Australian Government - Department of Education, Science and Training

 Annual Report 2003 - 2004

 

Home > Contents > Appendices > Appendix 6 - Ecologically Sustainable Development and Environmental Performance Reporting

Appendix 6 - Ecologically Sustainable Development and Environmental Performance Reporting

Our Commitment

The department is committed to pursuing ecologically sound practices by implementing measures to help prevent pollution and to minimise environmental impact generally. It is striving to achieve environmental best practice in office management and general operations. It is also committed to compliance with applicable legislative and regulatory requirements.

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Actions and Administration of Legislation

Section 516A of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 requires the department to report on the following issues:

  • how the actions and administration of legislation accorded with the principles of ecologically sustainable development;

  • how the outcomes specified for the department in an Appropriations Act for 2003–04 contribute to ecologically sustainable development;

  • the effect of the department’s activities on the environment;

  • measures, if any, taken to minimise this impact; and

  • mechanisms, if any, in place for reviewing and increasing the effectiveness of those measures.

The department has undertaken a number of initiatives to minimise the effect on the environment of the department’s everyday activity.

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Departmental Initiatives

The department continues to seek ways to reduce the impact of its operations on the environment. The department’s Environmental Management System (EMS) provides the framework for continual improvement in this regard. During 2003–04, departmental activity included:

  • preparation of the EMS to ISO 14001 standard, including a review and recommendations by an environmental consultant, with a view to seeking certification during 2004–05;

  • waste management measures, including baling and recycling cardboard;

  • use of multifunctional office machines which offer efficient energy use, low emissions and an environmentally friendly disposal system for used toner cartridges;

  • consideration and inclusion of environmentally friendly initiatives during 2003–04 planned office refits, including installation of kitchen waste and recycling centres, and purchase of office equipment and furnishings which are made from recycled or recyclable materials;

  • purchase of bulk electricity in the ACT, as part of a consortium of government agencies, which includes 10 per cent green energy;

  • whole-of-life considered purchasing, including disposal of 99 per cent of information technology equipment through donation to schools as part of the Computer Technologies for Schools Project (see below); and

  • implementation of DiRECt, an electronic records management system, which reduces the need for paper files.

Other departmental initiatives undertaken during 2003–04 include:

  • The department’s standard Request for Tender and Request for Quote documents require staff to consider the application to the proposed tender or quote of the principles of ecological sustainability set out in the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Staff are directed to the Australian Government Department of the Environment and Heritage web site for further information about the Act. If the Act applies to the project, additional clauses will be inserted into the request for tender or contract.

  • Approximately 300 pieces of computer equipment have been donated by the department to the Computer Technologies for Schools Project, an Australian Government funded initiative that provides surplus computer equipment to Australian schools in greatest need. These are serviceable items that were surplus to departmental requirements as a consequence of major upgrades in desktop infrastructure. Since its establishment in 1997, the project has received about 100 500 items of equipment donated by various Australian Government and private sector agencies for distribution to government and non-government schools across Australia.

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Questacon

Questacon will finish implementing its Environmental Management System, to ISO 14001 standards, in October 2004. As part of the implementation process, an Environmental Management Audit was completed, the results of which reflected favourably on Questacon’s environmental management initiatives to date. A major focus during 2003–04 was on energy reduction strategies for the Centre in Canberra, resulting in a reduction in CO2 emissions of 21 tonnes per annum. Questacon also purchases 15 per cent of its energy as green energy, making the Centre a leader in the use of green energy within Canberra-based Australian Government agencies.

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Programme Initiatives

Ecologically sustainable development is one of our national research priorities, and also one of the National Goals for Schooling in the 21st Century. Through its research, science and education programmes, the department makes a significant funding contribution to a range of initiatives.

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National research priorities

In late 2002, the Prime Minister announced Australia’s national research priorities. This initiative encourages additional research effort in areas of economic, social or environmental benefit. These are areas in which a whole of government focus has the potential to improve research and broader policy outcomes. The four national research priorities are:

  • An environmentally sustainable Australia.

  • Promoting and maintaining good health.

  • Frontier technologies for building and transforming Australian industries.

  • Safeguarding Australia.

The priority goals were enhanced during 2003 to strengthen the contributions of social sciences and humanities research.

Australian Government research-performing and research-funding bodies have a particular responsibility for implementing the national research priorities.

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Prime Minister’s Science, Engineering and Innovation Council

The department provides secretariat support for the Prime Minister’s Science, Engineering and Innovation Council and in November 2003, a Council working group presented a report on water recycling strategies for Australian cities. The working group identified technologies and policy directions that could be applied to Australian urban areas to develop sustainable water use strategies to adapt to decreased water availability due to climate change and population growth.

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The Chief Scientist

In 2003–04 the Chief Scientist gave a number of presentations on sustainable development to a variety of audiences. These included:

  • Renewable Energy Generators of Australia Forum—Gold Coast (11 June 2004);

  • Minerals Council of Australia Innovation Day—Canberra (2 June 2004);

  • Green Processing 2004—Fremantle (10 May 2004);

  • Victorian Department of Agriculture Future Science Forum—Melbourne (29 April 2004);

  • Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association—Canberra (30 March 2004);

  • CSIRO National Research Flagships Dialogue Forum—Canberra (30 March 2004);

  • International Energy Agency Asia Pacific Conference on Zero Emissions Technologies—Gold Coast (18 February 2004);

  • Grains Research and Development Corporation—Canberra (2 December 2003);

  • Sustainable Energy Conference—Melbourne (14 November 2003); and

  • Renewable Energy Conference—Sydney (19 August 2003).

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Cooperative Research Centres Programme

As at 30 June 2004 there were 71 Cooperative Research Centres. Of these, 25 were related to ecologically sustainable development. Cooperative Research Centres programmes are directed towards a wide range of environmental or biodiversity research outcomes which include:

  • catchment hydrology;

  • management of dryland salinity;

  • biological control of pest animals; and

  • coastal zone, estuary and waterway management.

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Major National Research Facilities Programme

The Major National Research Facilities Programme provides funding for 15 facilities around Australia over a five-year period. Of these the Arafura–Timor Research Facility’s activities focus on ecologically sustainable development. Benefits arising from research at several other facilities will also contribute indirectly to ecologically sustainable development or biodiversity. These include the Australian Genome Research Facility, Provisor Pty Ltd (formerly known as the National Wine Industry Research Cluster) and the Australian Phenomics Facility.

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Managing Australia’s radioactive waste

In 2003–2004 the department worked towards establishing national radioactive waste management facilities—a national repository for underground, near surface disposal of low level waste and a national store for above-ground storage of intermediate level waste generated by Australian Government agencies.

At 30 June 2004, a licence application for establishing the national repository was under consideration by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency.

On 14 July 2004 the Prime Minister subsequently announced that the Australian Government had decided to abandon the project to establish a national radioactive waste repository at Site 40a near Woomera in South Australia. He indicated that this decision had been taken in light of the Federal Court decision that determined the Commonwealth’s acquisition of the national repository site to be invalid and the effective failure of the states and territories to cooperate with the Australian Government in finding a national solution for the safe and secure disposal of low level radioactive waste.

The Australian Government will now pursue establishment of a waste management facility for its low and intermediate level waste on Commonwealth land at a yet to be determined site.

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National Environmental Education Council

The department participates in the Further and Higher Education Working Group of the National Environmental Education Council. This is a non-statutory body providing expert advice to the Minister for the Environment and Heritage on the effectiveness and profile of the Australian Government’s environmental education activities and environmental education issues generally. The Working Group advises the Council on priority needs in the tertiary sector, including recommending action to be taken to address needs in areas such as integration of education for sustainability into core curricula, and management of facilities.

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Graduate Diploma in Environment and Planning

Through the Higher Education Innovation Programme, the Australian Government is providing $300 000 between 2003 to 2005 to the University of Tasmania to establish a new Graduate Diploma in Environment and Planning. Six scholarships are also to be provided at an additional total cost of $60 000. The initiative will help meet the growing demand for professionals versed in the complexities of integrated social, economic and environmental planning that advances ecological sustainability.

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Capital Development Pool

The Australian Government is providing $8.26 million between 2001 and 2004 to Edith Cowan University for the Joondalup Science and Health Building. The building houses a number of disciplines, such as nursing, biology, general science, sports science and physical sciences, as well as the Centre for Ecosystem Management. The proximity of the building to both the West Coast College of TAFE and the Western Australian Police Academy will provide opportunities for collaboration in provision of programmes and use of facilities and services.

The Australian Government is also providing $2 million between 2004 and 2005 to the Flinders University of South Australia for a new teaching wing and associated infrastructure for its Lincoln Marine Science Centre. The facility will help the University to meet increased student demand for programmes in marine science and will allow greater articulation and collaboration with the Spencer Institute of TAFE. The proposal has the support of several groups such as the City of Port Lincoln and the Department of Primary Industry.

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Environmental education in schools

Under the States Grants (Primary and Secondary Education Assistance) Act 2000 all education authorities are required, as a condition of funding from 2001, to make a commitment to the National Goals for Schooling in the 21st Century. One of these goals is:

When students leave school they should have an understanding of, and concern for, stewardship of the natural environment, and the knowledge and skills to contribute to ecologically sustainable development.

This goal is being progressed under the Australian Government’s National Action Plan for Environmental Education, which is managed by the Australian Government Department of the Environment and Heritage, and the National Environmental Education Network. The network aims to help governments coordinate delivery of environmental education, promoting a more efficient use of scarce resources and achieving better outcomes. The network is made up of representatives from the Australian Government and state and territory environment and education agencies. In December 2003 the National Environmental Education Network endorsed a document called the Common Elements of a National Sustainable Schools Programme.

An example of a National Environmental Education Network project is the Sustainable Schools pilot programme, involving schools in Victoria and New South Wales. Students are actively involved in making their schools more sustainable. It is anticipated that the pilots will provide a nationally applicable model for environmental education.

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For more information please email:

annualreport@dest.gov.au

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