Competing land uses in the rural landscape How

Competing land uses in the rural landscape. How do we achieve true progress?

2

3

4

GDP/”wealth” not = Quality of life � GDP ignores costs of environmental damage & resource depletion � ‘defensive expenditures’ such as pollution clean-up costs increase value of GDP � Build social wellbeing & ecological health measures into ‘progress’ mix 5

Measures to assess progress � GDP wrong metric, focus on wrong things � Measure for both today and future � Need metrics for social wellbeing + healthy ecosystems + long term economics, eg: • UN Human Development Index • Happy Planet Index (New Economics Foundation) • Genuine Progress Indicator (US think tank) 6

Private incentives cf public goals � Business � Share focused on short term profits market demands it � Short termism creates volatility & possibly dodgy investment strategies � Short termism discourages investment in technologies/practices with long term enviro benefits. 7

Or Legislate for Nature (eg Bolivia) � Proposed law granting Nature equal rights to humans � Proposal influenced by indigenous Andean spiritual view which places the environment at centre of all life. Humans considered equal to other entities. � The law includes: • the right to continue vital cycles & processes free from human alteration; • the right to pure water & clean air; • the right not to be polluted; • the right to not be affected by mega-infrastructure & development projects. � Little opposition is expected to passing the law. 8

Rural Landscape Food & Fibre � Export 60% of total agric production � 40% of the value of Aust agric production occurs within MDB � global food demand increase 2. 5 x by 2050 � World pop of 9 bil by 2050 (now 6. 5 bil) � 90% of prodn growth from increasing yields & cropping intensity � 50% of our food & fibre exports are to Asia (3. 8 bil) 9

Rural Landscape Minerals & Energy � 70% of NSW is under mineral & petroleum title & application � Mining in NSW to grow by 67% over the next � Global 2050: 2 x energy demand; no GHG decade � 75% of electricity is generated using coal & gas sources 10

11

CSG � Emits ~ 40% less GHG than coal when used for power generation � Saline � Risk production water of aquifer impacts � Chemicals � Surface in fracking process infrastructure spread 12

13

CSG � Qld: 3, 000 wells + 4, 000 km pipeline; 30, 000 more planned � Narrabri: 550 wells planned � Camden: 78 wells operating + expansion � Gloucester: 110 wells approved -330 wells � Hunter Valley: exploration phase (Broke + UH � Casino: 60 exploration wells � Wollongong: 15 wells � St Peters 14

Planning Process - TBL � Independent � Cumulative � Embrace studies: stakeholders involved impact assessment precautionary principle � Replace EPA Act: need TBL approach & legislated rights of landholders/farmers � Economic benefits sustainability – price enviro costs & 15

Natural Resources Assessment Ø Determine capacity of the natural systems Ø Maintain long term sustainable resources: Ø Ø a) Water resources/aquatic ecosystems b) Agric land (food & fibre) c) Biodiversity – veg management THEN - regional land use planning + ESD principles Identify industrial “go/no go” areas based on resource value & risk 16

Social aspects � Proponent has economic, technical & political clout � Rural/regional communities disadvantaged on these counts � Hence Govt must intervene to help balance the ledger � Community engagement before devel concept locked in � Enviro/social consequences too risky to rely on proponent being a good corporate citizen 17

Social Licence to Operate �A measure of socio-political sentiment towards a project, company or industry � Co-ownership: � Approval: support � Acceptance: � high trust & active support listen & consider; wait & see Withheld/withdrawn: opposition 18

19

NSW Govt Initiatives � Effective 21 May � 60 day freeze on issuing new exploration licences for coal & CSG � New exploration licence applic: public comment first � New Extraction DAs: require agricultural impact assessment. (until Strategic Regional Land Use Plans prepared & prime ag land protected) � Aquifer Interference Regs: public comment 20

NSW Govt Initiatives � Post 21 July � Strategic Regional Land Use Plans: identify “best places” for various uses � Start by May 2012 on 4 regions � Coal & Gas Policy to replace Coal & Gas Strategy; to interact with the regional plans 21

Govt. Departmental leadership � Need enviro Depts to strongly pursue their legislative responsibilities � Make a stand where environ risks unacceptable � General public is relying on them to be the guardians & not be compromised 22

As an environmental professional. . � Have a vision for our place as a species on the planet � Have courage & determination to swim against the tide � Challenge � Facilitate you the status quo change; strive to bring others with 23

Warwick Giblin Oz. Environmental Pty Limited ‘Delivering true progress’ wgiblin@bigpond. net. au Ph 0419 271 819 24