SEAF for Pilbara and Cockburn Sound

The Challenge

New challenges in environmental assessment have added to the imperatives for better information systems. The Australian Government has committed to nature-positive outcomes as part of its environmental policy reforms. Amendments to the Western Australian Environmental Protection Act require greater consideration of cumulative impacts. Corporate Australia is increasingly making commitments to account for, and report on, their environmental performance. The associated demands for increased assurance, transparency and accountability invoke a parallel need for improved information.

The Independent Review of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act highlighted the need for an effective ‘supply chain’ of environmental information. The data and models and analytics that underpin information products also need to be reliable and trustworthy. There is currently no whole-of-system approach to overcome the challenges of discovering and accessing data and models, assuring their reliability, and the costliness of making them interoperable. 

To help meet these challenges, in 2023 a feasibility study for a Shared Environmental Analytics Facility (SEAF) was undertaken in Western Australia to develop a roadmap moving from collecting data to delivering robust, repeatable and trusted assessment tools and reports for regulators, proponents, industry and community. The approach is designed to bridge knowledge gaps, and create information products required by environmental regulators using current, accessible, integrated and trusted data and analytics. In fact, creating a trusted environmental information supply chain for a regional use case. 

The feasibility study highlighted the benefits of developing a shared technical platform that links research, government and industry data, analytics, skills and capabilities applied to regional environmental challenges.

The Response

The Shared Environmental Analytics Facility (SEAF) is being tested in Western Australia.

SEAF pilots in WA are funded by the Western Australian Government through the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation and the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation. This is supported by industry funding from BHP and Rio Tinto and national research infrastructure co-investment from the Australian Research Data Commons.

A central SEAF hub operated by WABSI and WAMSI provides risk management and technical oversight. Two SEAF regional spokes, or pilots, will leverage the hub technology platform to demonstrate how we can unlock value from shared data and analytics for 2 priority development zones:

• Cockburn Sound’s Westport development
• The Pilbara region

The project will also develop methodology to fast track the establishment of trusted environmental data and information supply chains in new priority regions via the establishment of new regional spokes in other states. 

SEAF in the Pilbara

The Pilbara, in Western Australia, has extensive Native Title, cultural and economic significance, contributing to 78% of State and 32% of national export revenue. It has a complex array of mines, processing plants, ports, and linear infrastructure with interdependency and cumulative impact on the landscape and threatened species. Creating, assessing and approving environmental approvals for further development are challenging due to the region’s environmental impacts and significant cultural heritage value.

Initially, the Pilbara regional spoke will deliver integrated groundwater datasets in a sub-region, to develop proof -of-concept catchment-scale groundwater models. This will enable an improved catchment-scale understanding of groundwater movement, more accurate model outcomes, and an improved understanding of cumulative effects on groundwater as a result of multiple developments within a catchment.

Over time, this regional spoke will progress towards delivering regional assessments from shared data and analytics, as well as science and analytic products that are regionally specific, to produce:

• regional map of flora, vegetation, fauna habitat and fauna distribution
• regional flora species habitat suitability model
• regional fauna habitat connectivity map/model
• population viability model
• integrated catchment scale groundwater model.

SEAF in Cockburn Sound

Western Australia’s Cockburn Sound supports vital industrial complexes, trade networks, water and wastewater utilities. The marine systems are highly valued by the community for recreation and tourism and have cultural significance for Traditional Owners. Industrial operations and ecosystem resilience are at risk from climate change. economic and social change. 

Initially, the Cockburn Sound spoke will deliver hydrodynamic and sediment transport models and maps, integrated marine ecosystem biogeochemistry and ecological models and maps and information towards the Cockburn Sound DPSIR reporting model. These will enable more informed decision making for industry, government and regulators. Over time, the Cockburn Sound spoke will progress towards delivering regional assessments from shared data and analytics, as well as science and analytic products that are regionally specific, producing:

• single point of reference for industry operation and growth 
• industrial area groundwater model 
• terrestrial emissions models and maps 
• dynamic information towards the Cockburn Sound DPSIR reporting model

The project is part of the Trusted Environmental Data and Information Supply Chains focus area within the ARDC Planet Research Data Commons.

Who Will Benefit

SEAF is designed for a range of users to access transparent information and trusted, predictive models. Its key features are:

• secure information zones, separating confidential data from shared data: Information sharing enables more informed decision-making and is separate from areas that hold confidential data.
• fit-for-purpose analytics and models: users access relevant analytics and models that are accepted and trusted by regulators and stakeholders, allowing greater certainty in management decisions.
• efficient, user-friendly access to information: technical and non-technical users can access dynamic information that can be easily understood, interpreted and applied for decision-making.

Government regulators

SEAF will make the flow of data, information, trusted and agreed models transparent and easily available, generating user-friendly outputs and reports, aligned with assessment criteria. A streamlined process will allow sensitivity analysis to support decision making and will help lift confidence for developing recommendations. SEAF will enable a regional cumulative environmental impact review for proposed developments

Industry

SEAF will make data and information easily accessible, accurate and up-to-date. Regional cumulative environmental impact for the proposed development can be considered, utilising models trusted by decision makers in government, assisting with obtaining community support for the development. It will streamline environmental impact assessment saving industry millions of dollars.

Research and regional planning

For researchers, the benefits are huge, both in unlocking millions of dollars of environmental data collected by industry per year, and in contributing directly to improving environmental outcomes. A regional view allows researchers to easily see what data and models exist for a region and where the gaps are, so they can see how their research can contribute to completing the picture for the region.

The Partners

This project is a partnership between:

• Western Australian Biodiversity Science Institute (WABSI)
• Western Australian Marine Science Institution (WAMSI)
• ARDC
• The Western Australian Government through the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation and the Department of Transport
• The Australian Government through the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
• Westport
• Water Corporation
• The University of Western Australia
• CSIRO
• Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre
• Chamber of Minerals and Energy WA
• BHP
• Rio Tinto
• Microsoft
• PwC
• IXUP
• Sentient-Hubs
• Arinco
• Databricks

Target Outcomes

This approach will create real impact, translating scientific knowledge and data analytics into timely, practical management outputs whilst delivering significant economic, environmental and social benefits.

Key Resources

SEAF

• Read the feasibility study for a Shared Environmental Analytics Facility (SEAF)
• Learn more about SEAF

Related resources

• Read the Building a Trusted Environmental Data and Information Supply Chain: Forum and Workshop Report
• Learn more about the Planet Research Data Commons
• Read the program description for the establishment phase of the Planet Research Data Commons.