About the event
As the global race toward renewable energy accelerates, a silent challenge is piling up in the background. The rapid deployment of solar panels, wind turbines, and batteries is creating entirely new, massive waste streams that must be managed throughout their lifecycle.

How can we ensure the transition to a clean energy future doesn't come at a cost to the environment and local communities?

Join us for this special Social Sciences Week webinar as we bring together a world-class panel of international scholars from Australia, Canada, the United States, and Africa. Spanning the fields of discard studies, geography, environmental science, and energy policy, our speakers will dive deep into how different corners of the globe are navigating these emerging waste challenges.

While the energy transition is often treated as a purely technological problem, this event highlights why social science is the missing piece of the puzzle. Discover how circular economy principles, social equity, and justice-oriented approaches can shape effective, human-centric solutions for a truly clean future.

Have a question for our global panel?

We want this to be an open, public conversation. You can submit your questions for the speakers in advance to help shape our discussion. 

Who should attend?
This public webinar is designed for a broad, interdisciplinary audience—including academic researchers, students, government and policy stakeholders, NGO practitioners, industry professionals, and any member of the public curious about the future of our planet. The webinar will feature a moderated Q&A session.

Presenters:

• Professor Benjamin Sovacool (Boston University), internationally recognised expert in energy policy, energy justice, and climate change

• Associate Professor Anderson Assuah, Ph.D (University College of the North, Canada), specialist in waste management, sustainability, and Indigenous environmental knowledge

• Professor Matthew Kearnes (UNSW), researcher focused on the social dimensions of environmental transition and circular economy systems

• Dr Deepika Mathur (Northern Institute), expert in renewable energy waste and end-of-life solar panel management in regional and remote Australia

• Vanessa Lea (Charles Darwin University), emerging researcher examining solar product lifecycles and sustainable energy transitions in Madagascar
The discussion will highlight why social science perspectives are essential for developing effective, equitable, and community-centred solutions to renewable energy waste challenges.

🗓️ Friday, 18 September 2026
🕙 10:00 – 11:30 am Darwin (ACST)
⏺️ Online via Teams Webinar  only
For registration and more details👉 http://go.cdu.edu.au/ftma