November 2025
Associate Professor Barnes attended the AdaptNSW Forum and presented on social-ecological infrastructure in a panel convened by the Sydney Environment Institute.
The panel, Beyond People: Adapting with Animals and Environments, brought
together scholars and practitioners to explore how climate adaptation must move beyond business-as-usual approaches toward strategies grounded in care, connection, and right relationship with each other and with Country.
Drawing on her work on social–ecological networks, Michele emphasised that adaptation does not occur within social or ecological domains alone, but in the relationships between them — including collaboration, inclusion, knowledge, and ecological feedbacks — and that these relationships shape whether adaptation succeeds, stalls, or deepens inequities.
Audience engagement highlighted strong interest in relational and systems-based approaches to adaptation planning and practice, which represents an exciting opportunity for impactful research in this space. Stay tuned!
Social Dynamics and Environmental Change 