Issues

• Values: what do we need to sustain?
• Constraints
• SoE and Limits to Knowledge

• Atmosphere
• Land
• Inland Waters and Wetlands
• Biodiversity
• Settlements
• Cultural Heritage
• Coastal, Estuarine and Marine

• Response Instruments
• Summary of Report Recommendations
• Strategic Recommendations
• Conclusion

This section summarises the key response instruments available in Tasmania. These instruments are either currently being applied, or could be applied in the future, to respond to some of the environmental and natural resource issues highlighted in this SoE Report. Choices about the most appropriate tools raises questions about how outcomes are best achieved, the urgency and scale of the problem, and the impacts of the solution.

The majority of the issues described in this report are not due to any single cause, but more an interaction between a variety of contributing factors. It follows that a suite of responses is usually necessary. For example, in order to achieve a 50-70% reduction in particulate concentrations in Launceston over 10 years, strategies may include education of heater use, smoke patrols, as well as incentives, accreditation of wood sellers, and regulation through the Air Quality National Environment Protection Policy. Conversion to gas and electricity heating may prompt further improvements.

In dealing with environmental and natural resource matters, responses to the consequences of changes-in addition to tackling the causes-may also be necessary as the adverse effects are often social and economic. Examples might include the need for social and economic assistance in response to changes in forest policy, the closure of a fishery, or the impacts of a drought.

International and national mechanisms

International priorities have influenced the regulatory framework and responses at the State level. Australia played a significant role in the 'Earth summit' in Rio, the Montreal protocol on ozone depleting substances, the Basel Convention on the transboundary shipment of hazardous waste, as well as conventions on migratory species.

The Intergovernmental Agreement on the Environment (IGAE), signed in 1992, arose in part as a response to Australia's international priorities. The Agreement led to the creation of the National Environment Protection Council, which has now been incorporated into the Environment Protection and Heritage Council. The National Environment Protection Measure for Ambient Air Quality, the National Pollutant Inventory, and other instruments have been created under the National Environment Protection Council.

Vision and goal setting

Tasmania Together is a project that allows the people of Tasmania to have a say in their long-term social, economic and environmental future-it is about creating a vision for the State based on the wishes of the people. Tasmania Together is enshrined in law and used to guide decision-making at the highest levels of the State Public Service. It includes 24 goals and 212 benchmarks that were of most concern to the people during more than two-and-a-half years of community consultation

Regulatory mechanisms

Environmental regulation includes: standard setting, auditing, reporting, policy, and enforcement. Various examples of regulatory instruments are included in this SoE Report. For example, the role of the Air Quality NEPM is reviewed in the Atmosphere Chapter.

The Resource Management and Planning System (RMPS) consists of a suite of integrated legislation. The core pieces of legislation are the Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993, the State Policies and Projects Act 1993, and the Environmental Management and Pollution Control Act 1994. An activity undertaken in the State is categorised according to environmental harm. An activity is either dealt with by the planning authority as a Level 1 activity or, if the potential for environmental harm is greater, it is referred to the Board of Environmental Management and Pollution Control as a Level 2 activity. As projects move higher up the hierarchy, eventually to the Level 3 of 'Project of State Significance' status, the range and intensity of the issues that need to be addressed increases. Level 3 assessments include a full consideration of economic and social impacts.

The Tasmanian Natural Resource Management Framework, launched in February 2002, was developed to provide Tasmania with a systematic way of integrating natural resource management and to ensure consistency, efficiency and improved natural resource management outcomes. The Framework provides the administrative system by which the Tasmanian Government coordinates and integrates the activities of the many entities that are involved in the wide range of natural resources in Tasmania.

Despite the success of regulatory instruments, they are less able to deal with some environmental issues. For example, diffuse sources require different and diverse approaches. The tasks of regulation are also more complex where there are complex relationships and diffuse emission sources (e.g. catchments).

Economic mechanisms

Economic instruments or market-based measures have been identified as appropriate responses to various environmental and natural resource issues. They are often viewed positively as they work with the market to modify a behaviour that may be contributing to environmental harm. Economists consider that an environmental problem can be addressed by ensuring that any unintended environmental consequences are incorporated in the market transaction. There are various examples of economic instruments to address environmental issues. For example, weight-based charges apply at a number of Tasmanian landfill sites. The Trade Waste Exchange System established by DPIWE is not strictly a market-based measure, but provides the information to match supply and demand. Globally, tradable greenhouse gas emission credits for signatories to the Kyoto Protocol, which excludes Australia, is a further example.

There are many potential environmental and natural resource issues in Tasmania where economic instruments might potentially be applied. However, a notable limitation on the application of some forms of economic instruments is the need for sufficient numbers of participants to generate a market. Some market measures may also have unintended consequences. For example, a charge for disposal at landfill sites may increase the likelihood of illegal dumping of waste to avoid fees and charges.

Purchasing, compensation and incentives

Compensation may be required in some circumstances in order to promote the environmental outcomes the community is seeking. Nationally, the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists identified the need to provide financial support to landholders who supply environmental services to the rest of the community above agreed definitions of duty of care.

Publicly funded purchases have been used in Tasmania. The Private Forests Reserve Program, for example, is a highly successful program where private land containing forest communities of conservation significance are purchased. The program is funded by the Natural Heritage Trust, the RFA and the State Government. Landowners receive a lump sum to keep native bush. The amount of up-front payment is related to the forest type and its conservation importance, land values and management. It is usually about one third of the market value of the land.

Another example of publicly funded purchases is the wood heater buy back program in Launceston funded by the Natural Heritage Trust. The program aims to reduce the numbers of wood heaters in Launceston as part of an overall response to air quality problems.

However, in most cases there are insufficient resources to compensate producers or owners for protecting environmental or natural resource qualities viewed as important for Tasmanians. An example is Hobart's regionally significant skylines, the majority of which are in private ownership. These skylines are coming under increasing development pressure as a result of the recent boom in housing investment. An outcome of these higher land values is that it is unlikely that publicly funded purchases of significant skylines would now be affordable. Establishing programs to provide incentives to property owners may be one approach to at least assist owners in avoiding some of the costs of holding land in an 'undeveloped' state. Other approaches include providing development offsets, whereby land with conservation or scenic significance is traded for development options elsewhere.

Strategic planning mechanisms

The RMPS suite of legislation is essentially focussed around development control activity. However, 'development' is defined sufficiently broadly in the legislation to be applied in addressing a variety of environmental priorities in Tasmania. For example, the State Government's Vegetation Policy Framework provides for a major role for local government in limiting vegetation clearance. Planning mechanisms are one means of achieving these outcomes in a manner that also recognises regional variations in the drivers and responses to vegetation clearance. There are numerous other examples of the potential application of strategic planning mechanisms to the issues identified in this SoE Report. The issue of adapting coastal settlements to climate change is a key area that requires a planning response. The response could also be supported through the State Coastal Policy. Bushland and landscape issues are already addressed in some planning schemes.

Ten years after the commencement of the RMPS, a number of limitations are evident in the operation of the system. For example, there is a reluctance to apply the provisions that exist for fear of over-regulation. The planning system is almost entirely directed towards development approvals and limited use is made of strategic planning in order to achieve better social, economic and environmental outcomes. Accordingly, the planning system is not used as effectively as it could be as a means to achieve desirable futures and to avoid future problems. A related issue is that there are as yet no formal mechanisms for implementing Tasmania Together through the RMPS.

These issues are demonstrated by:

• Limited use of State Policies as a means to achieve coordinated approaches to common Statewide planning issues. A Draft Roads Policy was withdrawn and has not been pursued.
   
• Long lead times in establishing a template for simplifying planning schemes.
   
• The need for greater commitment to regional planning (the Derwent Estuary Program is an example of what can be achieved through cooperation on common approaches to shared problems).
   

Education and information

Education and information is vital to ensuring that the instruments outlined above are well-received or supported by the community. Education and information are needed to support each stage in implementing change: supporting the case for instruments to achieve better environmental or natural resource outcomes and assisting in promoting changes in community practices or behaviour. For example, a major television and newspaper-based education may concentrated on a few significant 'take-home' messages for environmental and natural resource issues that can be influenced by community actions (e.g. stormwater management, litter and waste management). Following the last SoE Report for Tasmania, a Tasmanian Teachers' Guide for using State of the Environment reports in the classroom was prepared (RPDC 1999). The web-based 2003 SoE Report provides further opportunities for developing educational resources to assist environmental education.