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HSBC CITIZEN SCIENCE PROGRAM

The HSBC Blue Carbon Citizen Science program was a multisector R&D initiative empowering Australian industries to build a sustainable future, while advancing Deakin University’s research on coastal wetlands and climate change. The program engaged and invested in human capital who could invoke change and steer Australia towards a blue economy.

Program background

In 2018, HSBC initiated a partnership with Deakin University’s Blue Carbon Lab and Earthwatch Australia, to develop a ‘citizen science’ program to engage its staff and partners in tackling climate change. The 2-year program sought to empower HSBC staff to value nature and make smart financial decisions regarding investments that impact the environment.

The program focussed on coastal ‘blue carbon’ wetlands– which have been recognised as one of the world’s most effective carbon sinks. Research on these ecosystems has been limited by (i) knowledge gaps on their value, (ii) lack of awareness about their importance, and (iii) lack of integration between science, policy and practice. The HSBC Citizen Science Program sought to directly address these issues through a multi-sector R&D program whereby industry gets physically involved in coastal wetland research. While HSBC empowers its staff on climate change and green finance, Deakin’s BCL advances its research. High-level executive staff collect critical data to inform decision making and new markets based on coastal ecosystem services (specifically carbon sequestration via ‘blue carbon’).

HSBC staff manage $100bn sustainable finance. In an era of environmental degradation, water crisis and species extinctions it is critical that ALL corporate decisions are environmentally-savvy. By educating Australia’s high-level executives into climate-literacy, this program facilitated sustainable changes within organisations and empowered financial decisions that lead to a sustainable future.

Program overview

The HSBC program was designed as an full-day immersive experience combining educational and data collection activities in a local wetland. A total of 21 HSBC citizen science days were delivered in the 2-years of the program.

Educational talks: Participants first received a series of talks on natural capital, ecosystem services coastal wetlands and Blue Carbon. Presentations were delivered by staff from the three partner organisations (HSBC, Alpa Bhattacharjee; Earthwatch, Dr Maria Garcia; and the Deakin’s Blue Carbon Lab, Dr Maria Palacios).

Fieldwork: Citizen Scientists then travelled to local wetlands to participate in different data collections activities. Once on site, Deakin’s scientists explained the research and demonstrated the field protocols. Participants then worked in teams to collect soil cores for carbon stock analysis, measure wetland vegetation deploy/retrieve tea bags, among other field activities. Fieldwork slightly differed from site to site depending on the research project and wetland visited.

Updates from the field

The Citizen Science day started with educational talks from Earthwatch & the Blue Carbon lab, followed by aprox 4 h of data collection activities in the wetland! Read the blogs from the latest field trips.

  • Citizen scientists from Hobsons Bay join research activities in local saltmarsh

    Citizen Science,Fieldwork / February 10, 2020

  • Field Recap Sydney #21

    Citizen Science,HSBC / November 11, 2019

  • Field Recap Sydney #20

    Citizen Science,Fieldwork,HSBC / October 28, 2019

  • 3CA funding for Wetland Restoration Citizen Science program

    Citizen Science,Grant,News,VicWetlandRehab / October 3, 2019

  • Field recap Sydney #18&19

    Citizen Science,Fieldwork,HSBC / September 29, 2019

  • One year of Blue Carbon Citizen Science

    Citizen Science,Fieldwork,HSBC / September 16, 2019

  • Field Recap Sydney #17

    Citizen Science,Fieldwork,HSBC / September 2, 2019

  • Recap Sydney field trip #16

    Citizen Science,Fieldwork,HSBC / June 20, 2019

  • Recap Melb field trip #15

    Citizen Science,Fieldwork,HSBC / June 11, 2019

  • Recap Mel field trip #14

    Citizen Science,Fieldwork,HSBC / May 30, 2019

  • Recap SYD field trips #12 & 13

    Citizen Science,Fieldwork,HSBC / May 21, 2019

  • Recap MEL field trip #11

    Citizen Science,Fieldwork,HSBC / April 9, 2019

  • Recap AUCK field trip #10

    Citizen Science,Fieldwork,HSBC / April 4, 2019

  • Recap SYD field trip #9

    Citizen Science,Fieldwork,HSBC / March 19, 2019

  • HSBC field trip #7 & #8 (AUCK)

    Citizen Science,Fieldwork,HSBC / December 20, 2018

  • HSBC field trip #6 (MEL)

    Citizen Science,Fieldwork / November 28, 2018

  • HSBC Field trip #4 & 5 (SYD)

    Citizen Science,Fieldwork,HSBC / November 23, 2018

  • HSBC field trip #3 (SYD)

    Citizen Science,Fieldwork / October 2, 2018

  • HSBC field trip #2 (SYD)

    Citizen Science,Fieldwork / August 14, 2018

  • HSBC field trip #1 (SYD)

    Citizen Science,Fieldwork / June 18, 2018

Program impact & highlights

Participant engagement:

After 2 years and 21 field trips, the program engaged more than 350 employees from 23 businesses (including HSBC and many Qantas Future Planet partners) in topics such as natural capital and ecosystem services, while maximising field sampling.

Contribution to research:

HSBC citizen scientists surveyed over 300 vegetation plots and collected more than 1000 soil samples from coastal wetlands. Data is being used to prepare seven research publications that will advance our understanding of Blue Carbon ecosystems and their ability to fight climate change. Considering coastal wetlands are one of the Earth’s most efficient carbon sinks, this information will support the creation of a Blue Carbon market that promotes the restoration and protection of coastal wetlands for carbon offsetting and climate change mitigation.

Outreach:

The educational and scientific success of the program was recognised through the 2019 Australian Financial Review Higher Education award for Industry engagement. The program was also showcased externally in several conferences (e.g., DELWP’s SWIFFT seminar), newspapers, website blogs, social media (#BlueCarbonArmy) and an ABC 7:30 news report.

HSBC Citizen Science final report

Awards

The HSBC Blue Carbon citizen science program received the Industry Engagement award at the 2019 Australian Financial Review (AFR) Higher Education awards ceremony held in Brisbane (27/08/2018). This award celebrates innovative partnerships between Australian Universities and the Industry sector.

>> Read the story

20190827_202236

 

The Blue Carbon Lab has been announced as a finalist in the Education category of the Premier’s Sustainability Awards 2020 for our HSBC Blue Carbon Citizen Science Program. The Education category recognises excellence and innovation in the delivery of educational programs that contribute to a more sustainable Victoria.

>> Read the story

Media & Outreach

  • City bankers forego afternoon tea in pursuit of innovative climate change solution. Auckland’s newspaper Sunday Star times (16/12/2018). The news story highlights the commitment of New Zealand city bankers to study and protect the city’s mangrove forests as a natural way to fight climate change.
  • ABC’s 730 film crew joined one of the Melbourne trips to Jawbone Reserve. The 5 min video report titled “Push to protect Blue Carbon sites” was aired on 22/01/2019 on ABC 730 Australia. It highlighted Dr Peter Macreadie’ Blue Carbon Lab, as well as the importance of citizen scientists in the data collection process
  • The program was showcased in the “People for Nature” webinar (25/07/2019) hosted by Victoria’s State Wide Integrated Flora and Fauna Teams (SWIFFT). The event was aimed at highlighting Citizen Science programs engaging communities around the topic of climate change.
  • Results from this Citizen Science program were presented in the Oceania Ecosystem Services Forum in Christchurch, New Zealand (06/09/2019). The presentation titled “Wetlands: Should they stay or should they go” was delivered in the session “Public and private investment in ecosystem services”.
CitY bankers Teacomposition H2O
Peter Macreadie_ABC 730

Funding & Project partners

This program was funded by HSBC as part of the HSBC Water Program; an eight-year US$150 million program aimed at tackling the global water challenge through water provision, protection, education, and scientific research.

The HSBC Blue Carbon citizen science program was delivered by Deakin’s Blue Carbon Lab in partnership with Earthwatch Australia. Several institutions from Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom contributed to the research.

#BlueCarbonArmy

Follow the program on social media using #BlueCarbonArmy

Contact

Dr Maria Palacios (m.palacios@deakin.edu.au)

Progress

Completed
100%
Completed: 100%

Deakin University
  • Home
  • About
    • What we are about
    • Who we are
      • Professor Peter Macreadie
      • Dr Paul Carnell
      • Dr Stacey Trevathan-Tackett
      • Dr Maria del Mar Palacios
      • Dr Pawel Waryszak
      • Dr Melissa Wartman
      • Dr Micheli Duarte de Paula Costa
      • Dr Noyan Yilmaz
      • Dr Christina Birnbaum
      • Dr Martino Malerba
      • Dr Tiffany Sih
      • Dr Taryn Laubenstein
      • Dr Christina Asanopoulos
      • Ashley Whitt
      • Katy Limpert
      • Holger Jänes
      • Giuditta Bonetti
      • Jaya Kelvin
      • Charlie Townsin
      • Sarah Watson
      • Alejandro Navarro
      • Abbi Scott
      • Erlania
      • Yi Mei Tan
      • Oli Dalby
      • Interns and Volunteers
      • Alumni
  • Research
    • Wetland Carbon
      • Blue Carbon
        • Queensland Blue
        • Victoria’s Blue Carbon
        • Blue Carbon Management
      • Teal Carbon
        • Farm dams
        • Teal Wetlands for Carbon Offsetting
        • Victoria’s Teal Carbon
      • TeaComposition H2O
    • Ecosystem Services
    • Ecosystem Restoration
      • Wetland Restoration
      • Kelp & Segrass restoration
      • Maximising Teal Carbon capture
    • Citizen Science
      • HSBC citizen science
    • Marine Biosecurity
    • Decommissioning Infrastructure
  • Publications
  • Vacancies
  • News
  • Live feed
  • Donate
  • Contact
Blue Carbon Lab