what amounts to market failure.

From 2019-21, growth in single-use plastics made from virgin polymers was 15
times that from recycled feedstocks. Petrochemical companies are (naturally)
only expanding into recycling in markets where the economic conditions are
(somewhat) more favourable. These are markets where policies are more
progressive and demand for recycled plastics is stronger. However, across all
polymers and technologies, only 3 MMT of additional on par recycling capacity is
expected to be brought online by 2027 (0.7 MMT by the petrochemical industry).

WITHIN THE PETROCHEMICAL INDUSTRY, THERE ARE TWO OUTLIERS MAKING STRONG
COMMITMENTS TO RECYCLING AND PRODUCING RECYCLED POLYMERS AT SCALE.

In addition to these commitments, Far Eastern New Century (FENC) and Indorama
Ventures are also now producing on par recycled polymers at scale.

A further eight companies have recently set ambitious 2030 recycled polymer
targets of at least 20 per cent of production. Compared to the first edition of
the Index, we see signs that the industry in general is taking circularity more
seriously, but this will only amount to “greenwashing” if words are not backed
up by action and investment.

MORE PLASTIC, MORE WASTE AND MORE POLLUTION.

They’re shocking findings, but they’re the results of this second edition of the
Plastic Waste Makers Index. For the petrochemical industry to argue otherwise is
greenwashing of the highest order. We need a fundamentally different approach,
that turns the tap off on new plastic production. We need a “polymer premium” on
every kilogram of plastic polymer made from fossil fuel.”

– DR ANDREW FORREST AO, CHAIRMAN, MINDEROO FOUNDATION

RECOMMENDATIONS

Three big interventions would deliver a step change in single-use plastic waste
and associated greenhouse gas emissions.

LIMIT FOSSIL FUEL PLASTIC PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION.

Polymer producers

Include Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions from plastic polymers in net zero climate
targets and strategies.

Investors

Actively engage with investees (or use voting rights) to stop the building of
new fossil fuel-based polymer facilities, or divest.

Policymakers

Put a levy on fossil-fuel polymer production and/or consumption to generate
funds for scaling plastics collection, sorting and recycling infrastructure.

Other companies in the value chain

Set clear corporate targets to reduce virgin plastic consumption — e.g., through
EMF/UN’s Global Commitment — and lend public support to policy measures with
this objective.

INCREASE PLASTIC PRODUCTS AND MATERIALS THAT ARE DESIGNED FOR CIRCULARITY AND
ARE CIRCULATED IN PRACTICE.

Polymer producers

Set a minimum 20 per cent target by 2030 for recycled vs fossil fuel feedstock
in polymer production.

Investors

Demand clear, ambitious and time-bound targets for recycled vs fossil fuel
feedstock in polymer production from every producer.

Policymakers

Set target on overall plastic material circularity — i.e., combined mass of
re-used, recycled, and sustainable plastics put on the market — including 20 per
cent minimum recycled content standards for all single-use plastics by 2030.

Other companies in the value chain

Create certainty for greater investment in recycling by entering into long-term
forward contracts for recycled plastics at fixed and fair prices.

ELIMINATE PLASTIC LEAKAGE TO THE ENVIRONMENT ACROSS THE LIFECYCLE THROUGH
ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND WASTE MANAGEMENT.

Polymer producers

Invest in or partner with plastic waste collection, sorting and recycling
systems and capacities, with a focus on high-leakage countries.

Investors

Lend public support for policies that will create economic conditions for more
investment in plastics collection, sorting and recycling (e.g., through the
Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty).

Policymakers

Under the global plastics treaty, create a fund to support waste management
systems in countries most impacted by plastic pollution (following the example
of COP27’s Loss and Damage Fund).

Other companies in the value chain

Harmonise design standards for safe plastics use (including chemical additives),
disposal and recyclability.

SCORECARDS

PLASTIC WASTE MAKERS INDEX

Scorecards

Visit the site

DOWNLOADS

PLASTIC WASTE MAKERS INDEX 2023

Download the full PDF of the Plastic Waste Makers Index 2023.

Download

PLASTIC WASTE MAKERS INDEX 2023 : FULL DATASET

Download the full dataset for the Plastic Waste Makers Index 2023.

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BASIS OF PREPARATION (2023)

Download this document outlining the steps taken to complete each analysis.

Download

KPMG INDEPENDENT LIMITED ASSURANCE (2023)

Download the Independent Limited Assurance report prepared by KPMG Australia.

Download

PLASTIC WASTE MAKERS INDEX 2021: REVEALING THE SOURCE OF THE SINGLE-USE PLASTICS
CRISIS

Download the full PDF of the Plastic Waste Makers Index 2021.

Download

BASIS OF PREPARATION (2021)

Download this document outlining the steps taken to complete each analysis.

Download

KPMG INDEPENDENT LIMITED ASSURANCE (2021)

Download the Independent Limited Assurance report prepared by KPMG Australia.

Download
Artwork by Julianne Wade.

INDIGENOUS EMPLOYMENT INDEX

“I love my job. I love everything I do even that gives me grey hair and keeps me
up at night. I wouldn’t change what I do. It gives me tears. It gives me
frustration. It fills me with joy. It fills me with anger, fills me with pride,
fills me with passion. Everything that I could ever want in a job.” [Indigenous
employee]

Of Australia’s total workforce represented

Represented employees or 5 per cent of Australia’s workforce

Employers participated across Australia

Individuals interviewed, of whom 71 per cent are Indigenous

Indigenous voices

Today, Indigenous Australians remain vastly under-represented or excluded from
the workforce. As of 2018, less than half (49.1 per cent) of working age
Indigenous Australians were in some form of employment, compared to 75.9 per
cent for non-Indigenous Australians. Worryingly, that gap only closed by 1.3 per
cent during the decade to 2018. Indigenous employment parity will only be
achieved when Indigenous employees are present in the workforce in the same
proportion as they are in the national population, at approximately 3.3 per
cent. But ‘true’ parity extends beyond a single representation measure.

The Indigenous Employment Index 2022 is the first comprehensive snapshot of
Indigenous workplace representation, practices, and employee experiences ever to
be carried out in Australia. Together, the participating organisations employ
more than 700,000 Australians; about five per cent of the total Australian
workforce, and 17,412 Indigenous Australians; around six per cent of the
Indigenous workforce.

This research finds that one-off measures to create Indigenous employment must
give way to a more comprehensive and systemic approach. Authentic commitments,
tailored strategies with targets, and a broader definition of Indigenous
employment success are critical to better Indigenous employment outcomes. There
is genuine commitment from participating organisations to Indigenous employment,
and progress is being made, as recognised by many interview participants. There
is still much work to be done, however, to improve the attraction, retention,
and progression of Indigenous employees, while creating culturally safe and
inclusive environments where all employees can thrive.

Consider participating in the next Indigenous Employment Index.

KEY FINDINGS

We find that just 5 per cent of participating employers fall into the highest
performing category in terms of Indigenous employment practices and outcomes,
whereas almost a third (28 per cent) fall into the lowest performing group, and
half (55 per cent) fall into the “Growth” category.

THE MEAN INDIGENOUS EMPLOYMENT RATE ACROSS SURVEYED EMPLOYERS IS 2.2%, RANGING
FROM 0.17% TO 10.9%.

Considering a parity target of 3.3 per cent, this is promising progress.
However, the Indigenous Employment Index reveals almost all employers have
substantial room to improve on their Indigenous employment practices and
outcomes. Only two of the 42 employers fell into the highest performing category
in this Index, with almost a third in the lowest performing category.

EMPLOYERS ARE FAILING TO RETAIN INDIGENOUS EMPLOYEES AT THE SAME RATE AS
NON-INDIGENOUS EMPLOYEES, AND OFTEN PRIORITISE RECRUITMENT OVER EMPLOYEE
RETENTION AND DEVELOPMENT.

Only half of participating employers collect Indigenous retention data, of which
the majority (62 per cent) reported lower retention of Indigenous employees
compared to the rest of their workforce. In addition, over a third of the 42
participating employers do not provide any Indigenous-specific development
opportunities.

“If we develop our own from the ground up, they’re more likely to stay”
[Indigenous employee]

76% OF EMPLOYERS HAVE INDIGENOUS EMPLOYMENT TARGETS, OF WHICH ONLY 67% REPORT
REGULARLY ON PROGRESS. ORGANISATIONS THAT REPORTED REGULARLY ON PROGRESS HAD
MORE THAN DOUBLE THE SHARE OF INDIGENOUS EMPLOYEES THAN THOSE THAT DID NOT.

Indigenous employment targets are critical in driving employment outcomes, and
must be complemented by a comprehensive strategy that addresses the full
employee lifecycle. Reporting progress towards targets is associated with
statistically significant better outcomes, demonstrating that simply having a
plan or a target is not enough.

INDIGENOUS EMPLOYEES ARE ALMOST ENTIRELY ABSENT FROM SENIOR MANAGEMENT AND
EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP LEVELS.

Indigenous representation at senior leadership levels was just 0.7 per cent
among 31 employers that reported the relevant data. Indigenous senior leadership
is critical to elevating Indigenous voices and perspectives and supporting
Indigenous employees. Organisations with reconciliation strategies or plans led
by Indigenous leaders had more than double the share of Indigenous employees.

“When you don’t see yourself in your leaders, it’s hard, it’s a battle”
[Indigenous employee]

RACISM AGAINST INDIGENOUS EMPLOYEES IS COMMON IN THE WORKPLACE, WITH OVER 50% OF
INDIGENOUS INTERVIEWEES REPORTING DIRECT OR INDIRECT RACISM CURRENTLY AND
THROUGHOUT THEIR CAREERS.

Consistent with findings from other research, many Indigenous employees feel
culturally unsafe at work, meaning they cannot practice their cultural identity
without discrimination, ridicule or denunciation. Employers have low levels of
understanding of racism, and how to appropriately respond to it.

EIGHTY-ONE PER CENT OF PARTICIPATING EMPLOYERS ARE INVOLVED IN EDUCATION-RELATED
PROGRAMS OR PARTNERSHIPS TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN INDIGENOUS EMPLOYEES.

Pathway programs such as these can help Indigenous Australians transition from
education or training into employment, and also help tailor employee skills and
experience to meet organisational needs. Many Indigenous employees believe the
best way to build an Indigenous workforce is by starting engagement in schools.

CALL TO ACTION

“I was just a kid from the scrub and now I’m working for a global company. It
blows my mind a bit and it really put me on a good career path.” [Indigenous
employee]

We are calling for immediate action from employers, governments and investors to
help end Indigenous employment disparity.

EMPLOYERS

We are calling on executive leaders in all Australia based organisations to:

SET ROBUST INDIGENOUS EMPLOYMENT TARGETS AND REPORT REGULARLY AND TRANSPARENTLY
ON PROGRESS TOWARDS THEM, TO MEASURE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF YOUR INDIGENOUS
EMPLOYMENT STRATEGY.

WORK TO RETAIN CURRENT INDIGENOUS EMPLOYEES, RATHER THAN FOCUSING ONLY ON
INDIGENOUS RECRUITMENT.

TREAT RACISM AS A SAFETY ISSUE AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WORK IS STILL REQUIRED TO
ENSURE THAT YOUR WORKPLACE IS CULTURALLY SAFE FOR INDIGENOUS EMPLOYEES.

FOLLOW THIS INDEX’S EMPLOYER ROADMAP TO TAKE THE NEXT STEPS TOWARDS EMPLOYMENT
PARITY, TAILORED TO YOUR ORGANISATION.

GOVERNMENT

We are calling on the federal government to:

REGULARLY COMPILE AND PUBLISH DATA TO COMPREHENSIVELY REPORT ON THE STATE OF
INDIGENOUS EMPLOYMENT NATIONALLY.

ACTIVATE INDUSTRY TO HELP CLOSE THE INDIGENOUS EMPLOYMENT GAP THROUGH
LEGISLATION.

PRIORITISE BUILDING AN INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY-CONTROLLED EMPLOYMENT SECTOR.

INVESTORS

We are calling on all institutional investors to:

UNDERSTAND THE INVESTMENT RISK CAUSED BY POOR COMPANY CULTURE AND RACISM, AND
THE FACT THAT MORE DIVERSE COMPANIES ARE LIKELY TO OUTPERFORM LESS DIVERSE
COMPANIES.

EVALUATE CURRENT INVESTEE COMPANIES AND CONSIDER INDIGENOUS EMPLOYMENT
PERFORMANCE WHEN MAKING INVESTMENTS.

ENGAGE WITH INVESTEE COMPANIES AND SET EXPECTATIONS.

Indigenous employment parity is achievable in our generation but requires
approximately 300,000 more Indigenous Australians to enter paid work by 2040.

This is our responsibility, and our opportunity to take.

What impact will your organisation make?

PARTICIPATING ORGANISATIONS

“The cultural differences make it a lot more work. And the education system
around amalgamating the two cultures together… It’s the openness and the mindset
of people that needs to be enhanced to better understand and work together.”
[Indigenous employee]

42 Australian organisations contributed to the Indigenous Employment Index, with
all organisations completing a detailed survey.

Advanced Personnel Management
Ampol
ANZ Bank
Atlassian
Australia Post
Australian Red Cross
Australian Unity Limited
Clayton Utz
Commonwealth Bank
Compass Group (Australia)
Domino’s Pizza Enterprises
Downer Group EDI
EY
Fortescue Metals Group
GHD

Goodstart Early Learning
Healius
Jones Lang LaSalle – JLL
KPMG Australia
Lendlease
Linfox Australia
Minter Ellison
NBN
Northcott
NSW Department of Communities and Justice
NSW South Eastern Sydney Local Health District
PwC Australia
Rio Tinto

Serco Australia
Silver Chain Group
South 32
St John of God Health Care
The Star Entertainment Group
Toll Group
Transport for NSW
University of Melbourne
WA Department of Health
WA Police Force
Wesfarmers
Woodside
Woolworths Group
Worley

EMPLOYER ROADMAP TOOL

INDIGENOUS EMPLOYMENT INDEX

Employer Roadmap

Use the tool

DOWNLOADS

WOORT KOORLINY: AUSTRALIAN INDIGENOUS EMPLOYMENT INDEX 2022

The 2022 Indigenous Employment Index is an Australian-first assessment of
Indigenous workplace representation, practices, and employee experiences.

Download

QUESTIONNAIRE

List of Indigenous Employment Index employer questions.

Download

DISTRESS PROTOCOL

Protocol for interviewer’s responses to emotional distress expressed by
interviewees during interview.

Download

EMPLOYEES INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

List of interview questions asked of participating employees.

Download

LINE MANAGERS INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

List of interview questions asked of participating line managers.

Download

EXECUTIVE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

List of interview questions asked of participating executives.

Download

FOCUS GROUP GUIDE

Guide for interviewers in conducting the focus groups.

Download
Photo credit: Colby James.

OCEANOMICS

Revolutionising marine conservation by unravelling the ocean genome.

Ocean: the continuous body of salt water that covers more than 70 per cent of
the Earth’s surface.

Omics: novel, comprehensive approaches for analysis of genetic or molecular
profiles.

THE OCEAN IS IN THE MIDST OF A BIODIVERSITY CRISIS

We’ve seen a rapid decline in ocean biodiversity from the cumulative effects of
unsustainable fishing practices, rising seawater temperatures, ocean
acidification, the expansion of oxygen minimum zones, pollution and
eutrophication of coastal habitats.

As a result, thousands of marine species are considered endangered and
extinction rates have accelerated in the past century. Addressing this crisis is
one of the most challenging tasks of our time.

Cataloguing marine biodiversity and describing ecological patterns that shape
our understanding of species’ distribution and evolution is fundamental to
conservation. Ocean-scale, high-quality data generated by ground-breaking
technologies, integrated by multi-disciplinary thinkers, and well communicated
to policymakers, are required to arrest marine biodiversity loss before it is
too late.

Genomics and artificial intelligence (AI) are technologies that have the
potential to transform ocean conservation. Minderoo Foundation’s OceanOmics
program is advancing marine genomics and computational technologies and
approaches with the aim to improve knowledge through monitoring programs that
inform how we combat threats to ocean health.

RESEARCH USING EDNA, MARINE GENOMICS AND AI

Nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) are the architectural blueprints for all life on
Earth. Capturing and analysing these blueprints from pieces of DNA or cells
found in the environment with genomic tools is the study of environmental DNA
(eDNA).

We believe eDNA-based marine genomics and AI can form the technological basis
for innovations that will revolutionise how we measure, understand, and
ultimately protect life in the ocean.

By developing and deploying these technologies we will characterise and monitor
marine wildlife at a pace and level of precision that traditional survey methods
cannot achieve.

We have equipped the research vessel, Pangaea Ocean Explorer, with shipboard
laboratories containing cutting-edge cellular and molecular biology equipment,
including high throughput DNA sequencing instruments and bioinformatics
workstations.

We are investing in building and openly publishing the reference libraries for
marine vertebrates which are necessary to accurately detect, monitor and
determine the health of these species.

KEY FOCUS AREAS

MARINE EXPEDITIONS

Our goal is to use eDNA approaches to more accurately monitor life in the global
ocean. With an initial focus on the continental Australian Commonwealth marine
estate, the Pangaea Ocean Explorer has already embarked on eight voyages,
enabling sample collection and onboard genomic analyses for population-scale
monitoring of the health of Australia’s ocean wildlife.

Samples of eDNA were collected and analysed from Australia’s Great Barrier Reef
and Ningaloo Reef, as well as from the unique marine ecosystems of the Abrolhos
Islands, the underwater canyon system of the Perth Canyon, and the nearshore
waters off the south-west coast of Western Australia.

CONTRIBUTING VALUABLE EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT CONSERVATION AND PROTECTION

The OceanOmics program supports the goal of conserving 30 per cent of the
world’s ocean by 2030 by fostering novel methods for monitoring and combating
threats to marine wildlife and ecosystems; quantifying the health status of
current marine protected areas (MPAs); and assisting governments and management
agencies in identifying new biodiversity hotspots and ecosystems in need of
protection.

GENERATING REFERENCE GENOMES FOR THOUSANDS OF MARINE SPECIES

To characterise marine biodiversity based on eDNA we require a library of
references. That way, we can look up the snippets of DNA found in seawater and
identify all the species present in our samples, similar to a dictionary.
Unfortunately, to date only one per cent of the 20,000 known species of marine
fish have had their genome sequenced. In collaboration with our global partners,
one of OceanOmics’ ambitious goals is to generate and release to the public the
reference genomic resources for thousands of marine species; and by doing so
empower conservation science.

SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY PANEL

To support and steer this important work, Minderoo Foundation collaborates with
leading experts in an array of marine genomics, AI and conservation fields from
the USA, Europe, New Zealand, and Australia through the OceanOmics Scientific
Advisory Panel.

* Professor Barbara Block, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, United
States
* Professor Michael Bunce, Institute of Environment Science and Research (ESR),
New Zealand Crown Research Institute, New Zealand
* Professor Tom Gilbert, Centre for Evolutionary Hologenomics, GLOBE Institute,
University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
* Associate Professor Siavash Mirarab, Department of Electrical and Computer
Engineering, University of California San Diego, United States
* Dr Ramunas Stepanauskas, Single Cell Genomics Center, Bigelow Laboratory for
Ocean Sciences, United States

EDNA SEQUENCING DATASETS

Raw reads

The raw DNA sequencing reads of our expeditions are continuously uploaded to the
Sequence Read Archive (SRA).

When using this data, please acknowledge the Minderoo Foundation by including
this text in your Acknowledgments section:We would like to thank Minderoo
Foundation for sequencing reads deposited in [use sequence IDs or DOIs here].

Rowley Shoals Expedition – BioProject PRJNA930913

PARTNERS

Photo credit: Blue Media Exmouth.

EXMOUTH RESEARCH LAB

The lab is attracting the world’s best marine researchers and scientists to the
Ningaloo coast to study and improve ocean health and resilience.

This unique facility achieves the level of sophisticated environment control
required to simulate conditions associated with climate change from temperature
and acidification. It also supports the latest molecular testing equipment.
Combining the aquaria and genetics lab under one roof has already allowed
critical research into identifying heat-resilient coral that can survive
damaging heatwaves. The molecular laboratory is also enabling environmental DNA
fingerprinting to monitor endangered sea snakes and wedgefish, and unlock
forensic techniques to reveal the movements and behaviour of whale sharks.

TAKE A TOUR OF THE FACILITIES

LOCATION

The Exmouth Research Lab is in the coastal town of Exmouth, which is
approximately 1270km north of Perth. Exmouth is situated on the northeastern
side of the Cape Range Peninsula and faces Exmouth Gulf.

The western side of Cape Range Peninsula is fringed by the Ningaloo Reef. The
Ningaloo Reef Marine Park and adjoining Cape Range National Park are situated
inside The Ningaloo Coast World Heritage Area.

The resident population is approximately 2,500 but visitors can greatly increase
this number during the main tourism season.

Exmouth is serviced by Learmouth Airport, which is situated about 37km south of
Exmouth.

CLIMATE

Exmouth is characterised by a semi-arid climate with a long-term average
rainfall of about 250mm/year (based on the Learmouth rainfall station). Mean
maximum temperatures range from 38°C in January to 24.4°C in July. The northwest
Australian coastline between Broome and Exmouth is the most cyclone-prone region
of the entire Australian coastline, having the highest frequency of coastal
crossings.

The two closest BOM weather recording sites to Exmouth are:

Learmonth Airport # 005007; Lat: 22.24 °S Long: 114.10 °E
Vlamingh Head # 005024; Lat: 21.81 °S Long: 114.11 °E

TIMING CONSIDERATIONS

* Mar – Apr: Coral spawning.
* Apr – Jul: Peak whale shark season in Exmouth, the annual Ningaloo Whale
Shark Festival usually takes place in July.
* Apr – Sep: Moderate temperatures.
* Jun – Nov: Exmouth’s peak whale-watching (and visitor) season.
* Aug – Nov: Peak wildflower season in Exmouth.
* Dec – Mar: Very hot temperatures.

WEATHER STATION

See real time data from the Minderoo Exmouth weather station.

SMART BUOYS

See the data from our smart buoys that relay temperature information and latest
conditions in real time.

* Bundegi Reef
* Tantabiddi

SUSTAINABILITY

The Exmouth Research Lab uses solar energy for 100 per cent of its electricity
needs during daylight hours.

The use of single-use plastic bags and similar are discouraged at the Exmouth
Research Lab and throughout Exmouth more generally. Please use non-plastic bags
or cardboard cartons for carrying shopping.

2 Truscott Crescent, Exmouth, Western Australia.

For all enquiries, please contact us via this email: MERL@minderoo.org.

Before contacting the Exmouth Research Lab, please check if your questions can
be answered by the information on this page.

DOWNLOADS

FACILITIES

A list of the facilities available to researchers at our state-of-the-art lab.

Download

EARLY STAGE PLANNING

Some considerations to take into account early in the process of applying to use
/ using the lab.

Download

WORKING WITH US

Be aware of the support provided, requirements and project criteria for projects
using the lab.

Download

EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

Relevant information for those seeking to apply to use the lab’s facilities.

Download

BUDGET TEMPLATE

Template for all expressions of interest applications.

Download
Photo credit: Christian Aslund / EyeEm via Getty Images.

GLOBAL FISHING INDEX

Assessing the sustainability of the world’s marine fisheries

KEY FINDINGS

Over the past 50 years, the world has witnessed a massive decline in the health
of its fisheries. Quite simply, we are removing fish from the ocean at a far
greater rate than they can naturally replenish.

Fisheries are big business – with a staggering 109 million tonnes of marine fish
caught globally in 2018. These fisheries provide millions of people with income,
food and nutrition – yet many fish stocks are being severely misused.

The Global Fishing Index is a comprehensive report on the state of marine
fisheries around the world. A world-first assessment of the governance and
sustainability of fisheries in 142 coastal states, the Index uncovers critical
gaps leading to overfishing and calls on governments and businesses to declare
their intent and demonstrate action to reverse fisheries decline.

HALF OF FISH STOCKS ARE OVERFISHED – AND NEARLY 1 IN 10 HAVE BEEN DRIVEN TO
COLLAPSE.

Of the 1,439 stocks assessed, almost half (45 per cent) have been depleted to
less than 40 per cent of their pre-fishing population – our definition of
‘overfished’. Additionally, nearly 1 in 10 have been driven to collapse.

52 PER CENT OF THE GLOBAL CATCH IS FROM STOCKS THAT LACK SUFFICIENT DATA TO
DETERMINE IF THEY ARE SUSTAINABLE OR NOT.

Without this information, policy makers are unable to effectively manage
fisheries to ensure sustainable use. There is a severe information gap in
coastal fisheries – 29 countries have not assessed a single national stock,
despite the importance of these fisheries for local jobs, food and nutrition.

WITH FEW EXCEPTIONS, COUNTRIES ARE NOT DELIVERING AGAINST GLOBAL SUSTAINABILITY
COMMITMENTS.

MOST FISHERIES LACK SCIENCE-BASED MANAGEMENT.

Here’s where countries are falling down: (1) fisheries data are not consistently
collected or analysed, (2) data aren’t being used for management, and (3) laws
and policies aren’t being enforced. For example, only 41 per cent of countries
apply harvest control rules – pre-agreed rules that guide management action
based on stock status – in their most valuable fishery.

KEY STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING LOCAL FISHING COMMUNITIES, ARE UNABLE TO EFFECTIVELY
PARTICIPATE IN MANAGEMENT.

Despite their importance in enabling effective management, few countries empower
important stakeholders – notably local fishing communities – to meaningfully
participate in management processes. For example, nearly 40 per cent of
countries lack “bottom up” forms of governance, such as community-based or
customary management.

CALL TO ACTION

We are calling on governments, businesses and local communities

SET AMBITIOUS TARGETS TO RESTORE FISH STOCKS AND FOLLOW THROUGH WITH MANAGEMENT
ACTION.

Governments and businesses need to set strong, time-bound and measurable targets
to restore fish stocks and improve management. These targets should be
accompanied by clear action plans, with progress regularly monitored and
reported.

ESTABLISH SYSTEMS TO COLLECT AND PUBLISH FISHERIES DATA.

Establish and expand data collection programs to additional fisheries and work
to integrate other types of information, including stakeholder knowledge, into
decision-making processes.

EMBED EVIDENCE IN FISHERIES MANAGEMENT, USING A PRECAUTIONARY APPROACH WHERE
UNCERTAINTY IS HIGH.

Adopt evidence-based management measures and strategies, such as catch and/or
effort limits and harvest control rules, in all fisheries.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

There are a number of ways you can help end overfishing and ensure there is
seafood for future generations.

GOVERNMENTS

Address the worst problems first – including overfished or unassessed stocks and
critical governance gaps. You can use your country’s Index results as a starting
point.

Adopt evidence-based policies that promote sustainable fishing, including
science-based catch and fishing effort limits, rebuilding plans, and harvest
control rules.

Invest in improving fisheries management – explore what has been successful
elsewhere and work to adapt and replicate to meet local needs.

SEAFOOD BUSINESSES

Audit your supply chain and require full disclosure about fishing practices and
activities from your source companies and vessels.

Shift sourcing toward suppliers that show commitment to and progress towards
good fishing practices and management.

Advocate for, fund and implement policies that will increase the sustainability
of fisheries in your supply chain. For example, via supporting third-party
certification and credible fishery improvement projects.

CONSUMERS

Get informed – learn about where your seafood comes from, who caught it and
whether it’s sustainable or not.

Press for change – Urge government and industry leaders to take action to
improve the state of fisheries.

Consume consciously – where possible, opt to purchase only seafood that is
sustainable and well managed.

LOCAL FISHING COMMUNITIES

Drive innovation to develop fit-for-purpose solutions for your fisheries.

Push for policy change, individually or as part of a cooperative or fisher
association.

Collaborate with scientists, managers, and other groups to identify and mitigate
threats to local fish stocks and ecosystems.

CASE STUDIES

Despite the lack of progress towards fisheries sustainability globally, there
have been pockets of success where interventions have improved fisheries
outcomes. Important lessons can be learned from these ‘bright spots’ – instances
where strong action and innovative solutions are improving fisheries outcomes.
These case studies highlight successful approaches to inspire new solutions to
address fisheries challenges.

Case Study

BIG DATA TRANSFORMING SMALL-SCALE FISHERIES: A NEW REPORTING SYSTEM IN
TIMOR-LESTE

The small-scale fisheries sector provides vital food and livelihoods for
billions of people, yet very little information exists on where the millions of
fishers go or what they catch.
Case Study

ILLUMINATING THE WORLD’S ‘DARK FLEETS’

With oceans over the horizon largely been unmonitored, obscurity has given
illegal fishers uncontrolled access to offshore waters.
Case Study

ELIMINATING HARMFUL FISHING SUBSIDIES: LESSON FORM REGIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS

Harmful subsidies help build more boats and provide access to cheaper fuel,
enabling fishers to travel farther and catch more fish.
Case Study

FISHERIES MANAGEMENT WORKS - WHEN WE DO IT RIGHT

Concerns about overfishing have existed for more than a century, but it is only
recently that intensive fisheries management has become commonplace and
effective.
Case Study

WORKING SMARTER, NOT HARDER: EMPOWERING FISHERS TO FISH MORE RESPONSIBLY

A cycle where fisheries governance is relatively weak, perpetuates a poverty
trap and jeopardises the wellbeing of small-scale fishers and fishworkers, their
communities, and the ecosystems upon which they depend.
Case Study

A NEW FISHERIES MODEL: PROMOTING COOPERATION IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA

The rich fishing grounds of the South China Sea contribute 12 per cent of the
global fish catch, yet there has been an alarming decline in fish stocks in the
region.

DOWNLOADS

The Global Fishing Index 2021: Assessing the sustainability of the world’s
marine fisheries

The 2021 Global Fishing Index is a world-first assessment of the governance and
sustainability of fisheries in 142 coastal states. The Index uncovers critical
gaps leading to overfishing and calls on governments and businesses to declare
their intent and demonstrate action to reverse fisheries decline.

Download

The Global Fishing Index 2021: Technical Methods

The Technical Methods outlines the methods used to produce the 2021 Global
Fishing Index, including data collection and analyses, treatment of missing
data, scoring and internal and external quality assurance.

Download

The Global Fishing Index 2021: Governance Conceptual Framework

The Governance Conceptual Framework outlines the two-level hierarchical
framework used to assess governance capacity in the 2021 Global Fishing Index.

Download

The Global Fishing Index 2021: Governance Indicator Codebook

The Governance Indicator Codebook outlines the purpose of each of the 72
indicators used to inform the 2021 Global Fishing Index governance assessments,
along with the data sources and scoring process for each indicator.

Download

The Global Fishing Index 2021: Dataset

This dataset includes all data used to inform the 2021 Global Fishing Index, a
summary of the missing data in the governance assessments and three novel
datasets that were generated in partnership with Global Fishing Watch.

The download and use of this resource is bound by a content licence. Please read
the licence and fill out the form below.

* I have read and agree to the Content Licence
* I have read and agree to the website Privacy Policy and the Terms and
Conditions
Download
Please read the licence and agree to the terms.
Photo credit: Mikroman6 via Getty Images.

PLASTIC HEALTH MAP

The state of research on plastic in people

ABOUT THE PLASTIC HEALTH MAP

The first ever Plastic Health Map collates research that measures the potential
human health effects caused by a wide range of plastic chemicals.

In the absence of health monitoring for these plastic chemicals, the Plastic
Health Map shows what has been studied over several decades and is a tool to
help us transition to a world where plastic is more sustainable, safer and free
of toxic chemicals.

It brings together data from more than 3,500 primary studies from 1960 to 2022,
which can be explored by researchers, clinicians, policymakers and anyone keen
to find out more, via a user-friendly dashboard.

Evidence focuses on plastic polymers, bisphenols, plasticisers, flame
retardants, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

Users can search by chemical or health outcome, in different countries, age
groups and more.

The methods and results of this systematic evidence mapping project are
published in the Environment International article.

KEY FINDINGS

THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT GAPS IN RESEARCH ON HOW PLASTIC MATERIALS AFFECT HUMAN
HEALTH.

* Of more than 1,500 chemicals mapped, less than 30 per cent have been
investigated for human health impacts.
* Many human health outcomes have not been investigated for any given chemicals
class.
* No human exposure studies screened in the time frame of this project looked
at the health impacts of micro- and/or nanoplastics.
* Very few studies were conducted in low-income countries.
* Limited studies focused on older/elderly populations.
* While more than 1,000 studies looked at the effects of mothers’ plastic
exposure on children, no studies were carried out on the health of children
whose fathers have been exposed to plastic chemicals.

STUDIES ON HEALTH IMPACTS OF SUBSTITUTE CHEMICALS COMMENCE MANY YEARS AFTER
INTRODUCTION.

As plastic chemicals proliferate, regulation struggles to keep pace with the
quantity and complexity of determining their health effects. Restricted and
banned chemicals are often replaced by structurally similar substitutes with the
same or other unknown hazards. Only a small number of studies investigated
these.

Trend in number of health articles published per year for classes of plastic
chemicals banned/restricted and their substitutes

In each plot, the vertical lines from left to right indicate first
ban/restriction of original chemicals, the rise in use of substitute chemicals
and the rise in health articles published on substitute chemicals, respectively.

The Plastic Health Map

A systematic evidence map of human health studies on plastic-associated
chemicals

EXPLORE THE DATA

The Plastic Health Map is an open access tool for researchers, policymakers and
interested citizens on the state of human health research and plastic chemicals
exposure. It provides important insights for policy, governance and further
scientific enquiry.

Check out the videos for an overview and how to find the data of interest.

Access the tool

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHAT INFORMATION DOES THE DATABASE PROVIDE AND HOW DO I SEARCH IT?

The Plastic Health Map is an open-access, interactive systematic evidence
database collating human health research on a wide range of plastic chemicals
from several different chemical classes, published between 1960 and 2022.

The database includes interactive plots and heatmaps showing the number of
articles published each year by plastic chemical class, individual chemical,
category of health outcome and the geographical distribution of the studies.

The plots and heatmaps can be filtered by plastic chemical, health outcome
category, year of publication, study design, population (including country), age
group and general/special exposure risk. Article references can be viewed and
downloaded based on the filters selected.

WHERE CAN I LEARN MORE ABOUT THE STUDY BEHIND THE DATABASE?

The journal article published in Environment International provides background
information, details on our study methodology, a comprehensive overview of the
database, as well as detailed discussion of the results identified by the study.
Additional supplementary data is downloadable directly from the journal’s
website. Our project and relevant updates can also be found on our OSF page.

DID THE STUDY LOOK AT ALL THE PLASTIC CHEMICALS?

It is estimated that there are more than 10,500 chemicals used in plastic
production and only a fraction of these have been studied for human exposure and
health outcomes. We conducted a targeted search for 1,557 chemicals categorised
as polymers, bisphenols, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and plastic
additives functioning as plasticisers and/or flame retardants. The Plastic
Health Map houses the entire searchable database of included chemicals, indexing
the multiple synonyms and commonly used terminology describing these chemicals.

I’M HAVING TROUBLE CONNECTING TO THE DATABASE – WHAT CAN I DO?

We recommend using Chrome or Microsoft Edge. If you have trouble connecting:

1. Check your browser’s security settings – you may need to delete cookies that
have been saved.
2. Check that the beginning of the URL starts with “https” (not “http”).

THE FIGURES (HEATMAPS AND PLOTS) IN THE MAP LOOK CROWDED/SQUASHED ON MY SCREEN –
HOW CAN I FIX THIS?

First, the Map is best viewed on a full computer screen with the browser window
“maximised”, rather than on a mobile device. Second, the “squashed” issue is
related to the web-browser settings and can be fixed using the zoom function
under “settings”. Try reducing the zoom gradually until the figures present
properly without overlap/squashing of text and images (80-90 per cent may be
suitable when using a large monitor; 67 per cent on a small laptop).

WHY ARE MICROPLASTICS AND NANOPLASTICS (THAT IS, PLASTIC PARTICLES) MISSING FROM
THE PLASTIC HEALTH MAP?

Despite including micro- and nanoplastics in our search strategy, just one study
screened during this project measured microplastics in human tissues and
analysed relationships with health outcomes. As it was the only study measuring
the plastic exposure in faeces, this study is not represented in the Plastic
Health Map but is described in our paper. We are aware that further studies on
particles may have been published since January 2022, and these will be
represented in future updates.

HOW SHOULD I REFERENCE THE DATABASE IN MY PROJECTS OR PUBLICATIONS?

Please cite our Environment International article and the Minderoo website when
referencing the Plastic Health Map.

WHAT ARE THE LIMITATIONS OF THE DATABASE?

The scope of the chemicals in the Plastic Health Map is limited to polymers,
plasticisers, flame retardants, bisphenols and PFAS, although we recognise that
humans are potentially exposed to many other plastic chemicals. There is
potential for the database to include others. Due to time and resource
limitations, only articles published/available in the English language are
included in the database.

While we indicate whether studies involved male/female or mixed sex populations,
for mixed populations we do not provide details on any sub-analyses that may
have been conducted on male/female groups.

The Map does not display the correlations found/not found between plastic
exposures and health outcome measures. We followed the typical systematic
evidence map framework to demonstrate the scope of research conducted to date,
without assessing the quality of studies, which would be necessary to report on
correlations.

WILL THE DATABASE BE UPDATED?

We aim to update the database periodically and this will be announced on our OSF
page. We are open to collaborating on future projects to improve or extend the
database.

WHO CAN I CONTACT FOR QUESTIONS AND SUGGESTIONS REGARDING THE DATABASE?

We welcome questions, feedback and collaboration on this project.

CREATORS

THE PLASTIC HEALTH MAP WAS CREATED BY MINDEROO FOUNDATION, IN COLLABORATION WITH
AUSTRALIAN RESEARCH INSTITUTES:

Bhedita Seewoo [a,b], Louise Goodes [a,b], Louise Mofflin [a,b], Yannick Mulders
[a,b], Enoch Wong [a,b], Priyanka Toshniwal [a,b], Manuel Brunner [a,c],
Jennifer Alex [a], Brady Johnston [a], Ahmed Elagali [a,b], Aleksandra Gozt [a],
Greg Lyle [d], Omrik Choudhury [a], Terena Solomons [e], Christos Symeonides
[a,f], Sarah Dunlop [a,b]

a. Minderoo Foundation
b. School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia,
Australia
c. School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Australia
d. School of Population Health, Curtin University, Australia
e. Health and Medical Sciences (Library), The University of Western Australia,
Australia
f. Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Royal Children’s Hospital, Australia

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Gratefully acknowledging valuable contributions from:

Emily White, Tristan Dale, Hamish Newman, Delia Hendrie, Alina Naveed, Andrew
Lowe, Mark Norrett, Matthew Cantrell, Megan Bakeberg, Anastazja Gorecki, Jane
Edgeloe, Akila Yapa, Elizabeth Thomas, Joanne Webb, Lisa Hooyer, The UWA
Library, Allan Finn, and Julie Glanville.

We welcome questions, feedback and collaboration on this project.

Photo credit: Shutterstock
Global Plastics Treaty
Back to resources and publications

ABOUT THE GLOBAL PLASTICS TREATY

Plastic pollution is everywhere. It's in the air we breathe, the water we drink,
the food we eat and even in us. From the hazardous chemicals that can
unknowingly affect our health to the microplastics saturating our environment,
if left unchecked, plastic pollution and its impacts will only get worse.

That’s why we’re calling for a legally binding Global Plastics Treaty, which
includes three key asks:

KEY ASKS

REDUCTION OF VIRGIN FOSSIL FUEL-BASED PLASTIC PRODUCTION.

REMOVAL OF HARMFUL CHEMICALS IN PLASTICS.

CREATION OF A SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BODY TO GUIDE TREATY IMPLEMENTATION AND
ADAPTATION.

Would you like a side of plastics with that?

By Dr. Tony Worby, Chief Scientist

Here’s some food for thought - Plastic pollution is everywhere. It's in the air
we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat and even in us.

Read blog

Stay Informed

RESOURCES

The Polymer Premium: A Fee on Plastic Pollution

Closing the financing gap for implementing an ambitious global plastics treaty

Learn More

Elaborating on the options of the draft plastics instrument to manage chemicals
and polymers of concern

University of Wollongong, Australia.

Learn more

The Minderoo-Monaco Commission on Plastics And Human Health

Examining plastic’s impact on people and planet at every stage of its life cycle
(read summary).

Learn more

Plastic Health Map

A world-first open-access database that maps research on plastic chemical
exposure and human health impacts, providing policy, governance and scientific
insights.

Learn more

The Plastic Pollution Fee: Design Study

Examining how a fee can support the objectives and implementation of the legally
binding instrument to end plastic pollution.

Learn more

The Price of Plastic Pollution

Exploring the social costs and corporate liabilities of plastic pollution.

Download Report

Plastic Waste Makers Index 2023

Revealing the source of single-use plastics and their contribution to climate
change.

Key findings

Buy Now Pay Later

A review on hazards to human and planetary health from plastics production, use
and waste

Learn More

Blueprint for the design, construction, and validation of a plastic and
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PLASTIC WASTE MAKERS INDEX
SCORECARDS

PURCHASE ORDER TERMS & CONDITIONS

EXCLUSIVE TERMS

1. The Purchase Order and these Conditions (collectively the Agreement)
constitute the entire agreement between the party referred to in the
‘Additional information’ section of the Purchase Order (Company) and the
Vendor for the supply of the goods or services specified in the Purchase
Order. In the event of any conflict between the Purchase Order and these
Conditions, the Purchase Order will take precedence.
2. This Agreement may not be varied except in writing signed by Company. Any
variation will only be applicable to the specific Purchase Order for which
the terms and conditions are varied and will not apply to past or future
Purchase Orders nor oblige Company to agree to such a variation for any
other Purchase Orders.
3. To the extent the Vendor’s terms and conditions are supplied with goods or
services (including as printed on consignment notes or other documents),
those terms and conditions will be of no legal effect and will not
constitute part of the Purchase Order (even if any representative of Company
signs those terms and conditions or annexes the terms and conditions to the
Purchase Order).
4. These Conditions apply only to the extent that they are relevant to the
supply of the goods or services listed in the Purchase Order.

SPECIFIC WARRANTIES AND CONDITIONS

5. The Vendor warrants and represents that it is duly incorporated and has
obtained all necessary approvals to execute and perform its obligations
under this Agreement.
6. If the Vendor is contracting in the capacity of a trustee of a trust, then
the Vendor warrants and represents to Company that:
1. it is duly and validly appointed as trustee for the trust;
2. it has the lawful authority to enter into this Agreement for and on
behalf of the trust; and
3. it has a right of indemnity over the trust assets in respect of meeting
any expense or debt incurred by the Vendor in connection with this
Agreement.
7. In the absence of a specification or sample, the Vendor warrants and
represents that all goods or services supplied must be the best of their
respective kinds and subject to Company’s satisfaction. In all cases the
goods or services are to be of first class workmanship, of merchantable
quality and fit for the purpose as represented by the Vendor to Company or
the purpose which could reasonably be inferred by a professional supplying
the goods or services. Services must be performed by appropriately
qualified, competent, skilled, experienced and professional personnel and
must be rendered with the degree of skill, care and diligence expected of a
competent professional with experience in carrying out similar services.
The goods or services must comply with any applicable legislation and
relevant standard of the Standards Association of Australia, and must be
supplied with copies of all material safety data sheets for dangerous
goods.
8. Unless otherwise specified, the Vendor warrants and represents that the
goods are properly and safely packed and delivered to, or the services are
performed at, the place and within the time period specified in the
Purchase Order.
9. The Vendor warrants and represents that it has complete ownership of the
goods free of any liens, charges and encumbrances and Company will be
entitled to clear, complete and quiet possession of the goods.
10. The Vendor warrants and represents that any of the goods or services
supplied under this Agreement and the use or enjoyment of those goods or
services does not and will not infringe any Intellectual Property Rights or
confidentiality of any person.
11. The representations and warranties under clauses 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 are made
on a continuing basis and remain unaffected notwithstanding suspension,
termination or expiry of this Agreement.

INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

12. Company has a reasonable time after delivery to inspect the goods and
reserves the right to inspect any goods before despatch from the Vendor’s
premises. Company may inspect or witness tests on the goods or services or
their results at any time. Where the Vendor is providing professional
services, the Vendor must keep and maintain accurate and reasonably
detailed books and records in connection with the performance of the
services. The Vendor will permit Company to audit and examine any books and
records at any time. Company’s acknowledgement of receipt, inspection or
payment for goods or services does not relieve the Vendor of any
responsibility or liability (including any express or implied warranties or
guarantees) and does not constitute acceptance by Company.
13. Without limiting any other rights or remedies it may have, Company may (as
applicable):
1. reject any defective goods or services by written notice;
2. require the Vendor to repair, resupply or make good the defective goods
or services;
3. itself repair, make good or resupply the defective goods or services; or
4. appoint a third party to repair, make good or resupply the defective
goods or services.
14. The Vendor must:
1. with respect to a decision made by Company under clause 13(a), provide a
full refund of any purchase price paid in respect to any rejected goods
or services and Company may procure such goods or services elsewhere;
and
2. with respect to a decision made by Company under clause 13(b), repair,
resupply or make good the defective goods or services at its cost.
15. If Company elects in writing, the funds described in clause 14(a) may be
set off against other amounts owing by the Company to the Vendor under this
Agreement.
16. If Company does not make a decision under clause 13, and the goods or
services are left at Company’s site, Company will be deemed to have
accepted the goods.

RISK

17. The responsibility for care and custody of the goods together with the risk
of loss or damage to the goods remains with the Vendor and does not pass to
Company until Company:
1. takes delivery of the goods; and
2. inspects and accepts the goods in accordance with clauses 12, 13, 14,
and 15.

SITE RULES

18. Prior to providing any services at Company’s site, the Vendor must ensure:
1. that all personnel required to work on the site under this Agreement
have attended the appropriate inductions (as specified by Company); and
2. if required by Company, submit a safety and/or environmental management
plan to Company for approval.
19. During performance of the services at the site the Vendor must comply with
all of Company’s site specific rules, procedures and requirements; with all
relevant legislation and regulations; and with all directions from
Company’s representatives, including safety or environmental
representatives of Company. The Vendor acknowledges that it will enter
Company’s site at its own risk.
20. In performing any services the Vendor must use its best endeavours not to
interfere with any of Company’s activities, or the activities of any other
person on Company’s site and must ensure that Company’s site is left
secure, clean, orderly and fit for immediate use.

PRICE

21. The price is inclusive of all costs incurred by the Vendor in the supply of
the goods or the performance of the services including all charges for
packaging, packing, insurance and delivery of the goods in accordance with
this Agreement and the cost of any items used or supplied in conjunction
with the services. This price is also inclusive of all duties and taxes
except GST. Unless authorised in writing by Company, no charge for extras
(including government duties and taxes, except for GST) in excess of the
value of the Purchase Order will be accepted.
22. The Vendor must submit a tax invoice which fully complies with all State or
Federal legislative requirements for any work performed under this
Agreement. Subject to receipt of a tax invoice, if any supply made under
this Agreement is or becomes subject to GST, the party to whom the supply
is made must pay to the party making the supply an additional amount of GST
in addition to any consideration payable or to be provided elsewhere in
this Agreement. If any party is required to reimburse or indemnify the
other party for a cost, expense or liability incurred by the other party,
the amount of that cost, expense or liability for the purpose of this
Agreement is the amount of the cost, expense or liability incurred less the
amount of any credit or refund of GST to which the party incurring the
cost, liability or expense is entitled to claim.
23. The Company reserves the right to delay payment of the invoice until the
Company is:
1. able to independently verify the Vendor’s bank account details; or
2. able to comply with all laws and regulations because the Vendor provides
all required information to the Company.
24. Payment of the invoice will be made as soon as reasonably practicable after
the Company is able to verify or comply as the case may be.

LIABILITY AND INSURANCE

25. The Vendor must indemnify and keep indemnified Company from and against all
losses, actions, claims, procedures, damages, costs and expenses of any
kind arising out of or in connection with the Vendor’s performance under
this Agreement.
26. Neither party is liable for any special, indirect or consequential loss or
damage, in contract, tort (including negligence) under statute or
otherwise, including loss of goodwill, loss of revenue, loss of profit or
loss of business opportunity.
27. The Vendor must, at its own expense, procure and maintain the insurances
required in writing by Company from time to time and ensure that every
subcontractor engaged by it maintains insurance in the same manner. In
addition to the insurances required in writing by Company, where the Vendor
is providing professional services, the Vendor must procure and maintain
professional indemnity insurance of not less than $5 million for each claim
and in the aggregate for all claims arising in the same insurance period,
covering the liability of the Vendor for any professional services provided
by the Vendor under this Agreement. The professional indemnity insurance
must be maintained for 6 years after the end of this Agreement. Before
supplying any goods or services or performing any work under this Agreement
the Vendor must lodge with Company certificates of currency to evidence the
existence of the policies required to be arranged by the Vendor and its
subcontractors. All costs incurred by Company as a consequence of the
Vendor not being insured to the appropriate extent, will become a debt due
from the Vendor to Company.
28. Company may withhold payment to the Vendor of any tax invoice until
certificates of currency have been received and confirmed in writing by
Company.

TERMINATION AND SUSPENSION

29. The delivery of goods or the provision of services may be suspended if any
circumstances beyond the reasonable control of Company or of the Vendor
prevent the manufacture, delivery or acceptance of the goods or provision
of the services and either party provides notice to the other of suspension
and details of the relevant circumstances. Shortage of labour or materials
or failure or delays of the Vendor’s subcontractors will not constitute
“circumstances beyond the reasonable control of the Vendor”. If any
suspension continues for a period greater than six (6) weeks, either party
may terminate this Agreement by notice in writing to the other party
without liability except for any rights or obligations which may have
accrued prior to that date.
30. Subject to clause 29, without limiting any other rights, Company may
terminate this Agreement without any liability to the Vendor if not
performed within the time specified in the Purchase Order or, if no time is
specified, within a reasonable time.
31. Either party may immediately terminate this Agreement by notice in writing
to the other party if the other party (a) breaches any term under this
Agreement and such breach is not remedied within 14 days of notice being
given to remedy the breach; (b) breaches any law relating to the supply of
the goods or services; (c) becomes insolvent; or (d) is convicted of a
criminal offence.
32. Company may terminate this Agreement by giving 30 days’ written notice to
the Vendor without cause, in which case Company shall reimburse the Vendor
for (a) all work in progress or (b) work and expenses incurred up to the
date of the notice of termination which cannot be reversed or mitigated by
the Vendor applying best efforts.
33. Unless expressly stated otherwise termination for any reason does not
affect the rights of a party that arise before termination or as a
consequence of the event or occurrence giving rise to the termination, or
as a consequence of the breach of any obligation under this Agreement which
survives termination and termination does not affect the rights a party may
have under common law.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

34. Any plans, drawings, designs or information supplied by Company to the
Vendor in connection with this Agreement remain the property of Company and
any information delivered or otherwise communicated by Company to the
Vendor in connection with this Agreement will be regarded by the Vendor as
secret and confidential and must not, without the written consent of
Company, be published or disclosed to any third party or used by the Vendor
except in implementing this Agreement or if required by law.
35. Any new invention, design, technique or literary work (including documents,
reports, drawings and computer software) or any improvement to an existing
patent made or developed by the Vendor during and for the purposes of this
Agreement will be the property of Company and full details must be
communicated immediately and assigned to Company. Company has the exclusive
right and title to, and interest in, all rights conferred under statute,
common law and equity including rights in all copyright, patents,
trademarks, business names, trade names, domain names, designs,
confidential information, trade secrets or know-how (Intellectual Property
Rights), made or created in, or arising out of, the performance of this
Agreement.

CONFIDENTIALITY

36. The Vendor must keep this document and the terms and existence of this
document confidential and unless required to do so by law, must not
disclose it to any person or organisation or make any press release or
announcement referring to Company without the prior written approval of
Company.
37. At the prior written request of Company acting reasonably, the Vendor will
sign a confidentiality and non-disclosure agreement for the benefit of
Company.

OTHER MATTERS

38. Company prefers (wherever possible) to provide local (Australian) suppliers
with a full, fair and reasonable opportunity to supply equipment and
materials. If equipment or materials are to be supplied by a subcontractor
to the Vendor, then the Vendor must satisfy the terms of this clause in
respect of the supply of such equipment or materials.
39. Company may make applications for import duty concessions relating to items
procured under this Agreement. The Vendor must provide whatever assistance
and/or information including import details in a timely manner to assist in
such applications as requested by Company. Where Company succeeds in
applications, the Vendor may obtain duty funds as requested by Company and
must remit the proceeds to Company. Where concessions are obtained prior to
the importation of goods, and the Vendor is able to import the goods duty
free, including under an AusIndustry Determination, the Vendor must pay an
amount equal to the customs duty savings to Company.
40. The Vendor undertakes and agrees that:
1. it has taken reasonable steps to identify, assess and address risks of
child labour, bonded labour, human trafficking, forced labour and other
forms of modern slavery and slavery-like practices (Modern Slavery
Practices) in the operations and supply chains used in the performance
of this Agreement; and
2. it is not currently aware of the use of any form of Modern Slavery
Practices (either directly or through a third party supplier) in the
performance of this Agreement, or if it is aware of the use of Modern
Slavery Practices, it has disclosed this to the Company.
41. Upon the request of the Company, the Vendor will provide information on:
1. the Vendor’s steps to identify and assess risks of Modern Slavery
Practices in the operations and supply chains used in the performance of
this Agreement;
2. the Vendor’s processes for addressing any Modern Slavery Practices of
which it becomes aware in the operations and supply chains used in the
performance of this Agreement;
3. the content and timing of training for any officer, employee, contractor
(including subcontractor) or agent of the Vendor (Personnel) about
Modern Slavery Practices; and
4. the processes for handling a complaint or grievance about Modern Slavery
Practices that is consistent with the criteria set out in the United
Nations’ Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights: Implementing
the United Nations “Protect, Respect and Remedy Framework. (Guiding
Principles on Business and Human Rights) available to the Personnel
(Grievance Mechanism).
42. If at any time the Vendor suspects or becomes aware of Modern Slavery
Practices in the operations and supply chains used in the performance of
this Agreement, the Vendor must as soon as reasonably practicable:
1. take all reasonable action to address or prevent these practices,
including where relevant by addressing any practices of other entities
in its supply chains;
2. take all reasonable steps to remediate any adverse impacts caused or
contributed by the Vendor from these Modern Slavery Practices, ensuring
at all times that the welfare of victims is prioritised in accordance
with the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights; and
3. immediately disclose to the Company the Modern Slavery Practices and the
response taken in accordance with subclauses 42(b) and (c) above.
43. Without limiting clause 42, in performance of this Agreement, the Vendor
must:
1. not require Personnel to pay fees, charges, expenses or financial
obligations incurred in order for the Personnel to secure their
employment or placement (Recruitment Fees), regardless of the manner,
timing or location of the imposition or collection of these Recruitment
Fees;
2. not destroy or exclusively possess, whether permanently or otherwise,
the travel or identity documents of Personnel; and
3. ensure Personnel can access a Grievance Mechanism to safely report any
instances of Modern Slavery in the operations and supply chains used by
the Vendor in its performance of this Agreement.

GOVERNING LAW AND LAWS OF OTHER JURISDICTIONS

44. The Vendor must comply with the laws of the jurisdictions in which it
operates, including those laws relating to anti bribery and corruption. The
Vendor must maintain in place throughout the term of this Agreement
policies and procedures to ensure compliance with such anti bribery and
corruption laws (which policies and procedures must be disclosed to Company
on request) and must comply with such policies and procedures at all times.
45. This Agreement is governed by the laws of Western Australia. Each party
irrevocably and unconditionally submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction
of the courts of Western Australia.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

This is the website terms and conditions (terms) for Minderoo Foundation Limited
(ACN 651 422 141) as trustee for The Minderoo Foundation Trust (ABN 24 819 440
618), along with its related entities (referred to herein as we, us or our). Our
related entities include Minderoo PBI Limited, International Health Philanthropy
Limited, Minderoo Investments No 1 Pty Ltd and Minderoo Investments No 2 Pty
Ltd.

ACCEPTABLE USE

PROHIBITED CONDUCT

In accessing and using this website you must not engage or attempt to engage in
any activities that:

* download (other than page caching) or modify this website or any portion of
this website;
* impersonate or falsely claim to represent a person or organisation;
* are commercial, including selling, marketing, advertising or promoting goods
or services;
* frame this website without our express written permission;
* post, link to, communicate or distribute any inappropriate, profane,
defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent or unlawful content, or otherwise
use this website in a manner which is unlawful or would infringe the rights
of another person (including any intellectual property rights);
* provide access or links to any content (including links to peer to peer
network trackers/beacons) which may infringe the intellectual property rights
of another person;
* bypass (or attempt to bypass) any security measures that we use in relation
to this website;
* delete or alter or attempt to delete or alter attributions, legal notices,
trade marks or copyright marks on any content on this website; or
* post or transmit or permit the posting or transmission of any content which
contains a computer virus or other harmful data, code or material.

SAVING, PRINTING OR SHARING CONTENT

You may save a local copy or print a copy of any of the content on this website
for your own personal, non-commercial use, provided you do not remove any
copyright notices. For clarity, you must not use the content for any
non-personal or commercial use, including the sharing of the content with others
(whether via another website or otherwise) or charging any third parties to use
or access the content.

LINKING TO THIS WEBSITE

You are welcome to link to this website, provided that in doing so:

* you do not use any of our trade marks without our permission or use any other
trade mark which appears on this website without the permission of the owner
of that trade mark; and
* you do not link to this website from a website or in a manner which
disparages or may disparage our reputation, or the reputation of our
commercial partners, customers, suppliers or advertisers.

OTHER USES

Please contact us if you would like to use content from this website in a manner
other than as set out above, as we will need to consider your proposed use and
decide whether to provide our written permission to you.

THIRD PARTY CONTENT, PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

Some of the content on this website has been obtained from third parties who
have licensed us to use that content. The inclusion of such content on this
website is not an endorsement of any organisation, product, service or advice.

This website may include links to third party websites (including Facebook,
Twitter and other social media platforms). These websites are not covered by
these terms and may have their own terms and conditions and privacy policy
(third party terms). If you choose to access these websites, you do so at your
own risk and subject to the applicable third party terms. We have not reviewed
all of these websites and are not responsible for (and will not be liable in
respect of) their content or accuracy or how they treat your personal
information. Our linking to these websites is not an endorsement of the website
or of any organisation, product, service or advice.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

This website contains copyright, trade marks and other forms of intellectual
property (intellectual property) owned or licensed by us. All rights in relation
to such intellectual property are reserved. Except where we otherwise agree in
writing, you must not use such intellectual property, including by copying,
framing, modifying, transmitting or distributing the intellectual property.

PRIVACY

Please refer to our privacy policy for information on how we collect, use, store
and manage personal information, and your rights in relation to such personal
information, available on this website. By using this website, you acknowledge
our privacy policy (as amended from time to time).

COOKIES AND ANALYTICS

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT YOU FROM VISITING THIS WEBSITE

When you visit this website, our web server automatically records some general
information about your visit. This information includes your server address, the
date and time of the access, the pages accessed and documents downloaded, the
previous website visited, and the type of browser used. We may use this
information, or make the information available to third parties, for the purpose
of analysing website traffic and improving our website and general business.

This website uses cookies, which are widely used to make websites work and to
improve their functionality. Disabling cookies should not affect your overall
website experience. We do not collect or store personal information in any
cookies originating from this website. However, Facebook and Google provide
third party analytical services to us in respect of this website. A summary of
how we use third party services and links is set out below, together with
information provided by those third parties as to their services and options to
opt out.

GOOGLE TOOLS

This website uses:

* Google Analytics: a service which transmits website traffic data to Google
servers in the United States. We use reports provided by Google Analytics to
help us understand website traffic and webpage usage; and
* Google remarketing technology: a service which allows Google to display
relevant content based on the pages on this website you have viewed. The
content will be displayed using cookies. These cookies do not record any
personal information or identify you personally.

By using this website, you consent to Google processing data about you for the
purposes set out and in the manner described in Google’s data protection policy
(which can be accessed here: https://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/privacy/).
To opt out of Google Analytics you should disable or refuse the cookie, disable
JavaScript, or use the opt out service provided by Google here:
https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.

FACEBOOK TOOLS

We may use Facebook Advertising, Facebook Pixel Re-Marketing and other Facebook
tools. These tools allow us to understand and deliver content and make it more
relevant to you. The collected data remains anonymous and we cannot see the
personal data of any individual user.

However, the collected data is saved and processed by Facebook. Facebook may be
able to connect the data with your Facebook account and use the data for their
own advertising purposes, as set out in Facebook’s Data Use Policy (which can be
accessed here: https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy/).To opt-out of Facebook’s
use of cookies and Facebook Pixel Re-Marketing, you should use the settings on
your Facebook account.

OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA

We also use interfaces with social media websites, including Facebook, LinkedIn
and Twitter. If you choose to “like” or “share” information from this website
through these services, you should review the privacy policy of that service. If
you are a member of a social media website, the interfaces may allow the social
media website to connect your visits to this website with other personal
information.

DISCLAIMERS AND EXCLUSIONS

GENERAL EXCLUSIONS

The content on this website is made available for general information purposes
only and does not constitute professional advice or recommendations. Any use of
(or reliance on) such content is at your own risk. You should not use such
content as a substitute for consulting with qualified professionals as to your
particular circumstances and needs.

We do not warrant the accuracy, adequacy, reliability or completeness of the
content on this website and expressly disclaim liability for defects, errors or
omissions in such content.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, we disclaim all representations,
warranties, conditions and guarantees (whether express or implied) in relation
to this website and its content, including under legislation, common law,
equity, trade, custom or usage. We do not offer any warranties or make any
representations in relation to any third party goods or services described or
referred to on this website.

ACCESS AND COMMUNICATION

We do not warrant that you will have continuous access to this website and will
not be liable if this website is unavailable to you for any reason. We do not
provide, and have no control over, communications, networks or services, the
internet or other technology required or used across this website and accept no
responsibility for any loss or damage associated with them, whether due to
congestion, technical malfunction, viruses or otherwise. While we take
reasonable precautions to protect information transmitted via this website, we
cannot and do not guarantee the security or confidentiality of these
communications or the security of this website.

INTERNATIONAL USE

If you choose to access this website from any location outside Australia, you do
so at your own risk and are responsible for compliance with all applicable laws.
You are not authorised to access this website from any location where doing so
would be illegal.

EXCLUSION AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

GENERAL EXCLUSION

To the fullest extent permitted by law, we exclude all liability for losses,
damages and claims arising out of or in connection with this website (including
any use of or reliance on the content on this website), these terms or any
supply of goods or services pursuant to these terms, including liability in
respect of any breach of contract, tort (including negligence) or any other
common law, statutory or other action.

CONSEQUENTIAL LOSS

To the fullest extent permitted by law, we exclude all liability to you for any
indirect, incidental, special or consequential loss or damage, loss of profits
or anticipated profits, economic loss, loss of business opportunity, loss of
data, loss of reputation or loss of revenue (irrespective of whether the loss or
damage is caused by or relates to breach of contract, tort (including
negligence), statute or otherwise) arising out of or in connection with this
website (including any of the content on this website), any links to or from
this website or the goods and/or services advertised, referred to on or supplied
pursuant to this website.

CONSUMER GUARANTEES

Nothing in these terms excludes, restricts or modifies any consumer guarantee,
right or remedy (guarantee) you may have under the Competition and Consumer Act
2010 (Cth) or any other applicable law that cannot be excluded, restricted or
modified. To the fullest extent permitted by law, our liability for a breach of
such a guarantee is limited, at our option, to:

* in the case of goods supplied or offered by us: (i) the replacement of the
goods or the supply of equivalent goods; (ii) the repair of the goods; (iii)
the payment of the cost of replacing the goods or of acquiring equivalent
goods; or (iv) the payment of the cost of having the goods repaired; or
* in the case of services supplied or offered by us: (i) the supplying of the
services again; or (ii) the payment of the cost of having the services
supplied again.

TERMINATION OF YOUR ACCESS TO THIS WEBSITE

We may at any time immediately terminate your access (including restricting
access) to this website or any feature of this website for any reason (including
due to your breach or alleged breach of these terms) in our sole discretion and
without prior notice.

GENERAL TERMS

These terms are governed by and must be construed in accordance with the laws of
the State of Western Australia, Australia. You submit to the exclusive
jurisdiction of the courts of that State and the Commonwealth of Australia in
respect of all matters arising out of or relating to these terms, their
performance and subject matter.

Each provision of these terms is severable from the others and no severance of a
provision will affect any other provision.

QUESTIONS, FEEDBACK AND COMPLAINTS

If you have any questions, feedback or complaints in relation to this website,
then please contact us. We welcome your feedback and will endeavour to respond
to you (where a response is required) in a prompt manner.

+61 8 6460 4949
privacy@minderoo.com.au
PO Box 3155, Broadway Nedlands, WA 6009

These Terms and Conditions were last updated in February 2023.

You can read the full details of our privacy policy below. As a quick summary:

* If we ask for your personal information, we only ask for personal information
that we need.
* If you give us your personal information, we will treat it in accordance with
our privacy policy.

WHO WE ARE

This is the privacy policy for Minderoo Foundation Limited (ACN 651 422 141) as
trustee for The Minderoo Foundation Trust (ABN 24 819 440 618) of PO Box 3155
Broadway, Nedlands WA 6009, along with its related entities (referred to herein
as we, us or our). Our related entities include Minderoo PBI Limited,
International Health Philanthropy Limited, Minderoo Investments No 1 Pty Ltd and
Minderoo Investments No 2 Pty Ltd.

This privacy policy sets out how we collect, use, disclose and manage your
personal information.

OUR COMMITMENT TO PRIVACY

We are committed to protecting the privacy of your personal information. We work
to ensure that we comply with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act),
including the Australian Privacy Principles under the Privacy Act, and any other
applicable privacy laws. If you are resident in the European Economic Area (EEA)
or the United Kingdom (UK), applicable privacy laws include the EU General Data
Protection Regulation and the UK General Data Protection Regulation
respectively.

COLLECTING PERSONAL INFORMATION

HOW WE COLLECT PERSONAL INFORMATION

Personal Information is information or an opinion that identifies an individual.
This can include names, addresses, email addresses, phone and phone numbers.

Sensitive information is a type of personal information that includes
information about an individual’s racial or ethnic origin, professional,
political or religious affiliations or memberships, sexual orientation or
practices, criminal record, health, genetics and/or biometrics.

At all times we try to collect directly from you only the personal information
we reasonably need for the particular function or activity we are carrying out.
This can include when you visit our website, contact us, make a booking with us,
submit a booking enquiry to us, raise a query or complaint with us, sign up to
one of our mailing lists, apply for a job with us (as further described below),
contract with us or otherwise interact with us.

We may also collect your personal information (including sensitive information)
that we reasonably need from third parties, including government agencies,
regulators, commercial counterparties and third party service providers
(including credit reporting, recruitment or information agencies), and from
publicly available records when handling or resolving a complaint, investigation
(including investigating a data breach) or otherwise performing any particular
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THE TYPES OF PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT

Depending on the nature of our relationship and interactions with you, we may
collect a range of personal information. This includes your name, contact
details (including your address, email address and phone number), date of birth,
gender, nationality, organisation and IP address. If you attend one of our
events, we may also take audio or visual recordings which identify you.

On occasion, we may collect information about you of a sensitive nature (such as
information about your health). However, we will only do this with your consent
or otherwise in accordance with applicable laws.

IF YOU APPLY FOR A CAREER WITH US

We also collect personal information when recruiting people to work with us.
This may include the types of information listed above, along with your
qualifications, work history and reference details. Before offering you a
position, we may collect additional details such as your tax file number,
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police clearances and working with children checks, to the extent required or
permitted by applicable laws).

Generally, we will collect this information directly from you. We may also
collect this information from third parties (such as recruitment agencies,
background check agencies or your referees).

WHY WE COLLECT PERSONAL INFORMATION

The purposes for which we collect your personal information depend on the nature
of our relationship and interactions with you. These purposes may include:

* undertaking charitable activities;
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our legal rights;
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LEGAL BASES FOR PROCESSING PERSONAL INFORMATION IF RESIDENT IN THE EEA OR UK

We process your personal information where it is in our legitimate interests to
do so. We believe that our use of your personal information is within a number
of our legitimate interests, including the purposes listed above under the
heading ‘why we collect personal information’.

We may also process your sensitive personal information where it is in the
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COOKIES AND ANALYTICS

We use cookies and analytics (including Google tools) in relation to your use of
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ANONYMOUS DEALINGS

You may choose to remain anonymous or use a pseudonym in your communications
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STORING PERSONAL INFORMATION

We endeavour to take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from
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personal information that we no longer require.

We maintain physical security over paper and electronic data stores, including
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We secure communications between your browser and this website with encryption
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USING AND DISCLOSING PERSONAL INFORMATION

GENERAL USE AND DISCLOSURE

We may use and disclose your personal information for our legitimate business
purposes, including for the purposes set out above in relation to our collection
of personal information. For example, we may disclose your personal information
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* our internal divisions, business units, departments, related entities or
affiliates;
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regulators;
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We do not share your personal information except in accordance with this privacy
policy or as permitted by the Privacy Act or other applicable privacy laws.

To additional protect your personal information when disclosing it to third
parties, we also include special privacy provisions in our contracts and
engagements.

MARKETING

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If you do not want to receive marketing or any other promotional material from
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OVERSEAS DISCLOSURES

We may disclose, transfer, store, process or use your personal information
outside of your country of residence (or where you are resident in the European
Economic Area (EEA), outside of the EEA). This may happen if our related
entities, employees, contractors or third parties we engage with are located
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For residents in the EEA and United Kingdom (UK), we may transfer your personal
information outside of the EEA and UK provided that the means of transfer
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with any applicable laws.

ACCESSING AND CORRECTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION

If you would like to access any of the personal information we hold about you,
please email us (see email contact below). We will endeavour to provide access
promptly and free of charge. However, we may refuse to provide access, or may
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we will provide you with a reason for our decision as required by applicable
privacy laws.

Please let us know if there are any errors or discrepancies in the personal
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to update and/or delete the personal information we hold about you, we may not
be able to provide you with requested information, products or services, or to
effectively conduct our relationship with you.

IF YOU ARE RESIDENT IN THE EEA OR THE UK

In addition to the above right of access and right of rectification, you may
also have other rights in relation to the personal information we hold about
you. These include the right to object to, or restrict our processing of, your
personal information, the right to request that we erase your personal
information, and the right to transfer your personal information between service
providers.

However, please note that some of these rights may not always apply to the
personal information we hold about you as there are sometimes requirements and
exemptions which mean we need to keep the personal information, or other times
when the rights may not apply at all.

HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION?

When your personal information is no longer needed for the purpose for which it
was obtained, we will take reasonable steps to destroy or permanently
de-identify your personal information (including sensitive information). When
determining the appropriate retention period, we consider the risks of the
processing, our contractual, legal and regulatory obligations, and our
legitimate interests as described in this privacy policy.

ENQUIRIES AND COMPLAINTS

You can contact us at any time if you have any questions or concerns about this
privacy policy or the way in which your personal information has been handled,
or if you have a privacy complaint, by emailing us at privacy@minderoo.com.au.

We will consider your questions, concerns and complaints to work out what steps
can be taken in response. If you make a complaint which requires detailed
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your complaint and the outcome you are seeking. We may need to gather relevant
facts, locate and review relevant documents and speak with other people
involved. In any event, we will endeavour to provide you with a response within
30 days.

If you are not satisfied with an outcome following the above process, you may
wish to contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at:

IF YOU ARE RESIDENT IN THE EEA OR UK

* www.oaic.gov.au
* 1300 363 992

You may contact us for further information via the above email address.
Alternatively, you may contact our representative in the EU and the UK for the
purposes of this privacy policy, which is Stichting EU Minderoo (KVK 80314368).

You also have the right to make a complaint to your local data protection
authority, which in the UK is the Information Commissioner’s Office
(www.ico.org.uk). The authorities for EU Member States are listed (along with
contact details) on the European Commission website here.

UPDATES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We may amend this privacy policy from time to time, with or without notice to
you. We recommend that you check this page regularly and each time you visit
this website.

This privacy policy was last updated in February 2023.

BLUEBACK

Blueback can inspire people to help make our oceans flourish again.

Minderoo Foundation is proud to be the education partner for the film adaption
of Tim Winton's best-selling novella Blueback.

Atom Study Guide

Cool.org Lesson Modules

To help educators dive deeper into the film we have worked with Cool.org and
ATOM to create education resources for the film.

Do you want to know more about education resources for the film or to be
notified when it is available for streaming or on DVD?

You can now watch Blueback at home. Click here for more information on how you
can rent or buy the film.

Rent/Buy

BLUEBACK TRAILER

In cinemas: Blueback opens in cinemas across Australia on 1 January 2023
Streaming services: Coming in 2023

OUR OCEANS

Your browser does not support the video tag.

Film director Robert Connolly, author Tim Winton and actress Mia Wasikowska
discuss Blueback and its message of protecting our oceans.

UNITED NATIONS PLASTIC TREATY

THE UN TREATY ON PLASTIC POLLUTION

“Every minute, the equivalent of two truckloads of plastic enters our oceans.
It’s time for change.”[1]

Plastic is polluting people and planet

Plastic is everywhere: in our packaging, our body washes and our everyday items.
It’s versatile, cheap and convenient. But this convenience has a hidden cost.

Of the more than eight billion tonnes of plastic produced since large-scale
production of the fossil-fuel-based material began in the 1950s [2], less than
10 per cent has been recycled, meaning more than 90 per cent has been
landfilled, incinerated or survives to this day to leak into the environment.
With production set to treble over the next decade, we will be drowning in 25
billion tonnes of plastic waste by 2060 [3].

The waste issue is just the tip of the iceberg. Toxic chemicals used in plastic
production and across the material’s lifecycle pose risks to our climate and
health. These harmful substances, leaching from plastics, contaminate our water,
food and air. Our latest research indicates these toxins increase the risk of
miscarriage, cardiovascular disease, cancer and other major health concerns.

A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY
TO END PLASTIC POLLUTION

Recognising the urgency of the situation, the United Nations initiated the
Treaty on Plastic Pollution. The plastic problem is now acknowledged by 193
United Nations Member States which are negotiating a legally binding treaty to
combat plastic pollution. The third session of these negotiations (INC-3) is set
for 13 – 19 November 2023 at the UNEP Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya.

History has shown us that effecting change at the country level is challenging.
Plastic doesn’t respect borders and doesn’t easily degrade. That’s why a united
front is essential. This treaty presents a unique opportunity for humanity and
our world to harmonise efforts to create a future free from plastic harm.

WE ADVOCATE FOR THE TREATY TO:

1. limit fossil-fuel plastic production and consumption
2. support the transition to a safe and just circular economy for plastics,
ensuring products are designed for circularity
3. eliminate problematic and harmful substances and materials
4. prevent plastic leakage throughout its life cycle with sound waste
management
5. align all public and private financial flows with the treaty’s objectives,
eliminating harmful flows and bolstering a safe and just circular plastics
economy.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Every voice counts. Support our cause. Spread the word. Share now.

ENDNOTES

1. https://usa.oceana.org/our-campaigns/plastic/

2. MacLeod M, Arp HPH, Tekman MB, Jahnke A. The global threat from plastic
pollution. Science. 2021; 373(6550): 61–65. DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abg5433

3. Geyer R, Jambeck JR, Law KL. Production, use, and fate of all plastics ever
made. Sci Adv. 2017; 3(7): e170078. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1700782<

THE PLASTIC POLLUTION FEE: DESIGN STUDY

Outlining the options ahead of INC-3.

Prompted by the high and rapidly increasing levels of plastic pollution, the
United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) initiated the negotiation of an
international legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution, including in
the marine environment.

Ahead of the meeting of the third International Negotiation Committee (INC-3) in
November, the Chair of the INC published a “Zero Draft” of the Instrument,
including options for provisions to tackle plastic pollution at every step of
the life cycle.

This paper explores a pivotal element of the Zero Draft—a proposed mandatory,
global fee on plastic polymer producers (the “Plastic Pollution Fee”)—envisioned
as an innovative source of financing for the implementation of the instrument,
notably in developing countries. The Zero Draft also proposes provisions for
fees as an example of an economic instrument that can support possible control
measures.

This Design Study explores design options and technical aspects of the Plastic
Pollution Fee to support and inform subsequent intergovernmental dialogues. It
precedes a comprehensive Impact Study, which will model the Plastic Pollution
Fee's potential environmental, social and socio impacts.

Download Report

AIM AND SCOPE OF THIS PAPER:

* outlining the design options and technical considerations for the Plastic
Pollution Fee
* examining the Plastic Pollution Fee's relationship with other control
measures included in the Zero Draft
* outlining the proposed approach and scenarios for modelling the Plastic
Pollution Fee’s potential environmental, social and economic impacts
* responses to this preliminary paper will inform a white paper before INC-4.

COLLABORATION WITH ANALYTICAL PARTNERS AND ADVISORS:

* collaboration with experts in international law and trade, policymaking
economics, and modelling experts for a well-rounded analysis
* an Advisory Group and an Expert Panel of seasoned professionals oversee this
study's scope, methodology and outcomes.

Case StudyGlobal Fishing Index

Big Data transforming small-scale fisheries: A new reporting system in
Timor-Leste

By Dr Alex Tilley, WorldFish

It is safe to say that with better information, you can make better decisions –
and that is particularly true of the world’s small-scale fisheries. This sector
provides vital food and livelihoods for billions of people, yet very little
information exists on where the millions of fishers go or what they catch. If
the sector is to be sustainably and equitably managed, good data are crucial.

PeskAAS is a digital reporting system that collects, analyses and displays data
from small-scale fisheries in Timor-Leste in near real time [1]. It was designed
in collaboration with fishers and government officials to support science-based
decision making, which is critical to local food security.

The name PeskAAS comes from the word for fisheries (peskas) in Tetum, the
national language of Timor-Leste, combined with Automated Analytics System
(AAS).

Central to the system was the fitting of 500 fishing vessels with solar-powered
tracking devices, which recorded where fishers went and how long they spent at
different fishing sites. Upon landing, the fishers are met by trained community
members, who record their catches using smartphones and tablets. The data are
then uploaded and published on an online, open-access dashboard the same day.

The results have had a huge impact on fisheries management and led to
Timor-Leste reporting an accurate estimate of the national catch to the Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 2020, the first since 2001.
Program findings contributed to the drafting of a new national fisheries
strategy and revisions to the country’s fisheries law in 2019. The same year,
the Timorese government officially adopted PeskAAS, placing it among the most
sophisticated national monitoring systems for small-scale fisheries in the
world.

This system has brought new insights into fishing patterns, the effects of
fishing methods on production levels, and the lives of those who depend on
fishing in the country. It has also supported a deeper understanding of the
health of the country’s marine ecosystems and what might constitute sustainable
levels of catch.

The challenges associated with the project were substantial: the work spans the
country’s 25 dialects, with the names of fish species often varying from one
fishing community to another. Literacy is low in fishing communities, meaning
that it was challenging to describe the advantages of such a system to potential
participants.

To overcome this issue, we approached the communities one-by-one and held
discussions with them in partnership with the Department of Fisheries – as a
result, we were able to gain a better understanding of the fishers’ needs, and
show how such a tool could help them. Involving fishers in the design of PeskAAS
highlighted the need and mechanism for frequent feedback via municipal fisheries
officers, which also helped establish local acceptance.

As a result, the vast majority of fishers were happy to share information about
where they fished, what they caught, and their earnings. They were also happy
for the tracking devices to be installed on their boats.

We also worked hard to ensure the National Fisheries Directorate were involved.
When the project started, the work of the Directorate was limited mainly to
administrative tasks, such as the registration of fishing boats. There was
limited understanding of the opportunities for better fisheries management and
very little useful data. The team spent time explaining the importance of
robust, reliable data, and how it could support national priorities on tackling
food insecurity and improving nutrition.

Through these discussions, it quickly became clear that estimates of fish
production in the country were based on little more than the number of
registered fishing vessels. It meant that one of the early successes of PeskAAS
was in providing a more accurate estimate of the national catch. This, in turn,
provided decision makers with a clearer idea of what needed to be done to meet
targets for national fish consumption, and how the gap could be plugged by the
country’s nascent aquaculture sector.

PeskAAS continues to evolve in Timor-Leste, with a particular focus on improving
fisher involvement and use. Our next goal, in response to feedback from local
fishers, is to develop a personalised ‘fisher module’ that will provide fishers
with a way of tracking their own activities – for example, providing a platform
for them to log expenditure on inputs like ice, bait and fuel, as a way of
better understanding profit margins, checking market prices for different fish
species, and monitoring earnings. This project is already underway in Malaysia,
prior to deployment at other sites.

PeskAAS is open source and was designed to be highly adaptable to new
geographies and fisheries contexts – pilot studies are already underway in Asia
and Africa. The team hopes this work will bring new understanding to small-scale
fisheries globally and support a range of co-management options.

We hope to expand PeskAAS to include fish traders and consumers, and more
informal and poorly documented fisheries such as gleaning, both of which tend to
be dominated by women but for which very little data currently exists [2]. These
advances aim to empower fishers to make more informed decisions about where,
what, and when to fish, while supporting the co-management of fisheries in
partnership with government.

This work is led by WorldFish and Timor-Leste’s Ministry of Agriculture and
Fisheries. It is part of the CGIAR Research Program on Fish Agri-Food Systems
(FISH). The pilot project in Timor-Leste was funded by The Royal Norwegian
Embassy in Jakarta, and developed further under two Inspire Challenge awards
from the CGIAR Platform for Big Data in Agriculture, in partnership with Pelagic
Data Systems.

REFERENCES

1. Tilley, A., Dos Reis Lopes, J. and Wilkinson, S.P. (2020). PeskAAS: A
near-real-time, open-source monitoring and analytics system for small-scale
fisheries, PLOS ONE 15, (11), p. e0234760,
http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0234760 [10 November 2021]

2. Tilley, A., Burgos, A., Duarte, A., dos Reis Lopes, J., Eriksson, H. and
Mills, D. (2021). Contribution of women’s fisheries substantial, but overlooked,
in Timor-Leste, AMBIO 50, (1), pp. 113-124,
http://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-020-01335-7 [10 November 2021]

AUTHORS

Alexander Tilley

Senior Scientist, WorldFish

Alex Tilley’s research focuses on understanding how better data can lead to
improved food systems and livelihoods in aquatic systems developing and testing
digital reporting systems and automatic analytics to obtain reliable near-real
time data for adaptive management and empowerment of small-scale fishers in the
blue economy. Alex has been engaged in small-scale fisheries and marine research
since 2006 in Mozambique, Belize, Turks & Caicos Islands, Colombia, Costa Rica,
Panama, Myanmar, Cambodia and Timor-Leste. He joined WorldFish in early 2016
following a two-year postdoctoral fellowship with the Smithsonian Institution.
He has a PhD in Marine Biology from Bangor University based on fish movement and
trophic ecology.

Case StudyGlobal Fishing Index

Illuminating the world’s ‘dark fleets’

By David Kroodsma, Global Fishing Watch

Historically, what happens over the horizon in the ocean has largely been
unmonitored. This obscurity has given illegal fishers uncontrolled access to
offshore waters, with as much as one in every four fish thought to be caught
through illegal, unreported or unregulated fishing [1].

Recent advances in vessel-tracking technology have helped illuminate the
activity of industrial vessels at sea. Many countries now require large vessels
to broadcast their positions via an automatic identification system (AIS) or
vessel monitoring systems (VMS). As a result, most fishing vessels larger than
24 metres can now be tracked with relative ease [2].

The problem? Vessels trying to avoid oversight can simply turn their AIS off and
‘go dark’ – remaining hidden from surveillance systems.

But dark fleets are not completely invisible.

Optical imagery allows us to take pictures of these vessels from space using
high-resolution cameras and radar (Figure 1). In the last ten years, literally
hundreds of satellites have been launched that can image the ocean. With help
from machine learning and big data processing, our ability to find dark fleets
is rapidly improving.

The waters off North Korea provide a gripping example.

In 2017, the United Nations Security Council responded to missile tests by
banning all countries from fishing in North Korea’s waters. Despite this, South
Korean authorities reported hundreds of vessels passing through on their way
into North Korean waters. Few of these vessels broadcasted their GPS positions
through conventional tracking technology.

But these ‘dark fleets’ could only stay hidden for so long. In July of 2020, a
team of researchers led by Global Fishing Watch and including scientists from
Japan, South Korea, Australia and the United States, revealed that over 900
vessels originating from China were active in North Korean waters – a discovery
made possible by combining AIS data and satellite imagery (Figure 2). It’s
estimated that between 2017 and 2019, these vessels caught more than half a
billion dollars’ worth of squid – making this the largest known case of illegal
fishing by vessels originating from one country, operating in another country’s
waters (i.e. foreign fishing) [3].

Figure 1: Detecting dark fleets using satellite technology. Estimating the size
of the fishing fleet operating in North Korean waters was made possible through
the combination of four different technologies: the automatic identification
system data, optical imagery, low light imaging data using the visible infrared
imaging radiometer suite, or VIIRS, and satellite radar. ©Global Fishing Watch

Global Fishing Watch is now applying the same method to monitor dark fleets
globally. Around the world, hundreds of thousands of large and medium-sized
fishing vessels are placing their hooks and nets without broadcasting their
location, either to avoid regulations or, more often than not, because they are
not required to do so. By using years of satellite imagery collected from the
European Space Agency, it is now possible to count and identify these dark
fleets. Further, by assessing where these vessels are detected, we can model
which are likely to be fishing – and, more importantly, which may be fishing
illegally.

While radar and optical imagery data may help reveal the true extent of fishing
activity globally, these tools do have their limitations. Satellite’s cannot
take pictures of the entire ocean, and where available, imagery may be
infrequent due to the satellite’s orbit. Additionally, distinguishing fishing
boats from other types of vessels remains a challenge, especially in areas of
high vessel traffic like east Asia and the Persian Gulf – although Global
Fishing Watch’s research shows that vessels operating on the continental shelf
and positioned far from shipping lanes or oil-producing regions, are often
fishing vessels.

Despite these limitations, these new technologies have the power to transform
how we monitor industrial fishing – by making the unseen, seen. Around the
world, there are fleets like the one in North Korea, operating with little
oversight and depleting fish stocks.

By combining innovative satellite imagery with existing vessel tracking data and
the knowledge from fisheries agencies around the globe, vast swaths of the ocean
will no longer be dark. By making invisible operations visible, we can improve
fisheries management, reduce pressure on legal fishers, and help secure a more
sustainable future for the ocean.

REFERENCES

1. Agnew, D.J., Pearce, J., Pramod, G., Peatman, T., Watson, R., Beddington,
J.R. and Pitcher, T.J. (2009). Estimating the worldwide extent of illegal
fishing, PLOS ONE 4, (2), p. e4570, http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0004570

2. Kroodsma, D., Mayorga, J., Hochberg, T., Miller, N.A., Boerder, K., Ferretti,
F., Wilson, A., Bergman, B., White, T.D., Block, B.A., Woods, P., Sullivan, B.,
Costello, C. and Worm, B. (2018). Tracking the global footprint of fisheries,
Science 359, (6378), pp. 904-908, http://doi.org/10.1126/science.aao5646 [15
March 2020]

3. Park, J., Lee, J., Seto, K., Hochberg, T., Wong, B.A., Miller, N.A.,
Takasaki, K., Kubota, H., Oozeki, Y., Doshi, S., Midzik, M., Hanich, Q.,
Sullivan, B., Woods, P. and Kroodsma, D.A. (2020). Illuminating dark fishing
fleets in North Korea, Science Advances 6, (30), p. eabb1197,
http://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abb1197 [10 November 2021]

AUTHOR

David Kroodsma

Director of Research and Innovation, Global Fishing Watch

David Kroodsma leads Global Fishing Watch’s Research Program, which is a
collaboration between Global Fishing Watch and a network of over 10 research
institutions. He is responsible for leading and facilitating new research
projects, and he works with the GFW engineering team to develop new
technologies. David has over a decade and a half of experience working with NGOs
and researchers to address global environmental challenges. He has a B.S. in
physics and an M.S. in earth systems science from Stanford University.

Case StudyGlobal Fishing Index

Eliminating harmful fishing subsidies: Lesson form regional trade agreements

By University Killam Professor U. Rashid Sumaila, Institute for the Oceans and
Fisheries, University of British Columbia

Harmful subsidies are a major driver of overfishing globally – they help build
more boats and provide access to cheaper fuel, enabling fishers to travel
farther and catch more fish. Unsurprisingly, there have been many attempts to
remove these harmful subsidies, including the 2010 Aichi Biodiversity target 3
and the 2015 United Nation’s Sustainability Development Goals, target 14.6.

Since 2001, the 160 or so countries that form the World Trade Organization (WTO)
have tried to negotiate an international, legally-binding agreement that
eliminates harmful fishing subsidies. Yet, twenty years on, this effort
continues [1].

So, the question remains – what is preventing an agreement from being reached?

One of the key challenges faced by the WTO is negotiating “special and
differential treatment” for developing and least developed countries (LDC).
Special and differential treatments are an important component of all WTO
agreements as they support developing countries and LDCs with capacity-building
and ensure that the required technical support to enable the full implementation
of WTO agreements is available.

Some believe that developing countries and LDCs should be exempt from any new
restrictions on harmful fisheries subsidies, as they are considered necessary
for alleviating poverty and enabling developing countries to compete with large
fishing countries. In reality, however, harmful subsidies are not effective for
competing with large fishing nations and can worsen poverty in the medium to
long term [2].

Additionally, WTO members continue to disagree over how to define a country’s
eligibility for such exemptions. Several fishing entities, including the
European Union and the United States, strongly oppose the inclusion of terms in
the WTO agreement that state that any developing country is exempt from removing
harmful subsidies, regardless of their contribution to global fisheries
subsidies. On the other hand, China – one of the largest contributors to global
fisheries subsidies – opposes this view and wishes to be included under such
exemptions.

So, if the WTO is unable to come to an agreement, what are the alternatives?

One promising approach has come through regional trade agreements that include
reasonably strong commitments to eliminating harmful subsidies – the 2018
Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)
and the 2020 United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

Despite being ‘simply’ trade agreements, the CPTTP and the USMCA have started to
drive advances in ocean sustainability. Member nations are required to use
science-based management systems to prevent overfishing and overcapacity. They
must implement port controls to combat illegal fishing and prohibit the
provision of subsidies for vessels engaged in illegal fishing or that further
threaten overfished stocks.

At face value, trade agreements may seem like an unusual avenue for saving the
planet. But they increasingly require all members to align their national
environmental legislations with ‘best practice’, in exchange for market access
between member states – not necessarily for the health of the planet, but
because unequal policies create an unequal economic playing field, giving
countries with less effective governance a competitive advantage [3]. Both the
CPTPP and the USMCA have extensive and binding environmental standards that
countries negotiate and commit to as part of the deal.

These trade agreements also offer an enviable approach to transparency and
cooperation. Both agreements outline that all laws, regulations, procedures and
administrative rulings must be made publicly available, so anyone can comment on
them [4]. Operationalising such open transparency comes with its challenges,
however it remains a core provision of both agreements. The CPTPP also places
emphasis on cooperation between its members to identify areas where further
support is required to ensure all its provisions are implemented successfully.

Together, the twelve countries that have signed up to the CPTTP and the USMCA –
including Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and the United States –
account for 22 per cent of global fishing subsidies, or almost US$4,912 million
annually [5]. These two agreements alone mean we are well on the way to tackling
a considerable proportion of the problem.

The recently appointed Director-General of the WTO, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala – the
first female and first African in the role – noted that “there is an increasing
loss of confidence in the ability of the WTO to produce results,” and that there
is a need for the WTO to change their approach “from debate and rounds of
questions to delivering results” in order to achieve success. On July 15, 2021,
Dr Okonjo-Iweala secured members commitment to a draft text as a basis for
negotiations, raising hopes that a final deal can be struck this year.

The success of these agreements sends an important message to WTO negotiators
ahead of the next critical Ministerial Conference from 30 November to 3 December
2021 – reaching an agreement on harmful subsidies is indeed possible. However,
the twelve countries that make up these agreements recognise that without an
overarching international agreement to manage the one global ocean, their
efforts may not amount to much [6]. Success at an international level is
critical for transforming our ocean.

REFERENCES

1. World Trade Organization (2021). WTO members hold February cluster of
meetings for fisheries subsidies negotiations.
https://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news21_e/fish_24feb21_e.htm [5 March 2021]

2. Cisneros-Montemayor, A.M. and Sumaila, U.R. (2019). Busting myths that hinder
an agreement to end harmful fisheries subsidies, Marine Policy 109, p. 103699,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2019.103699 [6 October 2020]

3. George, C. (2014). Environment and Regional Trade Agreements: Emerging Trends
and Policy Drivers, OECD Trade and Environment Working Papers, pp. 1-29. [22
February 2021]

4. Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (2021).
Outcomes: Transparency.
https://www.dfat.gov.au/trade/agreements/not-yet-in-force/tpp/Pages/outcomes-transparency
[22 February 2021]

5. Sumaila, U.R., Ebrahim, N., Schuhbauer, A., Skerritt, D., Li, Y., Kim, H.S.,
Mallory, T.G., Lam, V.W.L. and Pauly, D. (2019). Updated estimates and analysis
of global fisheries subsidies, Marine Policy 109,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2019.103695 [6 October 2020]

6. Sumaila, U.R. and Pauly, D. (2007). All fishing nations must unite to cut
subsidies, Nature 450, p. 945, https://doi.org/10.1038/450945a [20 March 2020]

AUTHORS

Rashid Sumaila

Professor and Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) in Interdisciplinary Ocean and
Fisheries Economics at the Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, and the
School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, University of British Columbia

Rashid Sumaila’s research focuses on bioeconomics, marine ecosystem valuation
and the analysis of global issues such as fisheries subsidies, marine protected
areas, illegal fishing, climate change, marine plastic pollution, and oil
spills. Rashid has experience working in fisheries and natural resource projects
in Norway, Canada and the North Atlantic region, Namibia and the Southern
African region, Ghana and the West African region and Hong Kong and the South
China Sea. Dr. Sumaila received his Ph.D. (Economics) from the University of
Bergen and his B.Sc. (Quantity Surveying) from the Ahmadu Bello University. He
won the 2017 Volvo Environment Prize and was named a Fellow of the Royal Society
of Canada in 2019.

Case StudyGlobal Fishing Index

Fisheries management works - When we do it right

By Professor Ray Hilborn, School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of
Washington

Concerns about overfishing have existed for more than a century. But it is only
relatively recently that intensive fisheries management – in some form or other
– has become commonplace and effective. Today, most developed countries conduct
scientific research on their fish stocks and ecosystems, restrict catch or
fishing effort based on trends in stock health and have an enforcement system to
make sure that regulations are obeyed. We consider these elements essential to
modern fisheries management – but, with few exceptions, these elements were not
in place 50 years ago.

Several factors interacted to drive the emergence of intense fisheries
management. Global fishing effort expanded particularly between 1950 and 1990,
leading to an increase in food production – and fishing pressure. More and more
stocks became overfished. Historically, most continental shelf fisheries were
open to all fishing countries, and coastal states could not control fishing
beyond 12 miles. But, beginning in the late 1970s, the United Nations Convention
on the Law of the Sea and the declaration of Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs),
gave states almost totally control for fisheries in a 200 nautical mile-wide
band of their coastal waters.

In 1992, the highly-publicised collapse of a major Canadian cod stock focused
global attention on the urgent need to stop overfishing – and better manage our
fisheries. Similar declines in fish stocks have played out across major
fisheries globally in the last half-century where abundance data is available:
in Argentina, Canada, Chile, Europe, Japan, New Zealand, Peru, South Africa and
the United States, and on the high seas, leading to the implementation of catch
and effort restrictions.

The ability of science-based fisheries management to rebuild fish stocks — when
it is applied — is visible in global data.

We used a database of over 1,000 stocks from across the world – with highly
reliable information on their status – to track fishing pressure and fish
abundance, with the results published in 2020 in Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences [1]. As the pressure rose between the 1970s and the 1990s,
average fish abundance across all stocks declined. Then, in the 1990s, fisheries
management as we know it today began to take shape and to intensify, reducing
the fishing pressure. By 2000, we could see increases in the average abundance
of the 1,000 fish stocks, and today, these stocks are, on average, well above
target levels to maximize food production.

The United States provides some insight into the power of fisheries management
to impact stock health. Alaska is home to the largest fisheries in the country –
including pollock, cod, sole, salmon, crab, herring and halibut – many of which
have sustained Alaskan communities since humans first arrived. Offshore
fisheries were developed far more recently by foreign vessels, until the
declaration of the United States’ EEZ in 1983. By that time, industrial fishing
in the North Atlantic had already overfished many stocks, and Alaska’s managers,
scientists and fishermen had seen the catastrophic consequences of poor
fisheries management. As a result, managers had learned the lessons of the North
Atlantic and fishing pressure never rose too high — the abundance of the fish
has remained well above target levels.

In contrast to the proactive management observed in Alaska, fisheries on the
Pacific west coast of the lower 48 states followed the pattern seen more broadly
around the world: fishing pressure increased all the way up until the 1990s,
then declined. Changes made to the Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Management and
Conservation Act in 1996 required overfished stocks to be identified and rebuilt
on a strict timeline. Allowable catches were dramatically reduced, sometimes by
over 90 per cent. The size of the fishing fleet declined and the abundance of
the fish stocks increased — all but one of the stocks classified as overfished
are now at or above management targets. Consequently, local fishing communities
were devastated: processing plants closed, boats were tied up, and fishing
income declined dramatically. Ironically, the proportion of the allowable catch
harvested also declined dramatically, and current scientific evidence indicates
that much less drastic reductions in catch would have allowed stocks to rebuild,
while at the same time protecting fishing communities [2].

Appropriate fisheries management tools depend on local circumstances. We know a
broad suite of management measures, used collectively, successfully reduces
fishing pressure and increases fish abundance. We also know that some specific
management measures have a disproportionately positive impact on a stock’s
recovery, including harvest control rules and rebuilding plans. Strong
commitment to international fisheries agreements also strengthens fisheries
management in domestic waters [3].

The roadmap to fisheries sustainability is clear – where science-based
management has been intensely applied, fish stocks are now healthy or improving.
The problem lies in that we still lack reliable information about the health of
the stocks which make up at least half of the world’s catch, thus the prognosis
of their stock status is that most will continue to be overfished. These
data-limited fisheries are critical for food security and micronutrient
requirements in some of the world’s poorest communities. Greater investment in
fisheries management systems will lead to healthier fish populations, to the
benefit of all the communities that rely upon them.

REFERENCES

1. Hilborn, R., Amoroso, R.O., Anderson, C.M., Baum, J.K., Branch, T.A.,
Costello, C., Moor, C.L.d., Faraj, A., Hively, D., Jensen, O.P., Kurota, H.,
Little, L.R., Mace, P., McClanahan, T., Melnychuk, M.C., Minto, C., Osio, G.C.,
Parma, A.M., Pons, M., Segurado, S., Szuwalski, C.S., Wilson, J.R. and Ye, Y.
(2020). Effective fisheries management instrumental in improving fish stock
status, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 117, (4), pp. 2218-2224,
https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1909726116 [13 November 2020]

2. McQuaw, K., Punt, A.E. and Hilborn, R. (2021). Evaluating alternative
rebuilding plans for mixed stock fisheries, Fisheries Research 240, p. 105984,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fishres.2021.105984 [17 June 2021]

3. Melnychuk, M.C., Kurota, H., Mace, P.M., Pons, M., Minto, C., Osio, G.C.,
Jensen, O.P., de Moor, C.L., Parma, A.M., Richard Little, L., Hively, D.,
Ashbrook, C.E., Baker, N., Amoroso, R.O., Branch, T.A., Anderson, C.M.,
Szuwalski, C.S., Baum, J.K., McClanahan, T.R., Ye, Y., Ligas, A., Bensbai, J.,
Thompson, G.G., DeVore, J., Magnusson, A., Bogstad, B., Wort, E., Rice, J. and
Hilborn, R. (2021). Identifying management actions that promote sustainable
fisheries, Nature Sustainability, (4), pp. 440-449,
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-020-00668-1 [10 March 2021]

AUTHORS

Ray Hilborn

Professor of aquatic and fishery science at the University of Washington.
University of Washington

Ray Hilborn’s research aims to identify how to best manage fisheries to provide
sustainable benefits to human society. In addition to his work on global
fisheries, Ray Hilborn is one of the principal investigators for the University
of Washington’s long-running Alaska Salmon Program. In recognition for his many
contributions to fisheries science, he has received the Volvo Environmental
Prize, the American Fisheries Societies Award of Excellence, The Ecological
Society of America’s Sustainability Science Award, the International Fisheries
Science Prize and the American Institute of Fisheries Research Biologists
Outstanding Achievement Award. He is also an elected Fellow of the Washington
State Academy of Sciences, the Royal Society of Canada, and the American Academy
of Arts and Sciences.

Case StudyGlobal Fishing Index

Working smarter, not harder: Empowering fishers to fish more responsibly

By Dr Hoyt Peckham, Wildlife Conservation Society; Cecilia Blasco, SmartFish
NGO; and Jada Tullos Anderson, Wildlife Conservation Society

Porfirio Zuñiga, a Mexico fisher, was trapped in a vicious cycle of overfishing.
Forced to catch ever more fish at ever lower quality, to compensate for steadily
decreasing prices and increasing costs, the outlook for Porfirio and the
thousand or so other fishers who depend on Mexican sandbass was grim.

This cycle, which is common – even universal – where fisheries governance is
relatively weak, perpetuates a poverty trap. It jeopardizes the wellbeing of
small-scale fishers and fishworkers, their communities, and the ecosystems upon
which they depend.

Porfirio, and Mexico’s 250,000 licensed artisanal fishers, would not be trapped
this way if Mexico’s fisheries policies were backed by better information,
management and compliance. But it isn’t.

In 2013, we built a hybrid social enterprise that combines a non-profit NGO with
a for-profit business, the SmartFish Group, to empower Mexican fishers like
Porfirio to overcome this vicious cycle of overfishing and poverty through an
approach widely used in small-scale agriculture [1].

On the supply side, the non-profit SmartFish NGO screens and then partners with
artisanal fishing cooperatives (co-ops) with strong institutional capacity such
as leadership and administrative structures. We ‘incubate’ them,
professionalizing, and bringing in line with international standards, all
aspects of their businesses across the three sustainability dimensions –
environmental, social and economic. As a result, these co-ops produce
higher-quality seafood that’s also more responsibly caught, more sustainable and
also food-safety certified.

Porfirio Z. Zuñiga (above) and other partners of his co-op at Punta Abreojos,
BCS Mexico dramatically improved the quality and price of their sandbass by
improving their catching, handling, processing, packing, and transport
techniques. Photo Credit: Carlos Aguilar, SmartFish.

SmartFish Inc., the business side, sells their catch into more profitable
markets, rewarding fishers like Porfirio for their more responsible fishing and
incentivizing them to further improve their performance. Core to SmartFish Inc’s
model are shorter supply chains, rigorous sourcing policies, comprehensive
traceability systems and full transparency, including open-book’ negotiations.
Unfortunately, these basic approaches are lamentably unusual in the extremely
opaque seafood sector.

To date, Smartfish NGO has assessed 50 co-ops and their associated fisheries and
partnered with thirteen of them. Seven of these co-ops, including Porfirio’s,
have fully integrated our recommendations, yielding important outcomes. Catch
and bycatch have decreased thanks to the use of more selective – and
labour-intensive – gear.

The prices received by fishers have risen by an average 71 per cent and the
percentage of the final value that co-ops retain has increased an average of 54
per cent. We see stronger co-ops because of the retained value, more diversified
revenue and financial resources, and increased work for unemployed and under
employed coastal citizens, particularly female family members of fishers.

Lastly, these partnerships have implications for governance: improved data
collected through the traceability systems can be used to inform management and
improve co-management capacity and measures, including fishing reserves,
voluntary quotas and size limits and time-area closures.

Tempting as it is to leverage markets to drive fisheries improvement, doing so
is not a panacea for improving fisheries globally. Fisheries market
interventions in general – and increases in fish value, specifically – can
produce unintended social, economic, and environmental consequences. These may
include increased fishing effort, lost access to fish for food for the poor and
displacement of women and other marginalized people.

To ensure against these unintended impacts, we start by screening fisheries for
several enabling conditions, including that access is limited to the fishery,
and target species are biologically resilient. We also developed a suite of both
intrinsic and conditional ‘safeguards’, including systematic assessment to
identify risks; third-party environmental validation to improve trust and easily
communicate improvement actions; and conservation covenants to protect against
overfishing and habitat destruction. With these safeguards in place, SmartFish
NGO is gearing up to replicate nationally, aiming to directly empower more than
6,000 Mexican fishers by 2025.

We’ve learned several lessons in the process of developing this market-based
approach. First, systematically assess fisheries’ governance, social and
financial as well as environmental performance prior to intervening in order to
better tailor durable, equitable improvements.

Second, carefully research and if possible, test a suite of safeguards, to avoid
fuelling the fire of overfishing and or deepening inequalities. Third, it’s
crucial to avoid setting unrealistic expectations to engage partners – for
example, better prices, market access and the like. Finally, because market
leverage can be exceedingly powerful it must be wielded with precautionary care.
Too often, market forces are unleashed in fisheries where fishers lack basic
socioeconomic rights. Following a rights-based-approach to fisheries governance,
we recommend sequencing investments in small-scale fisheries, first securing
fishers’ basic socioeconomic rights, then ensuring fisheries governance is
robust before eventually intervening in fisheries markets.

To address that first point, SmartFish NGO has partnered with Ocean Outcomes,
Conservation International and Wilderness Markets to produce and pilot a Triple
Impact Fisheries Evaluation Framework (Triple Impact Framework). In contrast to
conventional, environmentally-focused fisheries improvement and certification
processes, this approach reduces the risk of unintended consequences by tackling
the ‘big three’ – social, financial and environmental – dimensions of fisheries.

As the Global Fishing Index governance ratings illustrate, many countries with
small-scale fisheries have limited management capacity. With robust safeguards
and enabling conditions in place, this triple impact approach can be used to
cautiously harness markets, empower fishers to fish more responsibly – and
encourage co-management that will strengthen governance.

Ocean Outcomes, Conservation International, and the Wildlife Conservation
Society, along with local NGO and commercial partners, are using the Triple
Impact Framework across a range of governance contexts. The Triple Impact
Framework can be found on the Small Scale Fisheries Hub Resource library and at
Ocean Outcomes.

REFERENCES

1. Hoyt Peckham and Cecilia Blasco

AUTHORS

Cecilia Blasco

Executive Director SmartFish

Cecilia Blasco is Executive Director of Smartfish Rescate de Valor, AC where she
oversees a multidisciplinary team that provides technical and entrepreneurial
assistance to artisanal fishers and seafood buyers. Founded in 2013, SmartFish’s
mission is to foster a market for sustainably caught seafood in Mexico by
catalyzing both supply and demand. Before joining SmartFish Cecilia worked at
the Mexican Fund for the Conservation of Nature for over 10 years. Cecilia is
originally from Argentina and lived in Kenya, Switzerland, and the USA before
moving to Mexico. She has a Master’s in Environmental Science from the Yale
Environmental School and a BA in geography from Dartmouth College.

Dr Hoyt Peckham

Director Small-scale Fisheries Wildlife Conservation Society

Hoyt Peckham is leading the development of WCS’ new global Small-scale Fisheries
program. Prior to this, Hoyt founded and led the The SmartFish Group to
incentivize more responsible fishing across Mexico and beyond. He holds a BA in
biology and English from Bowdoin College, a doctorate in evolutionary ecology
from the University of California at Santa Cruz, and was awarded a Pew Marine
Conservation Fellowship. Hoyt has experience as a captain, diver, fisher,
ecologist, and serial entrepreneur working in and on fisheries in Latin America,
Polynesia, the Caribbean, NW Atlantic, SE Asia and Japan, and his specialties
include responsible seafood, social enterprise, and transparency and equity in
value chains.

Jada Tullos

Small-Scale Fisheries Program Manager Wildlife Conservation Society

Jada specializes in projects integrating market-based solutions and
environmental sustainability. A graduate of Texas A&M and the Nicholas School of
the Environment at Duke University, she has worked with organizations like the
Overseas Private Investment Corporation, providing input on environmental risks
of investments, and with Kiva, giving strategic recommendations to partners as
well as performing field audits of microfinance groups in Kenya. For the past
eight years she’s led research and provided recommendations for fishery value
chain sustainable development in more than a dozen fisheries in seven countries.
At WCS she’s helping develop a global small-scale fisheries strategy that
integrates wildlife, ecosystems and people.

A group of pa aling divers crowds around a net full of fish after it has been
floated to the surface. Pa aling is a controversial Filipino fishing technique
that involves a team of divers who breathe compressed air pumped down pipes from
a boat. On the seabed the divers set up a huge net at one side of a deep sea
reef and then swim across the reef in a line from the opposite side in order to
corral fish into the net – South China Sea, Philippines. Photo Credit: Gulfu
Photography via Getty Images.
Case StudyGlobal Fishing Index

A new fisheries model: Promoting cooperation in the South China Sea

By the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue

The South China Sea represents both a potential geopolitical flashpoint and a
looming ecological disaster. The rich fishing grounds are estimated to
contribute 12 per cent [1, 2] of the global fish catch and employ more than 3.7
million people [3]. Yet there has been an alarming decline in fish stocks in the
region – with stocks fished down to a fraction of their original levels [4].

If nothing is done, this decline is predicted to continue over the coming
decades with serious implications for food security. While the exact cause of
this rapid ecological decline is still being explored, it is clear that the
ecosystem is under severe strain.

There is an ongoing struggle over which states have the right to control access
to and resources of the South China Sea. Maritime rights or sovereignty over
various features in South China Sea are asserted by a range of states including
Brunei, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam. More than a
mere dispute over resources, countries see defending their rights as essential
to protecting their national security and affirming their national honour.

Despite the rising hostilities, the interconnected nature of the South China
Sea’s fish stocks means that regional states need to work together to prevent
further decline. There have been many calls for increased cooperation, including
from the regional states themselves [5]. However, sovereignty disputes have
obstructed the development of regional institutions that could enable
cooperation.

To overcome this impasse, scientists and governments from China, Indonesia,
Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam have been meeting regularly since 2018 to
identify practical ways to work together. This process has been supported by the
Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, an independent and neutral organisation with
the mission to prevent, mitigate, and resolve violent conflict.

Early on, it became clear that the first step towards cooperation was to gain
consensus on the state of fish stocks in the region. While there was significant
expertise available, the evidence was held by each country and rarely shared –
which, in turn, kept officials from making decisions about how best to protect
and ensure the sustainability of fish stocks.

Over the course of five meetings between scientists, fisheries policy makers,
diplomats and national security officials, a plan was developed to undertake a
Common Fisheries Resource Analysis together – a voluntary, science-led and
informal process.

This process crystalised the essential role of bilateral consultation during the
cooperative process. Prior to convening participants from the five countries,
Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue first undertook detailed individual
consultation with participants from each country. This helped ensure the
meetings and overall process remained consistent with the priorities of each
country and focused on what is politically possible.

As of early 2021, scientists from the five countries have selected a focus
species (skipjack tuna, Katsuwonus pelamis), reviewed the available evidence and
selected a common stock assessment method to assess the data. Scientists are now
working within single-country groups to use this method to analyse their own
data. The results of that analysis are then shared by the scientists with the
other countries. This individual country focus and sequencing avoids countries
having to share raw data, while allowing regional scientists to leverage their
collective expertise and pool evidence to build a shared scientific consensus on
the state of fish stocks. This consensus could provide a foundation for further
cooperation by states at the official level.

The Common Fisheries Resource Analysis is a modest effort considering the scale
of the South China Sea’s environmental challenges. Still, this relatively small
step is important: the efforts are delivering scientific evidence to improve
domestic policies. By combining the analysis among the five participating
countries, fisheries policies have a stronger evidence base on which to make
policy decisions.

The process is also developing norms and standards for regional cooperation. For
example, the resource analysis process is building a group of scientists across
the region that understands the same stock assessment method. It is also
demonstrating the benefits of a regional scientific cooperation.

In an environment of low trust, the process aims to show that scientists are
willing to cooperate, and that this type of cooperation has genuine benefits to
all regional states.

Despite news headlines of hostilities, the experience of working on practical
cooperation has shown that scientists around the region are willing to work
together. Government officials are also starting to see this scientific
cooperation as an important way to protect the South China Sea’s marine
environment and build the trust necessary to ensure the South China Sea remains
peaceful.

The authors would like to acknowledge the work and dedication of the scientists,
experts and policy makers around the region that make this work possible.

REFERENCES

1. Sumaila, U.R. and Cheung, W.W.L. (2015). Boom or Bust: The Future of Fish in
the South China Sea, Living Oceans Report, ADM Capital Foundation.
https://www.admcf.org/research-reports/boom-or-bust-the-future-of-fish-in-the-south-china-sea/
[15 July 2021]

2. Pauly, D., Zeller, D. and Palomares, M.L.D. (2021). Sea Around Us Concepts,
Design and Data. https://www.seaaroundus.org [30 June 2021]

3. Funge-Smith, S., Briggs, M. and Miao, W. (2012). Regional overview of
fisheries and aquaculture in Asia and the Pacific 2012 (RAP Publication
2012/26), Asia-Pacific Fishery Commission, FAO Regional Office for Asia and the
Pacific, Bangkok, Thailand. https://www.fao.org/3/i3185e/i3185e00.htm [15 July
2021]

4. Silvestre, G.T., Garces, L.R., Stobutzki, I., Ahmed, M., Santos, R.A.V.,
Luna, C.Z. and Zhou, W. (2003). South and South-East Asian coastal fisheries:
Their status and directions for improved management: conference synopsis and
recommendations, in: Silvestre, G., Garces, L., Stobutzki, I., Ahmed, M.,
Valmonte-Santos, R.A., Luna, C., Lachica-Aliño, L., Munro, P., Christensen, V.,
Pauly, D. (Eds.). Assessment, Management and Future Directions for Coastal
Fisheries in Asian Countries, WorldFish Center Conference Proceedings, pp.
1-120. [15 July 2021]

5. See for example the ASEAN-China Declaration for a Decade of Coastal and
Marine Environmental Protection in the South China Sea (2017-2027) and
ASEAN-China Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (2002).

AUTHOR

Alex Douglas

Adviser/Project Manager, Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue

Alex Douglas currently works on a range of HD projects across Asia on peace
processes, forced migration, and communal violence. From 2013-2015, he managed
HD’s project to reduce communal violence in Myanmar. Before joining HD, Alex was
working for the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) where
he focused on humanitarian emergencies, managing natural resources and social
protection in both Australia and Indonesia. He was previously involved in
monitoring violence and elections for the Carter Center, in Nepal and Liberia.
Alex has two degrees from Flinders University in Australia, one in International
Studies and the other a Bachelor of Laws and Legal Practice.

Newsby Minderoo Foundation

DEEP-SEA MINING IS STILL A POSSIBILITY DESPITE GROWING CALLS FOR A MORATORIUM

Following a pivotal series of meetings in Jamaica in July 2023, one company is
pushing ahead with its plans to commence deep-sea mining despite no regulations
being agreed upon by the International Seabed Authority (ISA).

Tomopteris sp., belonging to a genus of deep-sea worms. Photo credit: Monterey
Bay Aquarium Research Institute.

Need a refresher on what deep-sea mining is? Read more here.

OUTCOME OF THE JULY 2023 INTERNATIONAL SEABED AUTHORITY MEETINGS

ISA member states were under pressure to finalise regulations that would allow
for deep-sea mining, after a two-year ‘deadline’ was triggered in 2021.

However, countries pushed back on the attempt to fast-track mining.

The ISA council, responsible for drafting regulations, agreed to postpone
finalising a mining code until at least 2025 due to the lack of science to show
that there would not be irreversible damage to the marine environment.

But pro-mining states pushed back in the final week of meetings, known as the
ISA Assembly and comprised of 167 member states. A proposed agenda item to
discuss the growing call for a pause in fast-tracking mining regulations was
blocked, as these pro-mining countries argued it was not in the remit of the
Assembly to discuss the matter.

As the Assembly is the supreme organ of the International Seabed Authority and
the mandate of the body is to ensure both the protection of the marine
environment and the exploitation, many nations questioned this logic.

“The Assembly should have a debate on something that is of the utmost importance
to all, protection of marine environment. It is part of the United Nations
Convention on the Law of the Sea, and we regret it is continuously blocked,”
Hervé Berville, French State Secretary for the Sea, said.

The final agreement saw the agenda item – with an additional item for discussion
about the obligatory periodic review of the International Seabed Authority’s
operations – be revisited in the 2024 meetings.

Disappointed at the outcome, deep-sea mining aspirant The Metals Company
announced it would submit an application to mine from July 2024 whether there
are mining regulations in place or not. [1]

WHAT’S AT STAKE

Four billion years of life has evolved in the ocean, three times longer than on
land. Ocean life makes life on earth possible, regulating our climate, providing
much of the air we breathe, and generating vital food sources for billions of
people.

The deep ocean may also hold the key to advancing medical science, as a
potential source of beneficial molecules that could be used for antibiotics.
Enzymes found in bacteria living around deep-sea hydrothermal vents are already
used in tests for the COVID-19 virus. [2]

Yet we live in surprising ignorance of the deep ocean, particularly the
creatures living in the deepest parts of our ocean and seabed, at depths of more
than 10km below the surface.

An estimated 2.2 million species call our ocean home and only 10 per cent of
these have been discovered and named to date. Each year 2,300 species are found,
a figure that hasn’t changed significantly since the 1800s. [3]

Without proper regulations, deep-sea mining could wipe out these marine species.

WHAT’S NEXT

A growing number of global businesses and financers are indicating that, by the
time rare-earth metals are collected from the deep sea, there might not be a
market for them. [4] The global seafood sector, and 37 global financial
institutions, representing over €3.3 trillion of combined assets, are also
urging governments to not let deep-sea mining go ahead.

Twenty-one countries – including Fiji, Palau, Vanuatu, France and Chile – have
called for a pause, moratorium or ban on deep-sea mining until more scientific
knowledge of its impacts and the protection of the marine environment can be
guaranteed.

To ensure deep-sea mining is not fast-tracked, more countries need to attend the
ISA Assembly and have an honest conversation about a precautionary pause.

Further, more countries must announce a ban, precautionary pause, or a
moratorium on deep-sea mining.

You can call on your country to stand up for our oceans.

1. Source: The Metals Co. release:
https://investors.metals.co/news-releases/news-release-details/tmc-announces-corporate-update-expected-timeline-application/

2. Source: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution:
https://www.whoi.edu/oceanus/feature/finding-answers-in-the-ocean/

3. Source: Ocean Census: https://oceancensus.org/

4. Source: Finance for Biodiversity:
https://www.financeforbiodiversity.org/wp-content/uploads/Global-Financial-Institutions-Statement-to-Governments-on-Deep-Seabed-Mining_FfB-Foundation_19July2023.pdf

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WHY DEEP-SEA MINING IS NOT THE SOLUTION FOR CRITICAL METALS IN THE GREEN ECONOMY

The world is racing towards a “green economy”. An economy powered by renewable
energy technologies such as electric vehicles, wind turbines and solar panels to
reverse the effects of climate change and preserve this beautiful earth we call
home.

Gyrinomimis sp. swimming in the deep ocean. Photo credit: Monterey Bay Aquarium
Research Institute.

The transition to a low-carbon economy has led to a surge in demand for critical
metals like cobalt, nickel, and copper, currently used in products such as
batteries, wind turbines and solar panels to generate renewable energy.

Until now, the metals to power our transition to a green economy have been
sourced from land, but some would have us now believe that we also need to
exploit the pristine wilderness of the deep sea.

Supporters of deep-sea mining argue that extracting these metals from ancient
geological features on the ocean floor could provide a new source of raw
materials for the green economy.

Emerging research argues however, that deep-sea mining is unnecessary and
potentially harmful to our environment and that there are alternative ways to
meet the demand for critical metals.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS

It is essential to acknowledge that the full environmental impacts of deep-sea
mining are unknown. The ocean floor is a complex and fragile ecosystem that
hosts many species, many of which are undiscovered.

Deep-sea mining involves disturbing the seafloor and releasing sediment into the
water, which could harm or destroy habitats and lead to the extinction of
species.

The long-term effects of deep-sea mining are still poorly understood, and the
damage caused could be irreversible.

A CIRCULAR ECONOMY

There is growing recognition that recycling and circular economy approaches
could help to reduce the demand for new sources of critical metals.

Recycling reduces the need for mining, reduces waste, and conserves resources.
The recycling rates for many critical metals are currently low, and there is
significant potential for improvement with more research and investment.

LAND-BASED MINING

Many countries have significant reserves of critical metals on land and the
potential for further discovery and development. In addition, land-based mining
has a growing focus on responsible mining practices, prioritising environmental
protection, social responsibility, and transparency.

By improving land-based mining operations, we can minimise the environmental
impacts of resource extraction on land and remove the need to start mining in
the deep sea.

ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGY

We must rely on more than current technology for the long term. As part of
switching to a green economy, there needs to be a heavy focus on research and
development toward alternative technologies that are more sustainable and do not
rely on these critical metals.

The demand for critical metals is increasing as the world transitions towards a
low-carbon economy; however, deep-sea mining is not the solution for critical
metals. The potential environmental risks and uncertainties associated with
deep-sea mining make it an unacceptable option.

We must focus on improving recycling rates, developing circular economy
approaches, promoting responsible and efficient land-based mining practices, and
exploring new and emerging technologies that reduce the demand for critical
metals. By doing so, we can ensure that we meet the needs of the future in a way
that is sustainable and environmentally responsible.

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WOULD YOU LIKE A SIDE OF PLASTICS WITH THAT?

by Minderoo’s chief scientist, Dr Tony Worby.

Here’s some food for thought - Plastic is in the air we breathe, the water we
drink, and the food we eat. Which means it’s also in us.

From the hazardous chemicals unknowingly affecting our health to microplastics
saturating our environment, plastic pollution and its impacts will only worsen
if left unchecked.

Plastic pollution begins at the source – the production process. Almost every
piece of plastic is derived from fossil fuels like oil and gas, which generate
greenhouse gas emissions that drive climate change. Once plastic is made, it
virtually never goes away, with nearly all the plastic ever produced still
existing somewhere on the planet.

And while plastic pollution in our environment is a significant problem, it is
much more than just an issue of waste management or recycling. It extends to the
hazardous chemicals that can be present in plastics, permeating our daily
routines and unknowingly affecting our health.

From the moment food is put in shiny plastic containers, toxic chemicals can
leach into our food, posing a direct threat to our well-being. Even after
disposal, discarded plastic can continue to wreak havoc, breaking down into
smaller, harder-to-manage pieces that infiltrate our soil and oceans, further
exacerbating the problem.

The forecasted growth in plastic is alarming, with projections indicating
plastic waste is on track to almost triple by 2060. Equally concerning is the
sheer number of chemicals in plastics, estimated at around 16,000 chemicals,
with at least 4,200 of those chemicals considered to be highly hazardous to
human health and the environment.

Many chemicals and additives used to produce plastics are known for their
ability to interfere with our hormones and immune functions. Across their life
cycle, they have been linked to increased risk of serious health issues,
including premature births, neurodevelopmental disorders, infertility, obesity,
heart diseases, and various forms of cancer.

These hazardous substances can infiltrate our bodies through everyday exposures,
like the packaging of our favourite takeaway curries, shedding off our sweaty
activewear and into our lungs, and even tap and bottled water consumption,
underscoring the urgent need for action.

Plastic pollution does not belong in our bodies or the environment. Current
regulations fall short in curbing toxic chemical use, emphasising the need for
stricter policies and consumer advocacy.

To help tackle these pressing issues, Minderoo is calling for a legally binding
Global Plastics Treaty, which includes three key asks:

1. Reduction of virgin fossil fuel-based plastic production.
2. Removal of harmful chemicals in plastics.
3. Creation of a scientific advisory body to guide treaty implementation and
adaptation.

While the scale of the plastic pollution problem may seem overwhelming,
individuals can take meaningful action to reduce their plastic footprint.
Minderoo has produced an evidence-based mini ebook, "7 Ways to Reduce Your
Exposure to Toxic Chemicals in Everyday Plastics," as a resource for individuals
looking to make a difference.

With its pervasive presence in our lives and its potential to impact human
health, we must reduce the unchecked growth of virgin fossil fuel-based plastic
and use of harmful chemicals. By taking decisive steps to reduce our plastic
consumption and advocate for change, we can safeguard our health and the
well-being of future generations.

Download our ebook

7 ways to reduce your exposure to toxic chemicals in everyday plastics, based on
evidence vetted by our scientists.

Download now

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BETTY OSEI BONSU IS MY NAME; THIS IS MY PLASTIC TOXIC STORY

From a young age, I witnessed plastics being buried and burnt, I saw it
disappear, and my mother confirmed it. Yet, 26 years later, tests reveal these
same plastics are in my body. Where did it come from? Oh, how can I forget? I
sleep in it, eat and drink from it, and at times consume it unknowingly. To make
matters worse, a harsh reality persists that from the production and trade of
these plastics, the rich grow richer, the poor poorer, and we all grow sicker.
Ladies and gentlemen this is my plastic toxic story.

My travels across Africa and firsthand experience shed further light on the
effect of plastic waste. In Kenya, a school situated near the Dandora landfill
and plagued by illegal dumping and mismanaged waste was forced to close due to a
surge in health problems among the students (link).

In Uganda, I witnessed over a hundred waste pickers toiling under deadly
conditions in West Africa’s largest landfill Kiteezi for daily sustenance
(link).

In Mali, some communities live on the top of waste dumps, suffering from poor
water quality due to groundwater contamination (link).

Meanwhile, in Ghana, fishermen catch plastic as fish (link) but amidst this
crisis, the country still imports 2.58 million tonnes of plastic every year
(Ghana Business News (link)).

These observations underscore the urgent need for coordinated action, reinforced
by my own Plastic Tox Test results a global Campaign by Minderoo Foundation.

This test empowers one with the knowledge to reduce toxic exposures and embark
on a detox journey towards a healthier lifestyle. It’s tested using one’s urine
for plastic chemicals including bisphenol, paraben, phthalate and oxybenzone. My
results came out in concentrations of MEDIUM as compared to other Million Marker
users and national data. These chemicals were the few out of the 13,000
identified by UNEP as associated with plastics and plastic production. What
other evidence do you need? This is an urgent call to action to ban toxic
chemicals in all virgin and recycled plastics, including additives and
transition to a toxic-free and sustainable circular economy.

As part of the solution, I was advised against using fragrance products
including personal care products, cleaning products, air fresheners, perfumes,
candles, etc.
But then ladies and gentlemen, I don’t want to walk in this room smelling. This
means my action to smell is not enough but should be a joint effort. But if we
don’t want to smell then we all here have to make our stance on the global
plastics treaty to ensure strong regulations on the plastic waste trade, set
mandatory targets to cap and dramatically reduce virgin plastic production and
provide sustainable alternative solutions to plastic packaging.

In addition to these demands, CSO/NGOs, coalitions and youth are demanding a
Global Plastics Treaty that:

* would hold polluting corporations and plastic-producing countries accountable
* presents a vital opportunity to move away from the existing linear
take-make-waste packaging economy and enable the flow of financial resources
* legally binding, time-bound, and ambitious targets to implement and scale up
reuse and refill to accelerate the transition away from single-use plastics
* provides a just transition to safer and more sustainable livelihoods for
workers and communities across the plastics supply chain, including those in
the informal waste sector; and addresses the needs of frontline communities
affected by plastic production, incineration, and open burning.

These demands showcase the commitment of grassroots organisations like the Green
Africa Youth to environmental sustainability and community development. Through
our efforts to promote social inclusion and foster youth participation, we are
creating equitable policies and promoting generational sustainability. This is
done through our projects like the Youth Climate Councils and Zero Waste Cities
at local and global stages. While the world can draw valuable lessons from these
actions, there remains much to be done. We further demand the enhancement of
youth capabilities to empower them to negotiate for a future that is fairer,
more equitable and free from plastics.

I proceeded to discuss the findings of my plastic test with family and friends,
but they were surprised and questioned the possibility of such results (about
95% of them). Their doubt underscores that developing a Global Plastics Treaty
on its own is insufficient; we must also commit to educating grassroots
communities about the impact of plastics to truly effect change. The plastic
crisis is a toxic crisis, impacting everyone from the elderly to the young and
even future generations. After discovering these toxins in my own body, the
question isn't whether I should advocate for a robust and effective global
treaty, but why are we not all doing so? These contaminants are not just in me;
they are in all of us, from the oceans to our meals. Ladies and gentlemen, a
comprehensive and equitable global plastics treaty isn’t just a need; it’s a
birthright.

Betty Osei Bonsu is my name. This is my plastic toxic story.

RELATED NEWS

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WILL THE BUDGET BREAK NORMS, SHIFT HARMS AND BE EMPOWERING RATHER THAN JUST
“GOOD” FOR WOMEN?

by Minderoo’s Executive Director of Gender Equality, Jacqueline Joudo Larsen.

Demonstrators take part in a national rally against violence against women in
the central business district of Sydney. Photo credit: Lisa Maree Williams /
Getty Images.

Australia's federal budget landed on Tuesday. But is it enough?

There were some clear wins for gender equality, including:

* Over $2 billion for domestic and family violence support, including increased
spend in crisis and transitional accommodation and investment in perpetration
research.
* $6.5 million to tackle extreme misogyny online, a known precursor to physical
violence and protagonist of anti-feminist behaviours.
* A commitment (but no funding) to increase the wages of care workers – one of
Australia’s most important and demanding professions, which is largely done
by women – and $1.1 billion for superannuation on paid parental leave.
* $56.1m into women’s health issues that have been largely underfunded.

Gender equality fosters stronger, more resilient and more prosperous societies.
It is not only the right thing to do but also a key driver of sustainable
development and economic growth. If rigid gender norms in Australia were
addressed, an extra $128 billion could be added to our economy each year.
Meanwhile, a failure to act decisively to address gender-based violence costs
the Australian government an estimated $26 billion annually.

With this in mind, will this budget break norms, shift harms and be empowering
rather than just “good” for women? It’s a healthy step toward cementing critical
progress but falls far short of the challenge we face.

* The activity test, a significant barrier to children receiving early years
support and women seeking employment, still stands.
* Paid parental leave is yet to meet comparable OECD standards.
* While a pay increase for care workers is desperately overdue, the entire care
economy needs more if we are to truly improve well-being, and value those who
underpin our society.
* Violence in Australia is an epidemic – investing significantly in prevention
is as critical as investing in the crisis response (which also needs more).
* While it’s a human right, not all Australians have access to – or are even
guaranteed – safe housing and freedom from violence.

In the last 12 months Australia has been spoilt with strategies, plans and
appointments that, with the right support, will tackle the most hardwired social
norms and inequities with conviction and integrity. To “invest in the promise
and potential of the more prosperous future” the Treasurer spoke of, we need
more than “good for women”, we need “game-changing for equality” and we need it
now.

Stay up to date on our gender equality work by signing up to our Online
Community at the top of the page.

Join the community

Stay up to date on the latest from Minderoo and our gender equality work by
signing up to our e-news here.

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MINDEROO AND STATE GOVERNMENT COMMIT $34.6M BOOST TO EARLY YEARS PARTNERSHIP

By Minderoo Foundation's Communities Executive Director, Penny Dakin.

Children and parents in Pandanus Park near Derby will benefit from the
partnership. Photo credit: Emma Dolzadelli.

Think back on your early childhood – what experiences and circumstances shaped
who you are?

If you were fortunate to have a childhood within a family and community that
could provide you with positive influences, then you got the best possible start
in life, shaped by experiences that will always be with you.

But consider the impact that adversity and disadvantage can have on a child,
especially in the early years. Children who miss out on positive learning
experiences within their families and communities can fall behind in education.
And children who experience adversity can suffer lifelong health impacts.

Improving the early years can positively influence the trajectory of a person’s
life, and it’s also a crucial part of strengthening families and cohesive
communities.

This is why Minderoo Foundation has placed improving the early years at the core
of our strategy to empower Australian families and communities through
place-based programs.

This work is already underway through the Early Years Partnership (EYP) – a
unique, ten-year partnership between the state government of Western Australia
and Minderoo Foundation.

This partnership strives to improve the development, health and learning of
children aged 0-4 years across partner communities in Armadale West, Central
Great Southern, Derby and Bidyadanga.

The EYP encourages using innovative new methods of solving long-standing
problems and is underpinned by world leading research led by the Telethon Kids
Institute in order to find out what works.

Codesign and collaboration is at the heart of the EYP. The communities
themselves are empowered to create Community Plans for projects that will help
benefit their children, their families and their entire community.

With each of these Community Plans now ready, it’s time to accelerate.

The state government and Minderoo are together committing an additional $34.6
million dollars to ensure the EYP’s impact is deepened.

$15.6 million in Cook government funding will support the 10-year-partnership,
while Minderoo will provide $19 million for continued investment in the critical
stages of child development.

The EYP communities have identified 24 projects that will be tackled as a
priority, including:

* construction of an Early Learning and Family Centre (Derby)
* additional support for child dental health services (Central Great Southern)
* increased Child and Maternal Health Checks (Armadale West and Derby)
* improved maternal Child and Child Health data access (Armadale)

Our Co-Founder, Nicola Forrest AO, said the budget boost would also help deliver
improved access to early learning, support early identification and intervention
of developmental delay, and provide critical family supports to enable
children’s development and school readiness.;

“Minderoo has a core focus on community-led, placed-based approaches to uplift
child and community wellbeing and we congratulate the state government on having
the conviction to co-fund and the courage to trial innovative solutions that can
circuit break cycles of intergenerational disadvantage. This firm commitment
will enable the Early Years Partnership to have real, lasting impact on children
and families in WA and beyond,” she said.

How you start can determine how you go in life, and for Minderoo this increased
investment in the EYP is just the beginning. Because what we are helping to
create in the EYP communities could help make changes in other WA communities,
and beyond.

RELATED NEWS

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THE LEEUWIN OCEAN ADVENTURE FOUNDATION EMERGES FROM VOLUNTARY ADMINISTRATION
WITH STRONG COMMUNITY BACKING

The community of Western Australia has united in support for the State’s iconic
tall ship, STS Leeuwin II (Leeuwin).

Minderoo Foundation Chair and Co-Founder, Dr Andrew Forrest AO & the STS Leeuwin
II.

The largest sail-training ship of its kind in Australia, the Leeuwin is owned
and operated by the registered charity, Leeuwin Ocean Adventure Foundation
(LOAF), which today announced it had come out of voluntary administration.

Minderoo Foundation, through a $3.5 million grant, along with partners the
Department of Communities, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional
Development and Fremantle Ports will support the Leeuwin to stay afloat.

Minderoo Foundation Chair and Co-Founder, Dr Andrew Forrest AO, said: “It is
wonderful to see the Leeuwin set free and sailing into the future. We want to
see this incredible organisation continue to provide benefits to all West
Australians including young people.

“The Leeuwin not only provides young West Australians with the opportunity to
develop and demonstrate leadership, courage and resilience, it forges a deep
appreciation of the ocean. That’s why we are providing support to stabilise
operations and calling on others to lean in and do the same.”

The Leeuwin is a working ship and since 1986 has provided sailing adventures for
more than 40,000 people. All participants become part of the ship’s team,
including sailing, steering, navigating, cleaning the ship and even climbing the
mast.

“Young Western Australians, and indeed people from around the world, have
enjoyed a life-changing stint on the Leeuwin and we feel it’s important that
experience remains accessible for future generations,” Minderoo Foundation
Co-Founder Nicola Forrest AO said.

“It is a State treasure which needs the continued support of the corporate and
philanthropic community to continue to make a difference.”

To support the LOAF moving forward, a new board of directors will be appointed,
led by new Chairperson Jay Weatherill AO, the former Premier of South Australia.

LOAF chief executive Annette Harwood thanked her staff, volunteers and partners
for continuing to support LOAF.

“I would like to acknowledge our dedicated team at Leeuwin for their hard work
and commitment to successfully relaunching the voyages we offer,” Ms Harwood
said. “Our incredible volunteers serve as fantastic role models for the
community and selflessly give up their time to provide young people with this
incredible experience.

“Thanks to our partners, we now have an opportunity to explore new ways to
engage young people and provide them with memorable experiences that they can
carry into the future, and do this in a sustainable manner.”

Fremantle Ports manager of communications and community Neil Stanbury said his
organisation had been a proud major sponsor of the LOAF for many years.

“We recognise and value how the organisation supports and provides a
life-changing experience for young people, building resilience and boosting
their employability and opportunities for the future,” he said. “As part of our
sponsorship commitment, STS Leeuwin II is proudly berthed on Victoria Quay and
is a wonderful tourist attraction.”

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MINDEROO FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES NEW PARTNERSHIP TO SUPPORT THE DEMINING OF UKRAINE
FARMLAND

Minderoo Foundation Chairman Dr Andrew Forrest with Ukraine’s Ambassador to
Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko.

The announcement comes as the world marked the grim second anniversary of the
war in Ukraine, with Minderoo Foundation being the first philanthropic partner
to support the World Food Programme’s (WFP) food system project with a de-mining
component - a joint project with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations (FAO). The project was initially funded by Croatia, the Czech
Republic, the European Union, Finland, France, Norway, Poland, and the Ukraine
Humanitarian Fund (UHF).

The Ukraine de-mining program uses satellite imagery to map out mined land, then
dispatches specialised teams to survey and clear it – prioritising productive
areas that can be quickly and safely restored. The program will prioritise rural
communities and farmers in Mykolaiv and Kharkiv oblasts who can no longer
cultivate land due to suspected or confirmed contamination. Minderoo’s $5
million will contribute to the program, supporting approximately 4,900
households and over 12,200 people with explosive ordinance risk training.

Minderoo Foundation Chair and Founder, Dr Andrew Forrest AO, said nearly 1
million people in Ukraine’s agricultural sector had lost their livelihoods as a
result of the conflict and were unable to return to their land until it is safe.

“Coming from a long line of farmers and pastoralists, my family and I know how
important it is for the people to get back on their land and do what they do
best,” Dr Forrest said. “Ukraine’s agricultural sector is vital to global food
supply and is the largest supplier of wheat for WFP’s famine relief programs,
meaning the resumption of farming is critical for many people around the globe.”

Prior to today’s announcement, Minderoo Foundation had committed just under $14
million in critical aid to the people of Ukraine, including projects to enhance
food and energy security as well as the protection and development of the
children of Ukraine.

Minderoo Foundation Co-Chair and Founder, Nicola Forrest AO, said Ukraine was
now the most heavily mined country in the world, ahead of Afghanistan and Syria.

“An area two-and-a-half times the size of Tasmania is now estimated to be
contaminated with deadly land mines and unexploded ordinance – or 25 per cent of
Ukraine’s landmass,” Mrs Forrest said. “A large portion of these landmines are
in prime agricultural land whose continued presence is a hindrance to
investment, food security, and an endangerment to human life. Minderoo’s support
will save lives and livelihoods.”

Ukraine’s Ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, thanked Minderoo
Foundation for its support and urged other donors to assist Ukraine in her hour
of need.

“Assistance should not be exclusively in the realm of foreign aid or
governments. Philanthropy and business have a key part to play in the Ukraine
recovery,” Ambassador Myroshnychenko said.

“This is the kind of thing which citizens around the world can do. Minderoo
Foundation is setting an example; we need other citizens and organisations to
follow.”

ABOUT MINDEROO’S UKRAINE SUPPORT

Minderoo Foundation has now committed just shy of AUD$20 million in critical aid
to the people of Ukraine. Some of the projects funded include:

* Minderoo Foundation provided a grant of just under AUD$2 million to the
United Nations World Food Programme to enable the chartering of a bulk
carrier vessel to enter Ukraine’s to deliver a shipment of 23,000 metric tons
of wheat grain to WFP’s humanitarian response in the Horn of Africa.
Minderoo’s support helped feed 192,600 beneficiaries in Ethiopia and acted as
a catalyst for broader grain shipments.
* Minderoo Foundation provided AUD$4.57 million towards grain storage for
Ukraine farmers. This funding covered the procurement, delivery, and
distribution to Ukrainian farmers of grain storage sleeves, loading machinery
and modular grain storage. More than 29,000 grain sleeves have now been
distributed to over 1,600 farmers throughout Ukraine with 244 modular storage
units to be distributed in 2024.
* Following a request from the Ukrainian Government, Minderoo Foundation
procured 169 generators which were delivered to the Ukrainian State Emergency
Service. The generators (worth AUD$3.2 million) were donated to support the
‘Points of Invincibility’ project to provide warmth, food and water for
Ukrainians impacted by power outages.
* Minderoo Foundation provided AUD$1.67 million towards the construction of 14
houses for large foster families who have lost their homes from the war, in
partnership with the Olena Zelenska Foundation (Foundation of the First Lady
of Ukraine) on their ‘Room for Childhood’ project for foster families.
* Minderoo Foundation is working with our partner, International Step by Step
Association, to support thousands of children with shelter and ECD service
delivery hubs for and families and equipping and training educators to
support children with trauma.

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WOODSIDE, WHALES AND THE IMMINENT DANGER OF NEW FOSSIL FUEL PROJECTS

DR TONY WORBY, CHIEF SCIENTIST, MINDEROO FOUNDATION

Photo credit: Philip Thurston via Getty Images.

Before Woodside can extract gas from Scarborough, the company uses seismic
blasting to detect gas deposits, releasing soundwaves to the bottom of the ocean
every 8-15 seconds for up to 80 days.

MONITORING MARINE LIFE – OUR OCEAN WORK

Seismic blasting operations use sound pulses directed at the sea floor, which
are some of the loudest man-made noises in the oceans [1]. Sound is vital for
whales and dolphins: this is their primary sense when living in a vast and dark
ocean. They use it to navigate, search for prey and communicate with each other
[2].

Woodside’s seismic blasting activity on the West Australian Northwest Shelf
occurs in an important migratory habitat for pygmy blue whales (Balaenoptera
musculus brevicauda) – an endangered species that needs our protection.

Pygmy blue whales communicate at low frequencies, so the noise from offshore gas
operations has the potential to mask the sounds they need to communicate with
each other. It can also mask other natural sounds in the ocean that these whales
rely on for navigation [3].

Our scientists, alongside many experts in marine science, are concerned about
the short-term, long-term and cumulative effects on marine life of seismic
blasting [4] [5].

So, while Woodside blasted, our team carried out its own passive acoustic
monitoring, an inexpensive and effective way of observing the presence and
distribution of marine mammals.

Minderoo’s scientists also carried out sampling of environmental DNA to detect
what, if any, rare or threatened species were present around the area where
Woodside was blasting. These samples are currently being analysed.

THE HUMAN IMPACT – LETHAL HUMIDITY

The seismic blasting kicked off just as global leaders at COP28 agreed we must
move away from fossil fuels [6].

Woodside’s activities are emblematic of the broader fossil fuel industry’s
impact on climate change. This connects not only to the immediate concerns about
marine life but also to the far-reaching effects, such as lethal humidity,
caused by rising global temperatures.

Over its total lifetime, the cumulative emissions of the Burrup Hub (of which
the Scarborough project is part) could soar to 13 times Australia’s annual
carbon output [7].

The 2023 report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
revealed one of the greatest dangers posed by 1.5C warming was rising humidity
and heat [8].

Data from NASA shows a concerning trend: for every degree the planet heats up,
humidity rises by about 7 per cent, as water evaporates from our oceans and
waterways [9] [10].

In dry heat, the upper limit of human survival is around 54C, however, with high
humidity, our bodies can go into heatstroke from as low as 31-35C. That’s
because, with high humidity and heat, our sweat can no longer effectively cool
our bodies, causing our core temperature to rise [11] [12].

Source [12].

Soaring humidity paired with high temperatures is not something we’re built to
handle for long stretches.

Lethal humidity isn’t a small problem, either. Regions such as India, China, the
United States, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Mexico, parts of Australia, and
various parts of South America, Africa, Asia and Europe are all facing increased
vulnerability [8].

The takeaway? The threat of humidity and rising temperatures isn’t some distant
future scenario. It’s here, demanding our attention and swift action right now
[8].

That’s why Dr Forrest, our Chairman, is spearheading immediate action by
convening a global council focused on addressing lethal humidity and heat. His
resolve includes taking the fight to his global business peers at the World
Economic Forum meeting later this month.

MINDEROO’S COMMITMENT TO OCEANS

These research activities align with one of our three core focus areas – Oceans.
We work to ensure human activities in the ocean are ethical, sustainable and do
not compromise the health of marine environments. We want to preserve
biodiversity for future generations to enjoy – and ensure we understand and
mitigate the impacts of climate change.

REFERENCES

* 1.Gordon, Jonathan, Douglas Gillespie, John Potter, Alexandros Frantzis, Mark
P. Simmonds, René Swift and David Thompson. “A review of the effects of
seismic surveys on marine mammals.” Marine Technology Society Journal 37, no.
4 (2003): 16-34.
* Cummings, Jim and Natalie Brandon. “Sonic impact: a precautionary assessment
of noise pollution from ocean seismic surveys.” Accessed online April 24
(2004): 2009.
* Gisiner, Robert C. “Sound and marine seismic surveys.” Acoust. Today 12, no.
4 (2016): 10-18.
* Richardson, W. John, Charles R. Greene Jr, Charles I. Malme, and Denis H.
Thomson. Marine mammals and noise. Academic press, 2013.

* 2.Richardson, W. John, Charles R. Greene Jr, Charles I. Malme, and Denis H.
Thomson. Marine mammals and noise. Academic press, 2013.
* Tyack, Peter L., and Edward H. Miller. “Vocal anatomy, acoustic communication
and echolocation.” Marine mammal biology: An evolutionary approach 59 (2002):
142-84.
* Brownell Jr, Robert L., Douglas P. Nowacek, and Katherine Ralls. “Hunting
cetaceans with sounds: a worldwide review.” Journal of Cetacean Research and
Management (2008).
* Fenton, Brock, Frants H. Jensen, Elisabeth KV Kalko, and Peter L. Tyack.
“Sonar signals of bats and toothed whales.” Biosonar (2014): 11-59.

* 3.“Conservation Management Plan for the Blue Whale—A Recovery Plan under the
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, Commonwealth
of Australia 2015”.
* Hildebrand JA (2009) Anthropogenic and natural sources of ambient noise in
the ocean. Marine Ecology Progress Series 395:5–20.
* Nowacek DP, Thorne LH, Johnston DW, Tyack PL (2007) Responses of cetaceans to
anthropogenic noise. Mammal Review 37:81–115.
* Southall B, Bowles A, Ellison W, Finneran J, Gentry R, Greene C, Kastak D,
Ketten D, Miller J, Nachtigall P, Richardson J, Thomas J, Tyack P (2007)
Marine mammal noise exposure criteria: initial scientific recommendations.
Aquatic Mammals 33:437–445.

4. Australian Parliamentary Report (June 2021)
https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Environment_and_Communications/SeismicTesting/Report

5. Conversation by University of Tasmania (Sep 2023)
https://theconversation.com/whales-stop-singing-and-rock-lobsters-lose-their-balance-how-seismic-surveys-can-harm-marine-life-211207

6. United Nations Climate Change (Dec 2023)
https://unfccc.int/news/cop28-agreement-signals-beginning-of-the-end-of-the-fossil-fuel-era

7. The Guardian (Nov 2023)
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/nov/27/burrup-hub-gas-project-woodside-energy-research

8. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) (2023) Synthesis Report IPCC
Synthesis Report 2023

9. Humidity refers to “absolute humidity", the actual amount of water vapour in
the air.

10. NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (2022) Steamy Relationships: How Atmospheric
Water Vapor Amplifies Earth’s Greenhouse Effect
https://climate.nasa.gov/explore/ask-nasa-climate/3143/steamy-relationships-how-atmospheric-water-vapor-amplifies-earths-greenhouse-effect/

11. Pennsylvania State University (2022) Humans can’t endure temperatures and
humidities as high as previously thought
https://www.psu.edu/news/research/story/humans-cant-endure-temperatures-and-humidities-high-previously-thought/

12. Vanos et al (2023) A physiological approach for assessing human
survivability and liveability to heat in changing climate. Nature
Communications. (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-43121-5)

RELATED NEWS

Newsby Minderoo Foundation

VANUATU BECOMES FIRST IN THE PACIFIC TO SET A PATH TOWARDS CERVICAL CANCER
ELIMINATION

Women in Vanuatu will have access to lifesaving cervical cancer screening,
vaccination and treatment, thanks to a transformational program launched
yesterday in Port Vila that is being rolled out across the archipelago nation.

At the Vanuatu launch, clinic visit in Port Vila. Pictured are a mixture of
multiple organisations that support ECCWP including; in-country ECCWP Vanuatu
team, Vanuatu Family Health Association, C4 partners, Cepheid and Minderoo
Foundation. Photo credit: Kirby Institute.

The Eliminating Cervical Cancer in the Western Pacific (ECCWP) program in
Vanuatu – where women are seven times more likely to die from cervical cancer
than those in Australia – is a collaboration with the Vanuatu Ministry of
Health, Vanuatu Family Health Association and Australian organisations including
the Daffodil Centre (a joint venture between Cancer Council NSW and The
University of Sydney), the Kirby Institute UNSW Sydney, the Australian Centre
for Cervical Cancer Prevention, and Family Planning Australia.

The program has been made possible by investment from Minderoo Foundation and
other funding partners and is on track to prevent cervical cancer and deaths
from cervical cancer in Vanuatu.

More than 5,000 women have so far been screened for HPV, or human
papillomavirus, which causes most cervical cancers. A further 25,000 women are
due to benefit from a cervical cancer screening program that involves same day
screening and treatment.

Thanks to a range of initiatives, the Vanuatu government declared yesterday that
it would be the first nation in the Pacific to commit to a national strategy for
the elimination of cervical cancer.

The Hon Leonard Joshua Pikioune, Minister of Health, said, “In Vanuatu, cervical
cancer is the second most common cancer amongst women. Every year we have women
who have lost their lives and the number is increasing every year. Today we are
proud that Vanuatu is the first country in the Pacific to commit to the
elimination of cervical cancer.”

Until now, vaccination, screening and treatment for cervical cancer have not
been widely implemented across the Pacific. The World Health Organization has
put forward coverage targets to be achieved by 2030 that will set all countries
firmly on a path towards the elimination of cervical cancer: to vaccinate 90 per
cent of girls against HPV before age 15; HPV-based screening for 70 per cent of
women at age 35 and again at 45; and ensure that 90 per cent of women diagnosed
with cervical pre-cancer and cancer are treated.

Dr Margaret Tarere, an obstetrician gynaecologist at Vila Central Hospital, said
that cervical cancer screening and vaccination delivered through the program is
improving the outcomes and experiences of women in Vanuatu.

“HPV screening has a lot of positive impacts in terms of patient satisfaction of
awareness and their health seeking behaviours, knowing that they are free from
the virus. It means that positive cases can be treated in a timely manner,
preventing them from developing cervical cancer and at the same time preventing
the financial, social, psychosocial burden on their families, their community
and Vanuatu as a whole,” Dr Tarere said.

Professor Andrew Vallely, Head of Global Reproductive Health at the Kirby
Institute, said that the national strategy will save lives.

“We congratulate the Vanuatu Ministry of Health on leading the Pacific region
with their commitment to the elimination of cervical cancer,” Prof Vallely said.

“Cervical cancer remains one of the most common causes of death among women in
our region. Through the ECCWP program, we are thrilled to support Vanuatu’s
cervical cancer elimination strategy and the tremendous leadership and vision of
the Vanuatu Ministry of Health. It is truly a privilege to be part of this
landmark endeavour.”

Dr Boniface Damutalau, gynaecologist and obstetrician at Vila Central Hospital,
added that the screening programs for cervical cancer in Vanuatu were vital in
helping communities without the resources or infrastructure to access screening
and treatment.

“Without cervical cancer screening, the only time you know there is a problem
with cervical cancer is once it is too late, advanced disease. In the early
stages of cervical cancer, you don’t have any symptoms or signs, the only way
you can diagnose it is through screening,” he said.

“This project is a big relief. Not only can we provide screening for
age-eligible women across Vanuatu through a combination of fixed clinics and
outreach, but we also don’t have to wait for results. We can treat those who
test positive for cancer-causing HPV types immediately on the same day. With
population spread over 69 inhabited islands, this is important,” Dr Damutalau
said.

Florina, a Port Vila woman, shared her experience of receiving the screening and
treatment as part of the program at Vila Central Hospital.

“As a single mother, I am very grateful that I get to find out earlier so that I
can get treatment in time and I can spend time with kids; see them grow in the
future as some of them are still really small. I believe that if we do not come
forward to get tested, we may not live as long as we could have, so I think that
it is really good that we have this easy access to check up on our health.”

Tess Howard, Head of Cancer Prevention at Minderoo Foundation, highlighted the
potential for the collaborative approach applied in Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea
as part of the ECCWP to be used in other nations where women are suffering from
cervical cancer.

“Global issues need global support to achieve true impact. When philanthropy,
industry, researchers, community organisations and governments come together, we
have the power to advance lasting change for a fairer future for women and their
families in the Western Pacific,” Ms Howard said.

Minderoo Foundation’s investment is bolstered by donations of equipment and
consumables from Cepheid and Copan.

Eliminating Cervical Cancer in the Western Pacific Highlights:

Newsby Minderoo Foundation

NATIONAL CAMPAIGN ‘UNCLOUD’ LAUNCHES TO EMPOWER CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE TO SAY
NO TO VAPING

A new national campaign aims to empower Australian children and young people to
say no to vaping and prevent the addiction of new smokers.

Young people featured in the Uncloud campaign with lived experience on vaping.
Photo credit: UNCLOUD/Stephen Dupont.

“UNCLOUD – See vaping for what it is” officially launched today and focuses on
young Australians aged 14-25.

Supported by Minderoo Foundation, UNCLOUD delivers fact-based information in a
peer-to-peer tone of voice via a dedicated website www.uncloud.org. Together
with stories of young people’s real experiences shared on social media and
across digital platforms, UNCLOUD aims to inspire others to share their warnings
about vaping and say “no” to vapes in the first place.

Professor Claire Wakefield, Director of Minderoo Foundation’s Cancer Mission
said that with more than half a million young Australians now vaping every day,
urgent action was needed.

“UNCLOUD is about coming together to have a national conversation about the
impact of vaping on children and young people, led by young people themselves,”
Professor Wakefield said.

The UNCLOUD campaign is informed by several research studies, including
Generation Vape and Minderoo Foundation’s “Vaping Among Young Australians Study”
(July, 2023), which was designed to better understand attitudes and behaviour
associated with vaping among 14 to 25-year-olds. The latter study revealed 80
per cent of young vapers said it was “easy” or “very easy” to get a vape, with
curiosity and the range of flavours being the strongest influences on their
decision to try vaping.

“Our data shows that three in 10 young people (aged 14-25) have vaped in the
past 30 days. Of those young vapers, four in 10 now feel addicted to vaping
which is worryingly high,” Professor Wakefield said.

At the heart of the UNCLOUD campaign are 11 young Australians who share their
stories about the impact of vaping on their lives in the hope of inspiring
others to see vaping for what it is.

Eighteen-year-old Croz was motivated to stop vaping when he started university,
and he now wants to inspire others to do the same.

“When vaping gets its claws into you, they get in pretty deep so that’s why I
wanted to share my own warning with other young people. When you first start
vaping, you don’t know what you’re getting into,” Croz said.

An increasing number of young Australian vapers say they want to quit, with six
in 10 revealing they would like to stop vaping within 3-12 months, up from 4 in
10 in 2022.

“Even if not labelled that way, disposable vapes not only contain toxic
chemicals, they also commonly contain nicotine, which is highly addictive. Many
young people have shared their experiences of battling addiction with us,”
Professor Wakefield said.

Young vapers who have never smoked are three times as likely to take up smoking,
compared to young non-vapers [1]. In Australia, smoking tobacco remains the
leading cause of preventable death and illness, including many types of cancer
[2].

Annabel, 20, said that while it can be difficult to say no to vaping, a family
history of cigarette smoking, seeing the impact of vaping on others and wanting
to maintain a healthy lifestyle were key motivators not to vape.

“Whether you vape or not, our generation is the most impacted by vaping so I
think young people’s voices will be most important in tackling this,” Annabel
said.

UNCLOUD highlights the direct effects of vaping on health, including addiction,
as well as the risk of accidental poisoning and burns. The campaign also
addresses other effects such as the impact of vapes on the environment.

Rachel, 23, stopped vaping earlier this year and said it was important for young
people to know they are not alone in wanting to stop vaping.

“We’ve come together to share stories, to influence other people to make a
decision to quit vaping or not start and to get accurate information about
vaping,” Rachel said.

Minderoo Foundation supports the Australian Government’s proposed reforms to
tackle vaping through measures, including legislation and enforcement, to
prevent the addiction of new smokers. The UNCLOUD campaign will complement the
work already underway by State and Federal Governments and the health sector.

“The bigger picture here is that children should not have access to vapes. It is
crucial that we come together to protect them urgently,” Professor Wakefield
said.

ABOUT THE ‘VAPING AMONG YOUNG AUSTRALIANS STUDY’

In July 2022 and July 2023, Minderoo Foundation conducted a national
quantitative research study to understand attitudes and behaviours associated
with vaping. Both studies included nationally representative samples of around
2,500 Australians.

Minderoo’s 2023 research shows that among 14-25-year-olds in Australia:

* More than half a million are vaping every day (1 in 10)
* 50 per cent have never vaped
* 3 in 10 have vaped in the past 30 days (32 per cent)
* 4 in 10 young vapers self-report feeling addicted to vaping
* 75 per cent of young people believed vaping was somewhat or very common among
their peers, however only 32 per cent had vaped in the past 30 days. There is
a gap between perception and reality that influences trial and ongoing vaping
behaviour
* 80 per cent of young vapers agreed it was somewhat or very easy to get a vape
* 6 in 10 young vapers say they want to stop vaping

QUOTES FROM YOUNG AUSTRALIANS’ SHARING THEIR WARNINGS ABOUT VAPING FOR THE
UNCLOUD CAMPAIGN:

* “Vaping gets its claws into you.” Croz, 18
* “My vape was a fruity plastic toy controlling my life.” Kate, 20
* “Vapes don’t taste as good on the way back up.” Joy, 19
* “When I was 14, I didn’t know how deep nicotine addiction would go.” Sio, 19
* “Seeing what vaping can do made me really glad I don’t.” Annabel, 20
* “Vaping only takes one or two hits and you’re in it.” Jade, 20
* “Don’t start vaping because stopping sucks.” Rachel, 23
* “I’ve spent over $3k on vapes.” Amber, 25
* “Only air belongs in your lungs.” Keegan, 18
* “I would go back and never start vaping if I could.” Aderline, 24

1. Banks, E., Yazidjoglou, A., Brown, S., Nguyen, M., Martin, M., Beckwith, K.,
Daluwatta, A., Campbell, S. and Joshy, G., 2023. Electronic cigarettes and
health outcomes: umbrella and systematic review of the global evidence. Medical
Journal of Australia, 218(6), pp.267-275.

2. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2021) Australian Burden of
Disease Study 2018: Interactive data on risk factor burden, AIHW, Australian
Government, accessed 6th October 2023.

Newsby Minderoo Foundation

IGNITING DREAMS: YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS PARTICIPATE IN PROGRAM TO ACCELERATE
INDIGENOUS-LED BUSINESSES

A new cohort of First Nations entrepreneurs are participating in a program to
inspire innovative approaches to solving global challenges, building capacity
and enhancing business skills. Youth Co:Lab programme in Australia is co-led by
the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Citi Foundation, in
partnership with Minderoo Foundation.

Young entrepreneurs gathered at the Youth Co:Lab Regional Summit in Bangkok,
Thailand July 2023. Photo credit: UNDP supplied.

In July 2023, 200 youth participants representing 20 countries and territories
attended the Youth Co:Lab Regional Summit in Bangkok, Thailand, to discuss how
they can help tackle the world’s most pressing societal issues through
leadership, social innovation and entrepreneurship.

Twenty-five First Nations entrepreneurs aged 18-30 have been selected to
participate in the Minderoo Foundation’s Dream Venture masterclasses, run in
partnership with the Wade Institute, which takes place in March 2024 and
culminates in a pitch Gala event in April 2024.

They will receive coaching and mentorship to grow their businesses, attract
investment and gain access to networks. Each can win up to $200,000 in seed
funding and have the opportunity to pitch and network with investors and
entrepreneurs at the Gala event in April 2024.

The Masterclasses will be facilitated by the Wade Institute of Entrepreneurship,
a leading Australian centre for entrepreneurial training.

Participants will learn key strategies to raise capital and become
investor-ready, meet like-minded First Nations entrepreneurs, investors and
business leaders, and understand how to grow a sustainable business that
balances social and economic returns.

Leslie Delaforce, Head of Indigenous Entrepreneurship, Minderoo Foundation, said
the initiative, in its second year, has promoted awareness among international
stakeholders, both government and business, of the unique role that young First
Nations entrepreneurs can play in contributing towards the Sustainable
Development Goals.

“What we are currently seeing is First Nations entrepreneurs overcoming
obstacles and not only producing incredible results in Australia but also making
an impact globally. The potential here is endless. Minderoo is proud to support
the growth of First Nations business and entrepreneurship through the Dream
Venture program, which will take place in 2024,” said Mr Delaforce.

Beniam Gebrezghi, Programme Specialist, Youth and Civil Society, UNDP Asia and
the Pacific, added, “At Youth Co:Lab, together with our co-leads Citi
Foundation, we are excited to be partnering with the Minderoo Foundation to
support young Indigenous entrepreneurs. Our commitment to inclusivity, ensuring
no one is left behind, remains central at the core of our work and programming.
Dream Venture Masterclass represents another significant step towards our vision
of empowering all youth. We look forward to enabling young founders in Australia
and making them a part of our Asia-Pacific wide Youth Co:Lab community.”

Louise Lindsay, Head of Corporate Affairs, Citi Australia said, “UNDP and the
Citi Foundation co-created the Youth Co:Lab initiative in 2017, recognising the
key role youth can play in enabling progress and finding solutions for the most
pressing challenges faced in their communities. We are delighted to support
Youth Co:Lab in Australia and in partnership with UNDP and Minderoo Foundation
enable young Indigenous entrepreneurs to become investment-ready and create
economic opportunity.”

In July 2023, First Nations entrepreneurs were among 200+ participants at the
regional Youth Co:Lab Summit 2023 held in Bangkok, Thailand, under the theme
‘Inclusive Entrepreneurship’, showcasing and inspiring youth action from
underserved communities, as well as youth contributing to solutions to support
the most excluded and hardest to reach groups to leave no one behind.

RELATED NEWS

Newsby Minderoo Foundation

MINDEROO FOUNDATION COMMITS $10M IN HUMANITARIAN AID TO GAZA, MATCHING
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT PACKAGE

Minderoo Foundation has committed AU$10 million for humanitarian aid to
civilians affected by the conflict in Gaza, matching the Australian government’s
package.

One of the warehouses where the Egyptian Red Crescent stores foreign aid
destined for Gaza once the Gaza-Egypt border opens at Arish City. Photo credit:
Mahmoud Khaled via Getty Images.

In consultation with the Australian government, the Minderoo funding will be
provided to UN agencies and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), enabling the
delivery of urgent medical supplies and support, emergency water, nutrition as
well as child protection.

Minderoo Foundation Chairman, Dr Andrew Forrest AO, said it was critical that
Minderoo did what it could during global crises, when civilians are deprived of
basic necessities.

“The people of Gaza are already suffering greatly. We feel a responsibility with
the Australian government to do what we can to avert the rapid acceleration of
this humanitarian tragedy, where innocent families are caught in a deadly
crossfire that is not of their making,” Dr Forrest said.

“Minderoo continues to provide assistance to the people of Ukraine and will do
the same for the civilians of Gaza who are being deprived of basic necessities
due to the cruelties of conflict. We all agree that innocent children, mums and
dads should be protected as much as possible.

“We support the Australian government’s $10 million package and will match it.
We will do all within our power to ensure this aid reaches those that need it as
quickly as humanly possible.”

Minderoo Foundation Co-chair, Nicola Forrest AO, said the assistance package
will help protect the most vulnerable.

“With the humanitarian situation in Gaza rapidly deteriorating, it is vital that
we act now so essential aid can be provided as quickly as possible,” Mrs Forrest
said.

“Once more we witness the truth that children suffer disproportionately as
innocent victims of conflict.

“It’s this stark reality that fuels Minderoo’s commitment to making a
difference. By empowering our on-the-ground partners, the United Nations and
MSF, our support will reach those who are most in need.”

Access to a VNR with comments from Dr Andrew Forrest is available here.

RELATED NEWS

Newsby Minderoo Foundation

THE PLASTIC HEALTH MAP

SCIENTISTS ESTABLISH WORLD-FIRST DATABASE MAPPING RESEARCH ON PLASTIC CHEMICALS
TO POTENTIAL HUMAN HARMS

A team of scientists at Australia’s philanthropic Minderoo Foundation has
created a world-first database that maps more than 3,500 studies dating back to
the 1960s on plastic chemical exposure and human health impacts.

The world-first Plastic Health Map allows users to filter scientific literature
available by type of plastic chemical exposure, country and human health
outcomes.

Minderoo Foundation’s chemistry, data and health experts screened more than
100,000 individual scientific papers from multiple scientific journals to
develop the open-access, interactive online tool – the Plastic Health Map.

The team uncovered growing evidence clusters, as well as stark research gaps.
Marcus Gover, Director (Plastics) of Minderoo Foundation, said: “The researchers
recommend a precautionary approach to chemical regulation, with continued health
monitoring on new and existing plastic chemicals to ensure human health is
protected.”

The database focuses on plastic chemicals to which consumers are commonly
exposed: polymers, chemical additives that act as plasticisers and flame
retardants, bisphenols, and per- or polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Users can
filter the scientific literature available by type of plastic chemical exposure,
country and human health outcome.

Louise Goodes, Plastic Health Map Project Lead at Minderoo Foundation, said the
aim was to build a greater understanding of this emerging issue and inform
regulation changes. It also provides a head start for scientists, highlighting
the opportunities and priorities for future research.

“The Map includes studies from the 1960s onwards because this was when
large-scale production and plastic pollution began to increase significantly,
making human exposure to plastic materials and their degradation products
inevitable,” Ms Goodes explained.

“Given the enormous quantity of plastic materials currently in use, as well as
the fact that we were unable to determine whether many of the plastic chemicals
in use globally had actually been measured in living humans and evaluated for
possible health impacts, we identified an urgent need to systematically map
existing research.”

The studies indicate that we are exposed to – often unregulated - plastic
chemicals via inhalation, ingestion and skin contact. Children are additionally
exposed prenatally, for example, via the placenta, and postnatally via breast
milk.

The Plastic Health Map research spotlights concerning information gaps,
including:

* Of more than 1,500 chemicals mapped, less than 30 per cent have been
investigated for human health impacts.
* Many human health outcomes have not been investigated for any given chemicals
class.
* Few studies have addressed “substitution” chemicals, such as organophosphate
flame retardants, phthalate substitutes and bisphenol analogues, which have
increasingly replaced restricted additives.
* The impact of micro- and/or nanoplastics on human health was not examined in
any studies screened.
* Very few studies have been conducted in low-income countries where
populations may be heavily exposed to plastic waste.

The research project, conducted using Systematic Evidence Map methodology, is
described, along with a discussion about the key results, in an article
published in Environment International. The authors of this study call for a
“paradigm shift in chemical regulation” whereby, in the absence of evidence for
human harm, we can’t assume that new chemicals are safe.

“While as authors we fully expected gaps in research, the extent of those gaps
shocked us.” said Professor Sarah Dunlop, Minderoo Foundation’s Head of Plastics
and Human Health. “All new plastic chemicals should be tested for safety before
being introduced in consumer products, with ongoing post-introduction monitoring
of their levels in human biospecimens and evaluation of health effects
throughout the lives of individuals and across generations.”

Visit the Plastic Health Map for more information and videos.

RELATED NEWS

Newsby Minderoo Foundation

PODCAST: HOW SUSTAINABLE IS YOUR SEAFOOD?

To listen to the podcast, please visit
https://www.ocean-impact.org/podcast/how-sustainable-is-your-seafood-with-chris-wilcox

RELATED NEWS

Newsby Minderoo Foundation

LABEL QUALITY AND MISLABELLING RATES RESTRICT AUSTRALIAN CONSUMER CHOICES FOR
SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD

Seafood sampling and testing at Minderoo Foundation UWA OceanOmics Lab. Photo
credit: Hayden Fortescue via Minderoo Foundation.

The study, published in Scientific Reports, reveals the rate of seafood
mislabelling and species substitution is highest in shark and snapper species
and that imported seafood is more likely to be mislabelled.

Dr Chris Wilcox, co-author and Director of Fisheries and Conservation at
Minderoo Foundation, said the goal of the study was to estimate the rate of
mislabelling in Australia by checking whether the description of the seafood
being sold matches the DNA of the species.

“We conducted the largest evaluation of the quality and accuracy of labels for
672 seafood products sold in Australia, assessing six seafood groups including
hoki, prawns, sharks and rays, snapper, squid and cuttlefish, and tuna,” Dr
Wilcox said. “We tested samples from fish markets, restaurants, and
supermarkets, including domestically caught and imported products and both
packaged and fresh products.”

The DNA testing revealed 11.8 per cent of seafood sampled did not match the
label, with sharks and snappers having the highest mislabelling rate.

Labels also provided relatively little information. Only one in four products
(25.5 per cent) were labelled at a species-level, while most labels used vague
common names or umbrella terms such as ‘flake’ and ‘snapper’.

"Flake, for instance, officially refers to gummy shark, but is often misused to
describe any type of shark meat," Dr Wilcox explained. "Fifteen of the
mislabelled flake products were actually elephant fish, which are only distantly
related to sharks."

"We found that one in three of the shark products were not the correct species
and one in four of the snappers was not what it said on the package," Dr Wilcox
said.

Imported seafood was mislabelled at around 15 per cent compared to nine per cent
for domestic products.

Emily Harrison, co–author and Ocean Policy Manager at Minderoo Foundation said
consumers would be surprised to learn the extent of mislabelling with imported
seafood.

“Australians are increasingly aware of the need to protect our ocean from
unsustainable fishing and want better information about the seafood on offer, so
they can be confident in their purchase,” Ms Harrison said. “Consumers would be
surprised with these findings given that 65 per cent of the seafood we consume
is imported. We know from previous research that consumers assume the checks and
balances have already been done before the point of sale.”

Poor-quality labels had higher rates of mislabelling than species-specific
labels. Poor labelling was also found to be more likely to conceal the sale of
threatened or overfished stocks, as well as products with lower nutritional
quality, reduced economic value, or potential health risks.

“In one instance, we found flake served as battered fish and chips was actually
school shark, which is classified as Critically Endangered by the International
Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species,” Dr
Wilcox said.

“This is a timely report with the Australian government considering measures to
prevent the importation of Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated seafood.

"Systems to control imports include product tracing, which will ensure consumers
and retailers can be confident in knowing where their product comes from, what
it is, and that it was legally caught.”

“Overall, the research confirms the mislabelling rates in Australia are similar
to other wealthy countries like the United States, but points to a problem that
really needs to be addressed,” Dr Wilcox said.

“Consumers should be able to rely on the labels to represent what’s actually in
the package. We wouldn’t accept that in other products so we shouldn’t have to
accept it in seafood.”

To read the report, please visit https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-37066-4

RELATED NEWS

Newsby Minderoo Foundation

INTRODUCING THE MINDEROO FOUNDATION ARTIST FUND 2023 COHORT AND $50K AWARD
WINNER

Yawuru woman, choreographer Tara Gower, winner of the $50,000 Minderoo Artist
Fund Award for her Contemporary Indigenous Dance Project Burrb Wanggarraju
Nurlu. Photo credit: Courtesy of the artist.

Minderoo Foundation CEO John Hartman said the unique philanthropic arts program
for mid-career artists also includes its first eastern states-based artist.

“Minderoo Foundation is proud of the artists we support through our Artist Fund
and the impact their works have had on their communities. We look forward to
seeing what the 2023 cohort will create,” Mr Hartman said.

The new group of ten artists was selected by an independent judging panel, which
included actor Ernie Dingo AM, Perth Festival director, Iain Grandage,
photographer Frances Andrijich, singer-songwriter Alexia Parenzee, and Malinda
Wink, Executive Director of Minderoo Pictures.

Six mid-career artists will receive $25,000 grants from the Minderoo Foundation
Artist Fund:

* Co-creator of the breakout success INDIGIVERSE First Nations superhero comics
Scott Wilson will enlist First Nations creatives to help produce two new
comic series.
* Renowned percussionist and composer Thea Rossen will expand her 50-minute
light, interactive projection and music performance piece Conditions of
Growth.
* Award-winning author Holden Sheppard will advance the writing and development
of his third novel, Dead Straight, a sequel to his breakout bestseller
Invisible Boys.
* Children’s author Cristy Burne will develop a theatre work on positive STEAM
stories for children, then develop a verse novel with Fremantle Press.
* Multidisciplinary artist Bruno Booth will create sculptures and costumes
inspired by the covers of 70s and 80s fantasy novels, and record interviews
with people living with economic marginalisation, fusing these elements into
visual displays.
* Multidisciplinary artist Chloe Flockart will work with communities in WA’s
Wheatbelt to create Slow Dusk, a sculpture series of native animals either
extinct or near extinct from the local biosphere using materials found
traditionally in the agricultural industry.

Scott Wilson will create a new comic book series within his INDIGIVERSE of First
Nations superheroes with the support of the Minderoo Foundation Artist Fund.
Photo credit: Courtesy of the artist.

Four artists will receive residencies valued at $15,000 at exclusive WA
locations:

* In a unique arts and science collaboration opportunity that was open to
mid-career artists nationally, Brisbane-based composer Nicole Murphy will
travel to Minderoo Exmouth Research Laboratory to create new works for piano
and wind orchestra inspired by the Ningaloo coast and the laboratory’s
research.
* Screenwriter, director, and producer Cassandra Nguyen will spend a month at
Forrest Hall in Perth working on her new screen project Spanning Distance.
* Perth-based US bestselling author Annabel Smith will spend a month at Forrest
Hall in Perth writing a novel exploring motherhood, mental health, identity,
and therapy.
* Renowned visual artist Merrick Belyea will travel to Minderoo Station in WA’s
remote Pilbara region to create drawings that capture the area’s unique
landscape, then paint a series of large-scale diptych and triptych artworks
that attempt to capture WA’s vastness.

In addition to supporting the new cohort of mid-career artists, Minderoo
Foundation also paid tribute to its 2022 cohort: Laurie Steed, Kathryn Lefroy,
Tineke Van der Eecken, Lucy Peach, Claire Martin, Mikaela Castledine, Tara
Gower, Sid Pattni, Yvan Karlsson and Melle Branson.

From this cohort, Yawuru woman, choreographer Tara Gower, was awarded the
$50,000 Minderoo Artist Fund Award for her Contemporary Indigenous Dance project
Burrb Wanggarraju Nurlu.

Ms Gower said she will use the $50,000 Minderoo Artist Fund Award to set up her
own rehearsal space and expand her dance program.

“The Minderoo Foundation Artist Fund has allowed my dreams to come true, which
is to share my professional skills learnt whilst being a dancer with Bangarra
Dance Theatre with the next generation,” Ms Gower said.

“As a result of completing my program, youth have an empowered understanding of
themselves through connecting to country, culture, kinship, spirituality and
ancestors, community, mind and emotions, which creates strong leaders of
tomorrow.”

Dancers from Tara Gower's Contemporary Indigenous Dance project Burrb
Wanggarraju Nurlu. Photo credit: Courtesy of the artist.

Since 2020, Minderoo Foundation’s Artist Fund has distributed more than $760,000
in grants, residencies and awards to mid-career artists, including family
support payments to support artists who are a primary carer.

This support for mid-career artists has led to the creation of a significant
body of new works by some of Western Australia’s best artists, supporting their
careers at a crucial stage, allowing them to continue professional practise and
notably contributing to the national arts sector.

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MINDEROO’S STRATEGIC IMPACT FUND LOOKS TO CATALYSE CHANGE FOR GOOD

Minderoo Foundation's Executive Director of Effective Philanthropy, Jenna
Palumbo. Photo credit: Emma Dolzadelli via Minderoo Foundation.

The AVPN conference, held in Kuala Lumpur, brought together more than 1300
delegates from 44 countries to discuss opportunities for philanthropy to drive
the transformational change required to address the world’s biggest challenges.

This included discussions on collaboration, partnerships and innovative
leadership as well as the significant potential of impact investing in pursuit
of philanthropic aims.

Minderoo’s Executive Director of Effective Philanthropy, Jenna Palumbo, joined a
panel of experts to discuss the power of catalytic capital to stimulate high
impact ideas and create the market conditions for them to affect change.

“We are working to break the dichotomy between our traditional grant making
activity and impact investment which has risk adjusted return expectations,” Ms
Palumbo said.

“We have allocated $3 million to catalytic capital that aims to bridge that gap
through market building activities, feasibility and business planning to unlock
high-potential ideas, and providing capital along the continuum including low
interest loans, first loss and blended finance.”

The $3 million is part of Minderoo’s $250 million Strategic Impact Fund, which
was set up to scale and accelerate the impact of the Foundation’s philanthropic
programs by investing in companies and funds that offer scalable impact
solutions, while delivering appropriate impact-and-risk adjusted returns.

Ms Palumbo said catalytic capital was complementary to Minderoo’s grant giving
to deliver on the Foundation’s philanthropic aims.

“We are aiming to unlock the full spectrum of capital including concessionary,
blended, patient and first loss capital, as well as commercial investing that
drives tangible impact,” Ms Palumbo said.

“Impact investors can crowd in additional mainstream investment by providing
catalytic funding such as first loss capital, building the investment readiness
of impact businesses and supporting market growth.

“Ultimately this leads to greater and often longer-term impact given the
multiplier effect of leveraging in additional external capital while also
allowing invested capital to be recycled into new opportunities that deliver on
the philanthropic aims of a foundation.”

Examples of Minderoo’s use of catalytic capital include recent low-interest
loans to social enterprise, and feasibility funding to unlock unutilised land
for social and affordable housing.

“We are also embarking on a significant investment into catalysing the blue
finance ecosystem aligned to our work protecting the world’s ocean ecosystems.
This includes investing in frameworks and infrastructure to stimulate the blue
economy at scale.”

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LANDMARK PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN U.S. GOVERNMENT AND MINDEROO FOUNDATION TO GROW
FIRST NATIONS START-UPS

Minderoo Foundation will partner with the U.S. Department of State to launch the
Blak Angels Investment Network, an Australian-first initiative, for and by First
Nations investors.

[L-R] Indigenous entrepreneurs Jana Cedar, Kent Matla and Morgan Coleman during
the Blak Angels launch event. Photo credit: Emma Dolzadelli via Minderoo
Foundation.

The U.S. Consulate General Perth and Minderoo Foundation are supporting the
establishment of the groundbreaking program, led by a group of Australian First
Nations investors wanting to fund early-stage and high-growth companies.

Known as the ‘Blak Angels,’ they will lead a delegation of 10 First Nations
angel investors who will travel to the U.S. in September 2023 to meet with, and
learn from Native American, Latino, and African American investors and other
leaders in the U.S. investment ecosystem. The Australian delegates are from
Perth, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Darwin, Cairns and Kempsey.

Ten American investors, from states including Oklahoma and Arizona will also
travel to locations throughout Australia in late 2023 to meet with the ‘Blak
Angels’ and other Indigenous business leaders and organisations.

The project’s aim is to facilitate more investment into First Nations start-ups,
thereby creating more jobs for First Nations people, and grow people-to-people
connections and two-way investment between the U.S. and Australia. The Blak
Angels Investment Network will increase Indigenous participation in investment,
promoting economic development and empowerment.

Dr Andrew Forrest said Minderoo Foundation has a long and proud history of
backing Indigenous business owners and First Nations entrepreneurs.

“Now, we want to empower those same successful businessmen and businesswomen to
invest in the next generation of Indigenous businesses by becoming sophisticated
investors themselves," Dr Forrest said.

“The Blak Angels can become a key component to ending disparity for Aboriginal
and Torres Straight Islanders because research shows Indigenous businesses are
up to 100 times more likely to hire an Indigenous employee than other
businesses.

“Empowering these investors will lead to the jobs and working environments
needed to create more prosperous First Nations communities.”

U.S. Ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy added the Blak Angels Investment
Network is a tangible demonstration of the U.S. and Australia working together
to create economic opportunities for underrepresented communities.

“Through these exchanges, investors will gain knowledge, experience, and the
people-to-people ties that underpin successful businesses - all of which will
expand First Nations investor ecosystems in both our countries,” Ms Kennedy
said.”

Blak Angels Executive and Founding Member Morgan Coleman said he is proud to be
part of this delegation and to be supporting the growth of First Nations
businesses.

“I have experienced first-hand the challenges and barriers faced by Indigenous
Australians in starting a business, so to play a role in leading the next
generation of entrepreneurs is a great privilege.

“There is growing momentum in the First Nations business sector and an
initiative like Blak Angels will help to provide opportunities for First Nations
investors and build more capacity within our communities.”

For further information visit blakangels.org.

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ANDREW AND NICOLA FORREST DONATE ONE-FIFTH OF FORTESCUE SHAREHOLDING TO
PHILANTHROPY

Andrew and Nicola Forrest have given nearly A$5 billion more to their
philanthropic foundation Minderoo, through a donation of 220 million Fortescue
shares – one fifth of their shareholding.

Andrew and Nicola Forrest. Photo credit: Jessica Wyld.

The donation brings the Foundation’s endowment to about A$7.6 billion and
enables the substantial investment to be deployed for greater public benefit. It
continues the Forrests’ pledge to donate their material wealth – creating
lasting change and the greatest possible good.

Minderoo Foundation will continue to grow its philanthropic work and be
sustained for many decades to come, to help meet the huge challenges which
society and humanity face. Minderoo’s soon to be announced 2030 Strategy will
enable the Foundation to deepen its focus and make a greater impact in the face
of looming global challenges such as climate change and economic disruption.

“As our world faces enormous challenges, we have elected to continue to use our
material wealth to help humanity and the environment meet these existential
risks,” Dr Andrew Forrest AO said.

“Accumulating wealth should only be a small part of a person. Their contribution
to their family and society is way more important. Other skills such as
carpentry, farming, the arts, working in construction or for government are
equally as important. If you happen to be good at accumulating wealth, then I
believe in using that skill for the greater good.

“This is why we will continue to donate our wealth to causes where we can make a
sustainable difference.”

Nicola Forrest AO said the latest donation will directly result in real change
for Minderoo’s beneficiaries.

“These are tough times for many Australians, and of course for many people right
around the world. I believe we all need to do what we can with what we have, so
I am pleased that the transfer of these shares will escalate our efforts to help
those who need it most,” Mrs Forrest said.

“From the outset and over the past 22 years, we have remained focused on
supporting families to ensure every child has the opportunity to thrive and
reach their full potential – as children are our future.

“This donation is a further expression of our unwavering passion to help and in
conjunction with our new strategy, will see Minderoo provide more significant
support in a focused manner, empower our partners to deliver change and ignite
collective and purposeful action, including for vulnerable communities, our
oceans and gender equality.”

In 2013, the Forrests were the first Australians to sign the Giving Pledge,
committing to give away the vast majority of their wealth in their lifetimes.

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NEW REPORT LINKS COMPOUNDING GLOBAL CRISES TO MODERN SLAVERY

A woman walks past a mural calling for women and children’s rights in
Afghanistan. Photo credit: Nava Jamshidi via Getty Images.

The latest Global Slavery Index, produced by human rights group Walk Free,
reveals the 10 countries with the highest prevalence of modern slavery are North
Korea, Eritrea, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Tajikistan, United Arab
Emirates, Russia, Afghanistan, and Kuwait.

“Modern slavery permeates every aspect of our society. It is woven through our
clothes, lights up our electronics, and seasons our food. At its core, modern
slavery is a manifestation of extreme inequality. It is a mirror held to power,
reflecting who in any given society has it and who does not. Nowhere is this
paradox more present than in our global economy through transnational supply
chains,” said Founding Director of Walk Free, Grace Forrest.

The report highlights the role played by G20 nations in fuelling forced labour
within global supply chains, including state-imposed forced labour. The G20
accounts for over half of all people living in modern slavery and imports US$468
billion of at-risk products annually. The United States was by far the biggest
importer of at-risk products (US$169.6 billion). Electronics remained the
highest value at-risk product (US$243.6 billion), followed by garments (US$147.9
billion), palm oil (US$19.7 billion), solar panels (US$14.8 billion), and
textiles (US$12.7 billion).

The report revealed six G20 nations are among the countries with the largest
number of people in modern slavery, India (11 million), China (5.8 million),
Russia (1.9 million), Indonesia (1.8 million), Türkiye (1.3 million) and the
United States (1.1 million).

The report also shows how climate change has exacerbated modern slavery, forcing
millions of people to migrate in unplanned ways putting them at higher risk of
exploitation. Increasingly intense weather events are displacing communities and
spurring risks of modern slavery; while sectors at high risk of forced labour,
such as mining, logging, and textile/garment manufacturing, contribute to
climate degradation. There is increasing evidence that renewable industries,
vital for transitioning to clean energy, are reliant on forced labour.

Since 2018 the number of people living in modern slavery has increased to 50
million, but government action has stagnated, particularly among those with
traditionally stronger responses. The global community is even further from
achieving the goals they agreed to make a priority; no government is on track to
achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goal 8.7 of ending modern slavery, forced
labour, and human trafficking by 2030.

In recent years, Australia, Canada, Germany, and Norway have introduced
legislation to hold business and government accountable for exploitation that
occurs in global supply chains. While a step in the right direction, G20
countries should be using their leverage to move from intention to real action.

Forrest added: “With 50 million people living in modern slavery today, this
Global Slavery Index demands immediate action. Walk Free is calling on
governments around the world to step up their efforts to end modern slavery on
their shores and in their supply chains. We know the scale of the issue and have
the knowledge and the policies needed to act. What we need now is political
will.”

The report calls on governments around the world to immediately take the
following five key actions:

1. Implement stronger measures to combat forced labour in public and private
supply chains by introducing legislation to stop governments and businesses
from sourcing goods or services linked to modern slavery.
2. Embed anti-slavery measures in humanitarian and crisis responses, and ensure
that human rights are embedded in efforts to build a green economy.
3. Prioritise human rights when engaging with repressive regimes, by conducting
due diligence to ensure that any trade, business, or investment is not
contributing to or benefitting from state-imposed forced labour, including
where it occurs in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China.
4. Focus on prevention and protection for vulnerable populations by providing
primary and secondary education for all children, including girls.
5. Ensure effective civil and criminal protections in legislation to tackle
forced and child marriage, including raising the age of marriage to 18 for
girls and boys, with no exceptions.

For more information, please visit www.walkfree.org/global-slavery-index

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VISION FOR PAULA FOX MELANOMA AND CANCER CENTRE EDGES CLOSER TO REALITY

The building structure of Melbourne’s Paula Fox Melanoma and Cancer Centre has
reached its highest point, marking a major milestone for a centre due to open in
2024.

L-R: Monash University’s Professor Christina Mitchell, Minderoo Foundation’s
Professor Claire Wakefield, Victorian Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas, Alfred
Health CEO Professor Andrew Way AM and Paula Fox on the top floor of the Paula
Fox Melanoma and Cancer Centre . Photo credit: Michelle McFarlane Photography.

The Paula Fox Melanoma and Cancer Centre has hit a significant construction
milestone ahead of its 2024 opening, with the seventh – and highest – floor now
complete for a building where breakthrough technology will deliver cutting-edge
cancer care.

At an event on 13 June to mark the milestone, philanthropist Paula Fox, her son
Andrew and the Victorian Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas joined project
partners including Minderoo Foundation and Monash University.

Minderoo Foundation is a proud partner in the $152.4-million St Kilda Road
centre next to The Alfred Hospital, where specialists and multi-disciplinary
teams will work together under one roof to improve care and outcomes for skin
cancer and melanoma patients.

“Minderoo Foundation strongly believes in the power of philanthropic donations
working alongside government funding – and the Paula Fox Melanoma and Cancer
Centre demonstrates this beautifully,” said Professor Claire Wakefield.

“As part of our mission to help make cancer non-lethal within a generation,
we’re thrilled to support the transformation of Paula Fox’s dream into a reality
which promises to enhance the lives of so many Australians.”

Designed to promote a holistic approach to care, the purpose-built centre will
integrate technology to break down barriers to care and promote early detection.

Minderoo Foundation is establishing the Minderoo Centre for Digital Innovation
in Cancer Care and Clinical Research, which will develop and apply new
technologies and artificial intelligence to accelerate research and improve
cancer care to benefit patients.

“We’re also supporting the establishment of a world-leading wellness and
education centre, which will empower patients and their families with the
knowledge and comprehensive support they need throughout their cancer journey,”
said Professor Wakefield.

Backed by the Victorian Government, Federal Government, Monash University, Paula
Fox and the Fox Family, Minderoo Foundation, and other generous philanthropists,
the centre is named after Mrs Fox, who said: “This is for the people – not just
in Victoria, but Australia – and it will save lives.”

The support of project partners will help The Alfred redefine the delivery of
cancer care, said Alfred Health chief executive Professor Andrew Way AM.

“What we plan to do here will bring research outcomes directly from the bench to
the bedside,” he said. “This work, and our partnerships, are a national effort
as we band together to battle Australia’s cancer (melanoma) as well as other
rarer cancers.”

A feature of the build is the installation of 1000 glass panels, weighing up to
700kg each, to create a skin-like façade on the structure.

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THE PLASTIC FORECAST APP

Plastic breaks down into tiny particles in our environment, including our
atmosphere. These are constantly falling to the ground, even more so when
captured in rain.

The Plastic Forecast combines research on atmospheric plastic dynamics [1] with
traditional weather forecasts to estimate the daily ‘plastic fall’ in an
easy-to-understand weather report for Paris to visualise the extent and weight
of the problem.

While the figures in the report were predominantly based on fiber shaped micro
particles, the latest studies are finding more types, shapes, and smaller
plastic particles. It is therefore sadly very likely that the actual amount of
plastic being deposited is much higher than the Plastic Forecast estimates.

Our atmosphere contains plastic particles that fall to the ground consistently –
even more so when it rains. ‘Plastic rain’ is a global issue.

The study confirms plastic particles in our atmosphere are constantly being
deposited on ground, even without rainfall. This is why, even at 0% chance of
precipitation, there will always be ‘plastic rain’ to report.

Plastic is falling all the time, all over the world.

1. Dris, R., Gasperi, J., Tassin, B. (2018). Sources and Fate of Microplastics
in Urban Areas: A Focus on Paris Megacity. In: Wagner, M., Lambert, S. (eds)
Freshwater Microplastics . The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, vol 58.
Springer, Cham. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-61615-5_4

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XPRIZE LAUNCHES COMPETITION TO END EXTREME BUSHFIRE EVENTS

The 4-year competition will award A$16M to innovate bushfire detection and rapid
response technologies.

Minderoo Foundation’s Dr Karen O’Connor in Washington DC overlooking Capitol
Hill. Photo credit: Stephen Gaisford.

XPRIZE, the world’s leader in designing and operating incentive competitions to
solve humanity’s grand challenges, has launched XPRIZE Wildfire, a four-year
competition that will award A$16 million to competing teams that will innovate
firefighting technologies and end destructive bushfires.

Extreme bushfires are increasing in number and severity in Australia and
globally causing devastating effects on lives, livelihoods and landscapes. The
Black Summer bushfires doubled Australia’s carbon emissions and researchers
estimate[1] it could take 20 years for the atmosphere to reabsorb the carbon.

In addition, 33 people tragically lost their lives. 450 people have since died
due to smoke related illness[2] and many more still experience mental health
issues today. 35 million hectares burned and 3 billion animals perished. Despite
these enormous ongoing impacts, fire management technologies have not evolved in
decades and best practices have not changed in almost a century.

“We have been fighting wildfires the same way for decades – it’s not working,
and the destruction is getting increasingly worse. We need a radical
re-invention of how we detect and battle these blazes,” said Peter H. Diamandis,
Executive Chairman of the Board, XPRIZE. “The convergence of exponential
technologies such as AI, robotics, drones, and sensors offer us the opportunity
to detect wildfires at inception, and put them out in minutes before they spread
– that’s the mission of this XPRIZE.”

XPRIZE Wildfire aims to unearth new technologies that will improve detection,
monitoring and swift suppression of dangerous bushfires, ultimately aiming to
prevent another Black Summer witnessed in Australia in 2019-20.

“We are calling on Australian scientists, engineers and startups specialising in
robotics, autonomous systems, earth observation, AI, sensors, satellite
communications and related fields to enter this competition to solve this local
and global problem,” said Minderoo Foundation’s Adrian Turner.

“Australia is a country of innovators. From the black box, to Wi-Fi, to robotics
used for mining and space exploration, to the cochlear implant and more – there
is no reason that Australian teams can’t be leaders in applying emerging
technologies to solve this global problem that is all too relevant for
Australians.”

XPRIZE Wildfire will incentivise teams from around the world to innovate across
a wide range of technologies in two complementary tracks designed to transform
how fires are detected, managed and fought.

* In the Space-Based Wildfire Detection & Intelligence track, teams will have
one minute to accurately detect all fires across a landscape larger than
entire states or countries, and 10 minutes to precisely characterise and
report data with the least false positives to two ground stations.
* In the Autonomous Wildfire Response track, teams have 10 minutes to
autonomously detect and suppress a high-risk fire in a 1,000 km2,
environmentally challenging area, leaving any decoy fires untouched.

The Lockheed Martin Accurate Detection & Intelligence Bonus Prize will be
awarded for innovations in accurate and precise detection of wildfires.

Research by the Australian National University[3] has found that early fire
detection could reduce bushfire costs in Australia by up to $8.2 billion over
the next 30 years.

Dr Karen O’Connor said, “Every state in Australia experiences extreme bushfires.
We are a vast country and we can’t rely on fires to be detected in plain sight.
We need real time space-based detection so firefighters can have information
that will enable them to prioritise their resources to suppress these dangerous
fires and above all keep communities safe.”

The New South Wales Rural Fire Service is working with Minderoo Foundation and
XPRIZE to test the technologies as part of the competition. Rob Rogers, NSW RFS
Commissioner said, “Early detection and response are crucial for optimal
outcomes in protecting communities. It is vital that fire agencies continue to
assess and adopt new technologies to ensure they are ready for future extreme
fire seasons. XPRIZE Wildfire provides a great opportunity to see the exciting
future of firefighting.”

XPRIZE Wildfire is offered in partnership with Co-Title Sponsors Gordon and
Betty Moore Foundation and Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), Presenting
Sponsor Minderoo Foundation, Bonus Prize Sponsor Lockheed Martin and Supporting
Sponsors Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, and benefactors Nichola Eliovits and
Michael Antonov.

Global collaborators from the U.S. Fire Administration / FEMA, the Aspen
Institute, NASA, New South Wales Rural Fire Service, the Australian Space
Agency, USDA Forest Service, the XPRIZE Biodiversity and Conservation Brain
Trust, and XPRIZE Wildfire Advisory Board were instrumental in the launch of
XPRIZE Wildfire and will have continued involvement over the course of the
competition.

QUOTES FROM AUSTRALIA’S CHIEF SCIENTIST AND FIRE AGENCIES

Dr Cathy Foley, Australia’s Chief Scientist

“Many Australian communities have experienced the devastating impact of extreme
weather events including bushfires in recent years. Natural disasters take an
awful toll on lives and livelihoods and cost the Australian economy billions
every year.

“Science and research are powerful tools to help communities avoid the worst
impacts of bushfires, from innovative building materials and community planning,
right through to fire modelling, prediction, tracking and behaviour
technologies.

“Australia is at the forefront of many emerging technologies that will help
build resilience, but it takes a collaborative approach. I welcome the XPRIZE
Wildfire initiative as an example of the private sector looking for ways to
accelerate innovation in this field.”

Rob Webb, CEO, Australasian Fire and Emergency Services Council (AFAC)

“As our fire seasons get longer and stronger, firefighters will need every tool
possible to help keep our communities safe.

“Innovation will accelerate our path to new capabilities and using remote
sensing to detect and diagnose fires as early as possible could make the
difference.

“We look with great interest as the next generation of fire detection unfolds
before us.”

ACT – Rohan Scott AFSM, Chief Officer ACT Rural Fire Service (ACT RFS)

“The early detection of dangerous fires is critical to minimising impacts on our
people, our land, and the environment. The benefits will be seen in the
suppression of fires, but also right through to timely community notifications,
warnings and alerts.

“Accurately understanding the location and scale of an incident in near
real-time supports better resourcing, and ultimately minimises the imposition on
volunteers and their families, all of whom give up valuable time to keep their
communities safe.”

VIC – Jason Heffernan, Chief Officer, Country Fire Authority (CFA)

”We welcome advances in science and innovation that result in a reduction in
time between fires starting and having our resources suppress them. Initial
attack is a critical phase to keep fires small in order to prevent negative
community consequences.”

QLD – Greg Leach, Commissioner, Queensland Fire and Emergency Service (QFES)

“We recognise the challenges associated with intensifying fire seasons and
conditions, and we are always looking at whatever ways we can improve our
firefighting capabilities.

“Part of this is acknowledging the importance of innovation, technology and
modern systems that assist fire services everywhere to keep their communities
safe, and XPRIZE Wildfire provides an exciting look at what the future of
firefighting can be.”

TAS – Dermont Barry, Chief Officer Tasmania Fire Service (TFS)

“The impact from bushfires can be significant and enduring, and in the face of
climate change this risk continues to rise. Indeed, the widespread and permanent
destruction to Tasmanian’s communities and world heritage area in 2016 is a
poignant example of this risk and the challenges faced by fire agencies.

“The early fire detection and monitoring provided by space-based technologies
will significantly enhance our intelligence capabilities, improving our ability
to protect people, property, and those natural and cultural values of universal
significance.”

SA – Brett Loughlin, Chief Officer South Australian Country Fire Service (CFS)

“Australia’s changing climate, increasing exposure to natural hazards and
increasing expectations of the role of Government in managing emergencies is
placing higher levels of expectation on the South Australian Country Fire
Service and other emergency services to protect communities and manage major
emergencies and disasters.

“The SACFS expects the coming fire seasons will test the capacity and capability
of fire services, to be able to respond earlier to an event will go a long way
to mitigating the risks the future pose.”

NSW – Jeremy Fewtrell, Commissioner, Fire and Rescue New South Wales (FRNSW)

“Fire and Rescue NSW enthusiastically embraces new technology to improve
firefighting and emergency response efforts.

“We are very proud of our current ‘Connected Firefighter’ program that’s
introducing terrific new communications advancements across our business.

“We encourage and support the innovators participating in the XPRIZE Wildfire
competition and eagerly await their fresh concepts and ideas.”

1
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/fires-doubled-australias-carbon-emissions-ecosystems-may-never-soak-it-back-up/

2 https://blog.csiro.au/bushfires-linked-climate-change/

3
https://csrm.cass.anu.edu.au/sites/default/files/docs/2020/9/Measuring_the_economic_impact_of_early_bushfire_detection.pdf

XPRIZE Overview

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WORLD-FIRST SELECTIVE BREEDING OF NINGALOO CORALS TO FIGHT IMPACTS OF CLIMATE
CHANGE

The Minderoo Foundation program on the World Heritage-listed Ningaloo coast is a
pre-emptive response to the mass bleaching which has already impacted the Great
Barrier Reef.

Principal Researcher at Minderoo Exmouth Research Laboratory, Dr Kate Quigley,
led the research team of 10 Australian and international scientists at Ningaloo
for the annual mass spawning event.

Dr Quigley, a molecular ecologist who has previously bred coral than can survive
26-times better under elevated temperatures, hopes to cross-breed Ningaloo
corals that will have a higher chance of survival in warmer temperatures.

“This technique is known as assisted gene flow,” Dr Quigley said. “It’s
basically selective breeding, choosing the mums and dads of the same coral
species during the mass spawning event that happens on Ningaloo and we’re able
to identify the tough mums and tough dads to try to get tough babies that can
survive better under warming conditions.”

The researchers chose corals from different sites along the Ningaloo coast based
on the water temperature.

“We try to find sites that are really warm and highly variable and that’s where
we find our heat tolerant corals and then we also go to coral sites that have
lower temperatures, that have potentially less resilient corals,” Dr Quigley
said.

“We collected corals that are ready to release their egg sperm bundles and bring
them back to the Minderoo Exmouth Research Lab, a bespoke facility with a full
team, where we are able to replicate the natural conditions and keep them
comfortable so they will breed.

“After the spawning we’ve had baby corals, or larvae, in high-tech tanks and put
them through a series of temperature experiments to see, of these individuals
we’ve bred, who are the elite athletes – who are the ones that can really
perform under high temperature and then we can use genetic techniques over the
coming months to query what genes are responsible for these elite athletes,” Dr
Quigley explained.

Dr Marie Strader, who heads up the Marine Molecular Ecology Strader lab at Texas
A&M University in the United States, is collaborating with Dr Quigley in Exmouth
looking at the genetic components of thermal tolerance in larvae and adult
Ningaloo reef corals.

“We can actually look at the genome and look at how genes are turned on and off
and particular patterns to give us clues about how these larvae are actually
thermal tolerant at the molecular level,” Dr Strader said.

Masters student Alex Lago from Germany’s University of Bremen is also working
with Dr Quigley on this world-leading research.

“The Ningaloo reef is the largest fringing reef system in the world and it
harbours really high biodiversity and just as a unique ecosystem, we want to try
and understand as much as we can so we can preserve that for future
generations,” Ms Lago said.

Over the next year the researchers hope to understand if the assisted gene flow
conservation technique could help to future-proof Ningaloo reef against mass
bleaching events which are predicted to increase in frequency.

RELATED NEWS

Newsby Minderoo Foundation

7-YEAR-OLD MOLLY REVEALS HOW PEEK-A-BOO CAN CHANGE THE WORLD IN NEW TED TALK

Minderoo Foundation has partnered with TED and UNICEF to showcase Minderoo’s
global mission to raise awareness about the importance of brain development in
the first five years.

Molly Wright speaks at TEDMonterey: Session Zero. July 2021. Photo courtesy of
TED.

A ground-breaking TED Talk by a 7-year-old girl is set to change the way parents
and caregivers around the world view early childhood brain development and how
adults interact with children.

Molly Wright, a Grade 2 student from Queensland, Australia, today became one of
the youngest TED speakers in history after her talk premiered at TED’s Session
Zero in Monterey, California, USA, and was simultaneously sent around the world
via TED.com.

Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Michael Gracey (director of The Greatest
Showman), Molly’s TED Talk demonstrates the simple yet life-changing things we
can all do to help children thrive.

Molly’s TED Talk was brought to life by Minderoo Foundation, one of
Australasia’s largest philanthropic organisation.

In the lead up to today’s global launch, Molly’s TED Talk was shown to new
parents in maternity wards in Australia (through Ramsay Health Care) and
Afghanistan (via Bayat Foundation) as part of a pilot – with plans to have the
film shown in more hospitals around the world.

UNICEF is supporting with global distribution of the film.

Leading philanthropist and Minderoo Foundation Co-Chair Nicola Forrest AO said
it was one of Minderoo Foundation’s focus areas to ensure every child, no matter
where they grow up or who their parents are, has an equal chance to reach their
full potential.

“We believe every child can, and should, thrive by the age of five,” Mrs Forrest
said. “Science tells us that the volume of a child’s brain has reached 90 per
cent by the age of five so we want to help set parents up for success and
increase awareness of the importance of having positive interactions with
children – early and often.

“Molly beautifully delivers this universal truth – that the early years are the
most critical period for shaping a child’s life now, and in their future.”

Head of TED Chris Anderson said Molly’s message would resonate around the globe.

“I absolutely love this talk,” Mr Anderson said. “Ideas can come from anywhere.
To hear a powerful idea like this spoken so eloquently by a child … Wow! This
deserves a huge audience.”

Initial feedback from the first hospital pilots in Australia and Afghanistan has
been heartening, with more than nine (9) out of 10 new mums and dads saying that
the film has inspired them to connect, talk and play more with their kids in
their early years. Nearly all viewers said they would want their friends and
family to view the film.

“Molly’s TED Talk draws on the five top tips of connect, play, talk, healthy
home and community, focusing on the simple and fun things we can do in a child’s
first five years that will have a profound impact on their brain development and
wellbeing,” Mrs Forrest said.

“Not only is this important information to share amongst parents and carers, but
policymakers and world leaders.”

QUOTES FROM OUR PARTNERS

Professor Desiree Silva, Head of Paediatrics, Joondalup Health Campus (Perth,
Australia)

“The opportunity for us to share the film with patients in our Joondalup and
Glengarry maternity wards and early parenting centre has been a real joy.

“The message to connect and play, early and often with children from birth to
age five is vital in their development and overall wellbeing.

“New parents at our hospitals found the video educational, entertaining and
inspiring.

“Molly’s TED Talk has the potential to improve the health outcomes for children
on a global scale.”

Ms Mariam Bayat, Director, The Bayat Foundation

“Maternal and early childhood health has been a priority for the Bayat
Foundation since our inception, and the opportunity to work in partnership with
the Minderoo Foundation to launch Molly’s TED talk highlighting the importance
of early childhood education in Afghanistan is a unique privilege for us and
serves a compelling need in our country.

“Sharing Molly’s TED Talk and the important lessons about positive engagement
between parents and children in the critical early years of life will inspire
Afghan mothers, fathers, and families to further instil critical thinking,
emotional intelligence, inclusive communication, and collaborative
problem-solving skills with their young children.

“We believe that this presentation will help give rise to thousands of Afghan
“Mollys” in the years ahead – talented, confident, compassionate, positive, and
emotionally secure Afghan children who will grow into the nation’s future
doctors, educators, lawyers, and leaders, a tremendous resource for Afghanistan
and a lasting tribute to the impact that passionate philanthropic organisations
– Afghan and Australian – can achieve in the near and medium-term despite the
daily challenges in our nation today.”

Mr Justin Graham, Group CEO, M&C Saatchi AUNZ

“The M&C Saatchi Group is incredibly proud to be a part of this initiative with
Minderoo, Australia’s largest philanthropic agency, and the talented team at
production company – FINCH.

“Molly’s TED Talk will be launched via social media, in hospitals around the
world, and will be supported by a global launch strategy to connect the content
to the right people at the right moments.

“Minderoo is an organisation that is creating change on a global level, and we
are delighted that we are able to partner with them to realise their ambitions
through creative thinking.”

Mr Rob Galluzzo, CEO, FINCH

“We’re excited to see the difference that this film makes over the years to
come. It’s been a pleasure to work with world-class partners such as Minderoo
Foundation, M&C Saatchi and TED to capture a discussion that will change
parents, guardians, their children and future generations.”

ABOUT TED

TED is a nonprofit organisation devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading, often in the
form of short talks delivered by leading thinkers and doers. Many of these talks
are given at TED conferences, intimate TED Salons and thousands of independently
organised TEDx events around the world. Videos of these talks are made
available, free, on TED.com and other platforms. Audio versions of TED Talks are
published to TED Talks Daily, available on all podcast platforms.

TED’s open and free initiatives for spreading ideas include TED.com, where new
TED Talk videos are posted daily; TEDx, which licenses thousands of individuals
and groups to host local, self-organised TED-style events around the world; the
TED Fellows program, which selects innovators from around the globe to amplify
the impact of their remarkable projects and activities; The Audacious Project,
which surfaces and funds critical ideas that have the potential to impact
millions of lives; TED Translators, which crowdsources the subtitling of TED
Talks so that big ideas can spread across languages and borders; and the
educational initiative TED-Ed.

TED also offers TED@Work, a program that reimagines TED Talks for workplace
learning. TED also has a growing library of original podcasts, including The TED
Interview with Chris Anderson, WorkLife with Adam Grant, Far Flung with Saleem
Reshamwala and How to Be a Better Human.

RELATED NEWS

Indigenous Employment Index – Employer Roadmap

For the best experience we’ve made this framework for larger screens only.
Please ensure your browser window is maximised.

The design of the Employer Roadmap is based on artwork by Julianne Wade.
Partnerships and Community
Strategies, partners and Indigenous voices.
Back
Genuine Partnerships
Level 1
Foundational

* Partner with schools and universities.

pp. 98-101

* Partner with Indigenous businesses to guide community engagement, recruitment
and/or Indigenous employment.

pp. 114-121

Level 2
Growth

* Partner with key Indigenous reconciliation and supply organisations.

pp. 114, 120-121

Level 3
Integration

* No practises are at this level. Continue to focus on other practises within
this domain.

Level 4
Advocacy

* Indigenous pipeline, cultural capability and cultural immersion partnerships.

pp. 114-119

Partnerships and Community
Strategies, partners and Indigenous voices.
Back
Community Engagement Strategy
Level 1
Foundational

* No practises are at this level. Continue to focus on other practises within
this domain.

Level 2
Growth

* Indigenous pillar in community engagement strategy.

pp. 118-119

Level 3
Integration

* No practises are at this level. Continue to focus on other practises within
this domain.

Level 4
Advocacy

* Localised and place based Indigenous community engagement strategy led by
Indigenous employee.

pp. 118-119

Partnerships and Community
Strategies, partners and Indigenous voices.
Back
Procurement and Supply Chains
Level 1
Foundational

* No practises are at this level. Continue to focus on other practises within
this domain.

Level 2
Growth

* No practises are at this level. Continue to focus on other practises within
this domain.

Level 3
Integration

* No practises are at this level. Continue to focus on other practises within
this domain.

Level 4
Advocacy

* Embed Indigenous employment commitments in procurement policies.

pp. 120-121

Commitments and Accountability
Policies, strategies, targets and accountability.
Back
Reporting and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Level 1
Foundational

* No practices are at this level. Continue to focus on other practises within
this domain.

Level 2
Growth

* Annual Indigenous employment reporting to board and senior leadership
including leaders KPI review.
pp. 50-51

Level 3
Integration

* No practices are at this level. Continue to focus on other practises within
this domain.

Level 4
Advocacy

* Monthly Indigenous employment reporting to senior leadership including
leaders KPI review.
pp. 50-51

Commitments and Accountability
Policies, strategies, targets and accountability.
Back
Plans, Policies and Governance
Level 1
Foundational

* Develop both Diversity and Inclusion strategy and policy with Indigenous
employment as a key pillar.
p. 43

* Develop an Indigenous employment plan and/or Reflect RAP.
pp. 44-45

Level 2
Growth

* Develop Innovate RAP, and commit to truth telling, particularly focused on
historical trauma.
pp. 44-45

Level 3
Integration

* Commit to Stretch RAP let by Indigenous leader or CEO.
pp. 44-45, pp. 48-49

Level 4
Advocacy

* Commit to Elevate RAP led by Indigenous leader or CEO.
pp. 44-45, pp. 48-49

* 10 year+ Indigenous employment plan and progress published externally.
pp. 50-51

Commitments and Accountability
Policies, strategies, targets and accountability.
Back
Procurement and Funding
Level 1
Foundational

* Give weight to tendering parties with Indigenous employment programs; and
Indigenous-owned businesses.
p. 121

Level 2
Growth

* Continue to build previous level practice(s).

Level 3
Integration

* Continue to build previous level practice(s).

Level 4
Advocacy

* Continue to build previous level practice(s).

Commitments and Accountability
Policies, strategies, targets and accountability.
Back
Targets
Level 1
Foundational

* Establish employment targets.
pp. 50-51

Level 2
Growth

* No practises are at this level. Continue to focus on other practises within
this domain.

Level 3
Integration

* Publish employment targets and progress externally.
pp. 50-51

Level 4
Advocacy

* Continue to build previous level practice(s).

Workplace Culture and Inclusion
Indigenous cultural awareness, capability and cultural safety.
Back
Embedded Perspectives
Level 1
Foundational

* No practises are at this level. Continue to focus on other practises within
this domain.

Level 2
Growth

* No practises are at this level. Continue to focus on other practises within
this domain.

Level 3
Integration

* Seek Indigenous input into initiatives.
p. 71

* Compensate and recognise internal and external advisors.
p. 71

Level 4
Advocacy

* Continue to build previous level practice(s).

Workplace Culture and Inclusion
Indigenous cultural awareness, capability and cultural safety.
Back
Engagement
Level 1
Foundational

* No practises are at this level. Continue to focus on other practises within
this domain.

Level 2
Growth

* No practises are at this level. Continue to focus on other practises within
this domain.

Level 3
Integration

* Regular Indigenous lived experience reporting to board, senior leaders and
line managers.
p. 86

Level 4
Advocacy

* Continue to build previous level practice(s).

Workplace Culture and Inclusion
Indigenous cultural awareness, capability and cultural safety.
Back
Network
Level 1
Foundational

* Indigenous employee network and all Indigenous employees are provided time to
participate in activities.
p. 86

Level 2
Growth

* Continue to build previous level practice(s).

Level 3
Integration

* Continue to build previous level practice(s).

Level 4
Advocacy

* Continue to build previous level practice(s).

Workplace Culture and Inclusion
Indigenous cultural awareness, capability and cultural safety.
Back
Cultural Learning
Level 1
Foundational

* Conduct cultural learning needs analysis.
p. 82

Level 2
Growth

* No practices are at this level. Continue to focus on other practises within
this domain.

Level 3
Integration

* Mandatory learning for all employees.
p. 82

* Revise annually, evaluate progress and report.
p. 82

Level 4
Advocacy

* Tailored learning for board and leadership and those engaging Indigenous
communities.
p. 82

Workplace Culture and Inclusion
Indigenous cultural awareness, capability and cultural safety.
Back
Cultural Events
Level 1
Foundational

* Celebrate NAIDOC Week and National Reconciliation Week and consistently
Acknowledge Country at events.
pp. 84-85

Level 2
Growth

* No practises are at this level. Continue to focus on other practises within
this domain.

Level 3
Integration

* No practises are at this level. Continue to focus on other practises within
this domain.

Level 4
Advocacy

* Celebrate and evaluate cultural events.
pp. 84-85

Workplace Culture and Inclusion
Indigenous cultural awareness, capability and cultural safety.
Back
People and HR Process
Level 1
Foundational

* Specific Indigenous considerations in Code of Conduct, grievance processes,
Employee Assistance Program; and cultural safety in health and safety policy.
pp. 74-75, 90

* Provide opportunity for Indigenous employees to identify and have processes
with Indigenous data governance inclusions.
pp. 74-75

Level 2
Growth

* Flexibility and cultural leave in People/HR policies, communicate and discuss
needs with Indigenous employees.
pp. 74-75

Level 3
Integration

* Continue to build previous level practice(s).

Level 4
Advocacy

* Continue to build previous level practice(s).

Attraction and Recruitment
Indigenous recruitment processes and support, role availability, pipeline
development and pre-employment support.
Back
Support Indigenous Applicants
Level 1
Foundational

* No practises are at this level. Continue to focus on other practises within
this domain.

Level 2
Growth

* No practises are at this level. Continue to focus on other practises within
this domain.

Level 3
Integration

* Indigenous representation on interview panel and inclusive process.

p. 97

Level 4
Advocacy

* Support Indigenous applicants in a range of areas.
p. 97

Attraction and Recruitment
Indigenous recruitment processes and support, role availability, pipeline
development and pre-employment support.
Back
Plan and Manage
Level 1
Foundational

* Indigenous attraction and recruitment strategy.

p. 94

* Hiring manager guidance on the impact of colonisation on work readiness.

pp. 68-69

Level 2
Growth

* Identify Indigenous candidates, guaranteed interview based on meeting
requirements and feedback to unsuccessful applicants.

pp. 96-97

Level 3
Integration

* Indigenous led attraction and recruitment strategy including an Indigenous
Employee Value Proposition.

pp. 33, 94

* Work with Indigenous recruitment agencies to provide pathway programs for
trainees and interns.

pp. 33, 94, 98, 100

Level 4
Advocacy

* Attraction strategy for Indigenous senior leaders.

p. 95

Engagement and Development
Participation, retention and employee engagement, career pathways, and
promotion.
Back
Development
Level 1
Foundational

* Provide informal mentoring.

pp. 104-105

* Study leave for Indigenous employees.

pp. 104-105

Level 2
Growth

* No practises are at this level. Continue to focus on other practises within
this domain.

Level 3
Integration

* No practises are at this level. Continue to focus on other practises within
this domain.

Level 4
Advocacy

* Specific leadership and development programs for Indigenous employees.

p. 104

Engagement and Development
Participation, retention and employee engagement, career pathways, and
promotion.
Back
Retention
Level 1
Foundational

* No practices at this level. Continue to focus on other practises within this
domain.

Level 2
Growth

* Exit survey and interview for all Indigenous employees.

p. 108

Level 3
Integration

* No practices at this level. Continue to focus on other practises within this
domain.

Level 4
Advocacy

* Retention process during restructures and board and senior leadership
retention reporting.

p. 106

Engagement and Development
Participation, retention and employee engagement, career pathways, and
promotion.
Back
Reviews and Promotions
Level 1
Foundational

* No practises are at this level. Continue to focus on other practises within
this domain.

Level 2
Growth

* No practises are at this level. Continue to focus on other practises within
this domain.

Level 3
Integration

* Indigenous representation in talent review and promotion process.

pp. 104-105

Level 4
Advocacy

* Continue to build previous level practice(s).

Partnerships and Community

Strategy, partners and Indigenous voices.

* Do you engage with Indigenous communities and organisations, including
through employment partnerships and their supply chains?

Procurement and Supply Chains
Community Engagement Strategy
Genuine Partnerships
Commitments and Accountability

Policies, strategies, targets and accountability.

* Do you have strong commitments to Indigenous employment, do you report on
progress towards targets, and who is held accountable for results?

Plans, Policies and Governance
Targets
Reporting and KPIs
Procurement and Funding
Workplace Culture and Inclusion

Indigenous cultural awareness, capability and cultural safety.

* How do Indigenous employees feel in their workplace in terms of safety,
racism, cultural awareness, cultural load and identity?
* What practices are in place to support the workforce on their journey to
intercultural responsiveness?

Cultural Learning
Cultural Events
People and HR Process
Network
Embedded Perspectives
Engagement
Attraction and Recruitment

Indigenous recruitment processes and support, role availability, pipeline
development and pre-employment support.

* How do you attract and recruit Indigenous employees, and are these practices
effective?

Plan and Manage
Support Indigenous Applicants
Engagement and Development

Participation, retention and employee engagement, career pathways, and
promotion.

* Do you provide career pathways for development of Indigenous employees?
* Are Indigenous employees retained and represented at senior levels?

Reviews and Promotions
Retention
Development
Listen
Yarn
Act
Empower
Empower Indigenous leadership and intergenerational change
To empower Indigenous employees and the broader Indigenous community, employers
need to focus on Indigenous leadership and drive intergenerational change, such
as by supporting future generations. To do this successfully, employers should
be embedding and continually improving all practices. Indigenous Australians
should be empowered and enabled to make decisions and have their voices heard.
Listen
Yarn
Act
Act authentically through people focused care and genuine relationships
Significant reflection and learning are required before employers should move to
action. Employers can begin to hold themselves accountable and build strong
relationships with external Indigenous providers. Taking a people centred
approach based on genuine relationships, care and authenticity is key. Employers
need to understand and acknowledge unconscious bias and then take action to
overcome it and apply their learning in the workplace. To ensure sustainability
and establish a positive legacy, employers must view action as an ongoing
responsibility rather than a one-off commitment.
Empower
Listen
Yarn
Yarn through two-way dialogue
Employers should actively engage with their employees, processes and protocols
in a two-way dialogue to consider the context. In some cases, this may involve
external stakeholders. Both quantitative and qualitative data are critical to
making informed decisions based on a comprehensive and systemic approach.
Employees may have suggestions or questions about the practices being
undertaken, and it is important to engage with employees to help them understand
the ‘why’.
Act
Empower
Listen
Listen to Indigenous voices and lived experiences
Employers need to first listen to Indigenous employees during the planning and
development of Indigenous employment actions. Indigenous employee engagement
allows for deep consideration of the design and impact of practices on
individual experience. However, it should not fall only to Indigenous
Australians to drive change, and employers should be cognisant of the impacts of
cultural load. Strategies should be put in place to avoid contributing to the
load; for instance, through offering compensation for advice, utilising
identified positions, or approaching the Indigenous employee network to gauge
interest in participating in activities or giving advice.
Yarn
Act
Empower

Click parts of the framework to show more information.
All page numbers above refer to the Woort Koorliny Australian Indigenous
Employment Index 2022
Foundational
Have some commitment to Indigenous employment and implementing basic Indigenous
employment practices. Initial outcomes are yet to be seen, or in progress.
Growth
Implementing many Indigenous employment practices, and Indigenous employment
outcomes are visible.
Integration
Embedding a wide range of Indigenous employment practices with strong outcomes
across several domains. Indigenous employment is becoming an integral way that
the organisation does business.
Advocacy
Displays the highest commitment to Indigenous employment, by achieving strong
Indigenous employment outcomes in all domains, implementing leading practice,
and publicly influencing and supporting other employers with their journey.

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1. (a)the Licensee’s use of the Work; and
2. (b)any breach of this License by the

9. TERMINATION

1. 1. (a)This Licence and the rights granted to the Licensee under this
Licence shall terminate automatically upon any breach by the Licensee of
the terms of this
2. (b)Clauses 1, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 shall survive any termination of this

10. MINDEROO FOUNDATION’S RIGHTS RETAINED

1. 1. (a)Minderoo Foundation reserves the right to release the Work under
different licence terms or to stop distributing the Work at any
2. (b)Any release in accordance with clause 10(a) will not withdraw this
Licence (or any other licence that has been granted under the terms of
this Licence), and this Licence will continue in full force and effect
unless terminated in accordance with clause 9(a).

11. GENERAL

11.1 Rights cumulative

1. Except as expressly stated otherwise in this Licence, the rights of a party
under this Licence are cumulative and are in addition to any other rights of
that party.

11.2 Consents

1. Except as expressly stated otherwise in this Licence, a party may
conditionally or unconditionally give or withhold any consent to be given
under this Licence and is not obliged to give its reasons for doing so.

11.3 Severability

1. 1. (a)If any provision of this Licence is invalid or unenforceable under
applicable law, it shall not affect the validity or enforceability of
the remainder of the terms of this
2. (b)Without further action by the parties to this Licence, such provision
shall be reformed to the minimum extent necessary to make such provision
valid and

11.4 Waiver and exercise of rights

1. No term of this Licence shall be deemed waived and no breach consented to
unless such waiver or consent is in writing and signed by Minderoo
Foundation.

11.5 Entire understanding

1. 1. (a)This Licence contains the entire understanding between Minderoo
Foundation and the Licensee as to the subject matter of this
2. (b)All previous negotiations, understandings, representations,
warranties, memoranda or commitments concerning the subject matter of
this Licence are merged in and superseded by this Licence and are of no
effect. No party is liable to any other party in respect of those
3. (c)

No oral explanation or information provided by any party to another:

1. (i)affects the meaning or interpretation of this Licence; or
2. (ii)constitutes any collateral agreement, warranty or understanding
between any of the

4. (d)

Minderoo Foundation shall not be bound by any additional provisions that
may appear in any communication from the Licensee.

Governing law

1. This Licence is governed by and is to be construed in accordance with the
laws applicable in Western Australia and the parties submit to the
jurisdiction of Western Australia.

MINDEROO FOUNDATION

PLASTIC WASTE MAKERS INDEX DATA LICENCE

BACKGROUND

1. 1. A.Minderoo Foundation produces and makes available from time to time a
research report known as the Plastic Waste Makers Index, along with the
Dataset.
2. B.Minderoo Foundation is the owner of the copyright in the Dataset
(Work).
3. C.The Licensee wishes to use the Work.
4. D.Minderoo Foundation grants to the Licensee a licence to use the Work,
and the Licensee agrees to use the Work, subject to the terms and
conditions of this licence (Licence).

AGREED TERMS

1. DEFINITIONS

1. In this Licence, these terms have the following meanings:

Collection The Work in its entirety in unmodified form along with one or
more other separate and independent works, assembled into a collective
whole. A Collection will not be considered a Derivative Work for the
purposes of this Licence. Copyright Copyright, database rights and other
similar rights. Dataset The report and material (including any work or other
subject matter) which forms part of the Plastic Waste Makers Index Dataset,
as made available by Minderoo Foundation via an API key, requested through
the website https://minderoo.org Derivative Work Material subject to
Copyright that is created by editing, modifying or adapting the Work, and
which the Work is translated, altered, arranged, transformed, or otherwise
modified in a manner requiring the permission under the Copyright held by
Minderoo Foundation. Distribute To make available to the public by any
means, including reproduction public display, public performance,
distribution, dissemination, communication or broadcast. Licensee The
individual or entity exercising the rights granted under this Licence.
Minderoo Foundation Minderoo Foundation Limited (ACN 651 422 141) as trustee
for The Minderoo Foundation Trust (ABN 24 819 440 618). Non-Commercial
Purposes Purposes not intended for or directed towards obtaining commercial
advantage or monetary compensation. Reproduce To make a copy of the Work in
any material form, including storage in digital form. Term The term of this
Licence, as per clause 2. Work Is defined in paragraph B in the Background
to this Licence. For clarity, the Work does not include any other materials
not expressly covered by this definition, whether those materials relate to
the Plastic Waste makers Index or otherwise.

2. TERM

3. LICENCE

1. 3.1 Grant of rights

Subject to the terms and conditions of this Licence, Minderoo Foundation
grants the Licensee a worldwide, royalty-free, non-sublicensable,
non-exclusive, revocable licence to do each of the following during the Term
for Non-Commercial Purposes only:

1. 1. (a)reproduce and Distribute the Work in whole or in part;
2. (b)incorporate the Work into one or more Collections;
3. (c)reproduce the Work as incorporated in any Collection; and
4. (d)create, Reproduce and Distribute one or more Derivative Works.

3.2 Media and formats

The rights specified in clause 3.1:

1. 1. (a)may be exercised in any media or format whether now known or
hereafter created; and
2. (b)include the right to make modifications that are technically
necessary to exercise the rights in other media and formats.

3.3 Other rights reserved

All rights not expressly granted by Minderoo Foundation under this Licence
are reserved.

4. NO ENDORSEMENT

Except with Minderoo’s prior written consent, the Licensee must not assert or
imply:

1. 1. (a)any connection between Minderoo Foundation and the Licensee or the
Licensee‘s use of the Work; or
2. (b)sponsorship or endorsement by Minderoo Foundation of the Licensee or
the Licensee’s use of the Work.

5. ATTRIBUTION

If the Licensee exercises any right specified in clause 3.1, the Licensee must:

1. 1. (a)credit, in a manner reasonable to the medium or means that the
Licensee is using, the use of the Work in substantially the following
form: "Minderoo Foundation (2023) Plastic Waste Makers Index: electronic
dataset access date: [month] [year], https://minderoo.org";
2. (b)keep intact all notices provided to it by Minderoo Foundation that
refer to this Licence and to the disclaimer of warranties with every
copy of the Work, Derivative Work and Collection;
3. (c)indicate if the Licensee has modified the Work in creating a
Derivative Work; and
4. (d)indicate that the Work is licensed under this License.

6. LICENCE FOR USE OF DERIVATIVE WORKS

If the Licensee creates and Distributes a Derivative Work:

1. 1. (a)the licence that the Licensee applies to the Derivative Works
(Subsequent Licence) must have attributes consistent with this Licence,
including requirements for attribution consistent with clause 5, use for
Non-Commercial Purposes only consistent with clause 1 and further
distribution requirement consistent with this clause 6;
2. (b)the Licensee must not impose any terms and conditions on the
Derivative Work that limit the exercise of rights under the Subsequent
Licence as compared to the terms and conditions for use of the Work
granted to the Licensee under this Licence;
3. (c)a recipient of the Derivative Work may exercise the rights specified
in clause 1 in the Derivative Work under the terms and conditions of the
Subsequent Licence; and
4. (d)the Licensee grants Minderoo Foundation a worldwide, royalty-free,
non-sublicensable, non-exclusive, perpetual licence to exercise the
rights specified in clauses 1 in all Derivative Work created by the
Licensee.

7. DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

1. 1. (a)To the extent permitted by law, Minderoo Foundation offers the Work
on an as-is and as-available basis, and makes no representations or
warranties of any kind concerning the Work, whether express, implied,
statutory or other, including without limitation, as to:
1. (i)its contents or accuracy;
2. (ii)title, merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose;
3. (iii)non-infringement;
4. (iv)the absence of latent or other defects;
5. (v)the presence or absence of errors, whether or not known or
discoverable; or
6. (vi)the suitability or availability of any technology required to
use, Distribute or Reproduce the Work.

2. (b)To the extent permitted by law, Minderoo Foundation excludes all
liability to the Licensee and any third party on any legal basis
(including without limitation, negligence) or otherwise for any loss,
cost or damage whatsoever arising out of or in connection with this
Licence or the use of the Work, including, without limitation:
1. (i)loss of production or operation time;
2. (ii)loss, damage or corruption of data or records;
3. (iii)loss of anticipated savings, opportunity, revenue, profit or
goodwill, or other economic loss; or
4. (iv)any special, incidental, consequential, punitive or exemplary
damages.

3. (c)All express and implied terms, conditions, guarantees and warranties
which otherwise might apply to, or arise out of, this Licence are
excluded other than:
1. (i)as provided in this Licence; and
2. (ii)terms, conditions, guarantees and warranties which cannot
lawfully be excluded or modified by agreement including those under
the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Commonwealth of Australia)
and corresponding provisions of Australian state legislation.

4. (d)If applicable legislation implies warranties or conditions, or
imposes obligations or liability on Minderoo Foundation in respect of
this Licence that cannot be wholly or partly excluded, restricted or
modified, Minderoo Foundation’s liability is limited, to the extent
permitted by law, at its option, to:
1. (i)in relation to goods, replacing or repairing the goods, or paying
for the costs of replacing or repairing the goods; and
2. (ii)in relation to services, the re-supply of the services or
payment of the cost of having the services re-supplied.

8. INDEMNITY

The Licensee indemnifies Minderoo Foundation against and releases Minderoo
Foundation from all claims, demands, suits, liability, loss or expense arising
directly or indirectly from:

1. 1. (a)the Licensee’s use of the Work; and
2. (b)any breach of this Licence by the Licensee.

9. TERMINATION

1. 1. (a)This Licence and the rights granted to the Licensee under this
Licence shall terminate automatically upon any breach by the Licensee of
the terms of this Licence.
2. (b)Clauses 1, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 shall survive any termination of this
Licence.

10. MINDEROO FOUNDATION’S RIGHTS RETAINED

1. 1. (a)Minderoo Foundation reserves the right to release the Work under
different licence terms, or to stop distributing the Work, at any time.
2. (b)Unless Minderoo Foundation otherwise gives its approval, a change of
licence terms in accordance with clause 10(a) will automatically apply
to this Licence (or any other licence that has been granted under the
terms of this Licence).

11. GENERAL

11.1 Rights cumulative

Except as expressly stated otherwise in this Licence, the rights of a party
under this Licence are cumulative and are in addition to any other rights of
that party.

11.2 Consents

Except as expressly stated otherwise in this Licence, a party may conditionally
or unconditionally give or withhold any consent to be given under this Licence
and is not obliged to give its reasons for doing so.

11.3 Severability

1. 1. (a)If any provision of this Licence is invalid or unenforceable under
applicable law, it shall not affect the validity or enforceability of
the remainder of the terms of this Licence.
2. (b)Without further action by the parties to this Licence, such provision
shall be reformed to the minimum extent necessary to make such provision
valid and enforceable.

11.4 Waiver and exercise of rights

No term of this Licence shall be deemed waived and no breach consented to unless
such waiver or consent is in writing and signed by Minderoo Foundation.

11.5 Entire understanding

1. 1. (a)This Licence contains the entire understanding between Minderoo
Foundation and the Licensee as to the subject matter of this Licence.
2. (b)All previous negotiations, understandings, representations,
warranties, memoranda or commitments concerning the subject matter of
this Licence are merged in and superseded by this Licence and are of no
effect. No party is liable to any other party in respect of those
matters.
3. (c)No oral explanation or information provided by any party to another:
1. (i)affects the meaning or interpretation of this Licence; or
2. (ii)constitutes any collateral agreement, warranty or understanding
between any of the parties.

4. (d)Minderoo Foundation shall not be bound by any additional provisions
that may appear in any communication from the Licensee.

Governing law

This Licence is governed by and is to be construed in accordance with the laws
applicable in Western Australia and the parties submit to the jurisdiction of
Western Australia.

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