Getting the framework right

Improving opportunities for community participation in decision making is an essential ingredient for a truly democratic and open society, a society in which people are citizens and not simply consumers. Promoting social capital – measured in terms of trust, community involvement in decision making and a high level of voluntary association – means that our environmental, social and economic goals are shared goals that are achieved through a process of engagement and productive compromise. A series of regional sustainability taskforces and a community involvement fund should be established to increase the capacity of communities to participate in sustainability planning.

Tracking Sustainability

How Many People Doing What?

The ability of a country or region to sustain its people and other species indefinitely is dependent on the interaction of a complex range of factors, including the physical environment of the country or region, the numbers of people the environment needs to sustain, the lifestyles of those people, the economic structure of the region, and the use of technology. All of these issues need to be addressed if we are to achieve a sustainable Australia. A national population policy should be developed and integrated with a comprehensive inter-governmental strategy to promote a conserver society.

Thinking Globally

Australia cannot afford to adopt a ‘lifeboat’ mentality, hoping to save our natural environment for ourselves by shutting out the rest of the world. The global ecology, community and economy are too interconnected for that approach. Equally, we cannot afford to view the world simply as a ‘dog-eat-dog’ marketplace in which we are competing with everyone else. It is essential that Australian governments, business and the broader community rethink our approach to the world. Global cooperation for environmental protection and social justice, rather than global competition, are ultimately the only pathways to national prosperity and sustainability. Australian governments should redefine the national interest in treaty-making processes, the allocation of foreign aid, and in bilateral relations, to include global environmental protection and social justice. An assessment of the environmental impacts of trade liberalisation should also be undertaken through a national inquiry.

Making the market work

In recent years there has been growing community awareness of the hidden subsidies made by Australian taxpayers to environmentally-destructive activities such as woodchipping, land clearing, fossil fuel use and overuse of water. These subsidies are estimated to cost billions of dollars per year – far more than Australian governments are spending on environmental protection. A ‘Green Shears’ program should be established with the aim of eliminating those subsidies that contribute to environmental damage or over-consumption of resources. The program should also make suggestions as to how the subsidies can be transferred to socially-equitable and environmentally-sustainable ventures.

Taxing Waste, Not Work

Central to sustainability reform is environmental tax reform. By putting taxes on environmental ‘bads’, such as waste, and taking them off social ‘goods’, such as work, environmental protection and job creation can both be achieved while maintaining the overall tax level. A Green Tax Inquiry should be initiated as the first step to taxation for environmental protection and sustainability. Governments should then implement environmental tax reform for pollution reduction, productivity gains and employment growth – the environment/employment double dividend.

Making It Our Business To Be Green

Much of corporate Australia has still to recognise the coming sustainability revolution, which is why it needs encouragement from governments and the community. Government’s role is principally as a regulator, ensuring that Australian companies perform to the highest environmental and social standards, both in Australia and overseas, and that information about corporate performance is readily available to the public. Community members, in turn, can push Australian companies towards greater environmental and social responsibility through their purchasing power and their role as investors. A national eco-labelling scheme on the environmental aspects of consumer goods should be established. The Australian Securities and Investment Commission and the Australian Stock Exchange should take on sustainability monitoring roles.

Natural resource management

Australia needs a more integrated approach to natural resource management to address the diverse but interlinked issues of biodiversity conservation, agriculture, land degradation, river health, water quality and the effects of these issues on our estuaries and coasts. In May 2000 ACF and the National Farmers Federation released the Five-Point Plan for Repairing the Country, which contained the following components:

• A ten year bipartisan commitment.
• National leadership.
• A new scale of strategic investment.
• Strong private sector engagement.
• Active involvement of all Australians.

In keeping with this five-point plan, we propose that the Federal Government make a long-term commitment to funding integrated natural resource and environmental management programs through the introduction of a land and water repair levy, reform of governmental and inter-governmental arrangements for resource management, and the development of national standards for environmental accreditation of agricultural production.

Licking the Salt

Salinity already costs the Australian economy hundreds of millions of dollars each year. It also has serious ecological impact on many areas of remnant native vegetation, wetlands, floodplains and rivers, and this is expected to grow dramatically. Tackling salinity requires a major coordinated effort on a national scale. As part of an integrated and environmental natural resource management program, a major salinity strategy is needed, using a nationally-coordinated approach and working at the national, regional and property levels. Specific priorities and targets are needed covering revegetation of cleared lands and preventing rivers from becoming salinised. Institutional reforms are needed to overcome the reluctance of states to cooperate in effective salinity management, particularly in the Murray-Darling Basin where land management in one state can impact on other states.

Going With the Flow

Water is the basis of all life, and even though Australia is a dry continent, we have allowed the quality of our rivers and waterways to decline dramatically since European settlement. Despite a growing understanding of the problems we face, there is a continuing decline in the state of our rivers, in terms of quality and quantity of water, and in riverine habitat destruction and degradation. Australia will benefit economically and environmentally if we develop a comprehensively updated Rivers and Water Action Plan, building on the now-outdated Council of Australian Governments’ Water Resources Policy. Initiatives must include reducing water extraction in all stressed rivers and restoring environmental flow regimes, strengthening water reforms, including applying principles of user-pays and the removal of all water subsidies, and reforming irrigation policy and management to reduce the environmental impact of dams and weirs.

Saving Our Species, Rescuing Our Richness

Australia has lost and continues to lose much of its biological diversity. The 1996 State of the Environment report found that loss of biodiversity is the single most important environmental issue facing the nation. Ongoing threats to biodiversity include clearing, grazing, introduced species, climate change, urbanisation and pollution. Urgent and coordinated national action is required to control these threatening processes. Regional or bioregional planning and management should be undertaken across private and public land to achieve whole-of-landscape conservation, allowing the integration of conservation and production systems. Broadscale vegetation clearance continues to be a great concern and requires urgent attention to reverse the decline in the quality and extent of our native vegetation.

Saving Our Bush

The protection of our remaining forests and woodlands continues to be the source of often bitter debate. The challenge ahead is to ensure that Australia’s forests and woodlands are managed to ensure ecosystem protection, and that industries based on these ecosystems are restructured on a sustainable basis. Steps towards a sustainable future for our forests and woodlands include enacting strict vegetation clearing control legislation in all states and territories and at the Commonwealth level, ending inappropriate subsidies and perverse incentives, and moving more rapidly towards ecologically-sustainable mixed-species timber plantation production.

Looking After Nature's Jewels

Although some of Australia’s greatest natural treasures are protected in national parks and world heritage areas, our terrestrial and marine reserve systems are incomplete and do not contain and conserve the full range of ecosystems and species. Actions required for our protected areas include continuing to develop a comprehensive, adequate and representative terrestrial reserve system, establishing additional Marine Protected Areas with adequate ‘no take’ or strict protection zones, and resisting multiple use and other commercial pressures in national parks.

Saving Our Seas

Our coastal areas, oceans and fisheries are under enormous pressure, with much of the damage unnoticed, hidden below the surface of the water. There are major challenges for Australia in maintaining and improving the quality of our coastal and marine systems. Australian governments and industry must commit to the oceans policy, and develop oceans legislation to provide a solid framework for integrated regional ocean ecosystem management. National standards for ecologically-sustainable aquaculture must be established, and there must be national legislative protection for whales and dolphins from environmental threats such as coastal and noise pollution.

Genetic Jeopardy

There is growing concern about the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) both in Australia and overseas. These concerns centre on the potential risks to public health, impacts on natural and agricultural environments – which may be harmful and irreversible – and social and economic impacts. There must be a five-year freeze on the environmental release of genetically engineered organisms, stricter mandatory labelling for all GMOs and the products derived from them, and a marketing strategy for GMO-free produce.

Looking After Country

Although Indigenous Australians have been dispossessed of much of their land, there has recently been growing legal recognition of prior occupation and continuing ownership of land by Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders. This increased legal recognition has provided Indigenous Australians with greater opportunities to become involved in land management and biodiversity conservation. Non-Indigenous Australians need to fully recognise the legitimate role that Indigenous Australians can play in the management of Australia’s natural and cultural resources, the importance of Indigenous peoples’ knowledge of the Australian environment, and the need to use both Indigenous and Western scientific knowledge systems in land and water management. This requires recognising and expanding Native Title rights, continuing to develop and explore joint management of national parks and other protected areas, providing resources for culturally-appropriate training and employment opportunities in land management for Indigenous Australians, and protecting intellectual property rights.

Sustainable industries, cities and regions Regional Futures

The growing divide between the different types of regions in Australia is increasingly in the political spotlight. Those regions that are tapped into the new global economy are doing well, while those regions based on traditional rural and industrial enterprises are falling behind. A new agenda to support regional development is required, and while the focus so far has been on the social and economic aspects of the regional divide, a truly sustainable long-term future for all regions must be underpinned by a healthy environment. Indeed, environmental action in the regions can build social and economic sustainability. Actions required include facilitating and implementing regional strategies based on the environmental, social and economic characteristics of the region, and delivering integrated regional packages comprising training, rural readjustment, and environment funding.

Green Jobs

Environmental employment is one of the fastest-growing labour market segments in the world. Environmental repair, pollution and waste reduction, energy efficiency and renewable energy and research, and development and innovation for a sustainable future are generating millions of jobs worldwide. If Australia is to capture its share of this market then it is essential that governments vigorously pursue a range of policies that promote employment and environmental protection in tandem. This means comprehensive environmental industry and regional development strategies, environmental tax reform, and labour market and training programs that specifically target environmental employment opportunities.

Clean and Green Industry

If Australia is to truly become a clever country then industrial activity must be transformed. This means becoming world leaders in clean and green industry. Australian manufacturers should be aiming to produce zero wastes and emissions. Dirty and polluting industries will have to be transformed into environmentally-friendly ones. To achieve this transformation will require a sustained effort from governments and industry. Governments must play an active role in promoting the development of green industries such as solar energy, waste reduction and pollution control technologies, and sustainable agriculture. Specific programs and incentives are needed to encourage industry to adopt clean and green practices. A Sustainable Industry and Regional Development Commission should be established to provide advice on industry and development policy, while a Sustainable Industry Council should be set up to develop and facilitate the implementation of sustainable industry plans for both ‘cleaning and greening’ existing industries and promoting new and emerging environmental industries.

Livable Cities

The environmental, social and health costs of urban air and noise pollution, congestion, automobile accidents and social alienation are extensive. A new approach to transport and urban planning is needed, one that reduces car dependency, improves energy efficiency, and promotes sustainable and livable cities. Measures proposed include promoting public transport use through employer-provided, tax-exempt public transport passes and developing a national Sustainable and Livable Cities Program that encompasses urban renewal, accessible and affordable public transport and housing, clean air and waterways, energy efficiency, and urban bush and parkland protection.

Breathing Easy

Although the air quality in Australian cities improved between the 1980s and the mid-1990s, urban air pollution remains at unacceptably high levels. Air quality will deteriorate again unless new measures are found to combat the extra 50,000–200,000 motor vehicles that are being added to our roads each year. National ambient air quality standards should be extended to include very fine particles and benzene, and vehicle emission and fuel standards should be strengthened.

Protecting Our Climate

There is enormous potential in Australia for reducing our greenhouse gas pollution. ACF believes that a comprehensive and well-implemented plan of action by governments, industry and the broader community can reduce Australia’s greenhouse gas pollution significantly below 1990 levels by 2010, contributing to international efforts to protect the global climate. Along the way we can strengthen our economy, create new jobs and enhance our quality of life. The plan of action will focus on using our energy more wisely and moving from greenhouse-polluting fuels to clean and unlimited renewable energy sources such as solar and wind. An integrated strategy would include a challenging but achievable renewable energy target, national electricity market reform, a national energy efficiency drive, and a comprehensive national greenhouse gas emissions trading scheme and/or a carbon tax.

Nuclear, No Thanks

All Australian governments, political parties and industries should reflect the aspirations of the broader community and reject the expansion of Australia’s participation in the nuclear industry. There should be no new uranium mines in Australia, existing mines should be phased out and rehabilitated, nuclear waste dumps should be prohibited in this country, and environmentally-friendly alternatives to the technologies and products of the Lucas Heights reactor should be found, making the construction of a new reactor unnecessary.

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For more information on this article please contact:
Michael Krockenberger -ACF Strategies Director