ENVIRONMENT

Background:

Sustainable Australia is sometimes asked how we differ from The Greens party.

Firstly, Sustainable Australia is a party of the political centre .

. Secondly, within a broad environmental policy platform, we stridently advocate for the inclusion of a meaningful sustainable population policy to stop overpopulation, based on environmental science.

See full background at bottom of page.

Policy

Prioritise ecological sustainability and better protect, manage and restore Australia's fragile and unique natural environment, not only for the health and wellbeing of the humans and biodiversity within it, but for its own intrinsic worth.

Policy Methods (Federal & State)

To help achieve this Sustainable Australia Party will:

Water

Better manage our water security, including through lower wastage and fairer water rights and responsibilities in regional Australia

Conduct a Federal Royal Commission into water management in the Murray–Darling Basin, to scientifically determine, amongst other things: An appropriate cap on water diversions An investigation of total return flows from irrigation water and total water actually delivered to the environment The appropriateness of speculative water trading, which will need to acknowledge that not all water is equal, and that the trade of water entitlements and allocations between states and valleys can be detrimental to the environment Importantly, policy outcomes would incorporate representation from all stakeholders in the decision-making process, particularly farming communities and traditional owners.

Reduce population growth pressures (also see SUSTAINABLE POPULATION - AUSTRALIA policy).

Animals & Biodiversity

Better protect animal habitats and welfare, and Australia's biodiversity. This should include: Adopting a properly enforced national biodiversity and native species program, including: Widespread urban, rural and marine animal habitat protection; Stronger laws to prevent inappropriate land and tree-clearing; Stronger laws to prevent the depopulation and eventual extinction of threatened, vulnerable and endangered native species, including through the proposed Koala Protection Act; North-South and East-West wildlife corridors; and Humane reduction and eradication programs for high-risk feral species. Implementing mandatory and independently regulated best practice animal welfare management in farming, agriculture and domestic environments. Minimising factory farming Transitioning to an end to live animal exports during the 2019+ term of federal parliament (also see REGIONAL & RURAL AUSTRALIA policy).(1) Reducing (human) population growth pressures.(2)



Climate change

Contribute to staying below 1.5 degrees global temperature rise compared to pre-industrial levels (3,4), by lowering Australia's greenhouse gas emissions below 2000 levels as follows: By at least 30 per cent by 2025 By at least 40 per cent and up to 60 per cent by 2030 By at least 80 per cent and up to 100 per cent by 2050 This should include: Funding and subsidising research and development into renewable energy technologies and energy efficiency initiatives. Adopting a renewable energy target (RET) of at least 50 per cent by 2030 , and up to 100 per cent by 2050 . Imposing a moratorium on all new coal mines in Australia. Imposing a moratorium on all fracking, including for coal seam gas (also see ENERGY policy). Phasing out fossil fuel subsidies (excluding the Diesel Fuel Rebate). Adopting a globally consistent carbon pricing mechanism that does not unfairly penalise Australian industries. Vigorously lobbying other nations to ensure fair and reasonable global action on greenhouse gas emissions. Promoting the environmental benefits of plant-based food. Reducing population growth pressures.(5)



Finite & Non-Renewable Resource Use

Sustainably manage Australia's finite and non-renewable resources, so as to enhance economic security, encourage the highest priority uses and leave a fair share for future generations of Australians. This should include: Conducting regular and full public audits of its finite and non-renewable resources. Implementing strategic resource depletion protocols and usage rights for appropriate finite and non-renewable resources, including minerals.(6) Implementing domestic energy reservation policies for relevant resources, including natural gas.(7) Adopting a Resource Super Profit Tax for iron ore and coal, the details of which would be determined following the implementation of a full resource audit and depletion protocol policy (also see JOBS & ECONOMY policy). Selectively utilising government revenue generated from the depletion of resources to advance appropriate sustainability goals. Reducing population pressures.



Forestry

Minimise the scale and improve the practices of native forest logging. This should include: Avoiding the habitats of threatened, vulnerable and endangered native species Increasing the forest reserve system Restoring failed plantations back to native forest Maximising the economic value-add for timber products Supporting a diverse range of plantation products

Ending old growth forest logging.(8)

Not accredit Australian native forests or its waste to be burnt for biomass power as a ’renewable energy‘ source under the Renewable Energy Target or related schemes.

Subject all state Regional Forest Agreements to the jurisdiction of the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (Commonwealth) to ensure all forestry is subject to the usual environmental and planning approval requirements.

Reduce population growth pressures.

Waste

Significantly reduce Australia's waste production, and increase its waste recycling and energy recovery. This should include: Achieving better product design and standards to reduce materials usage, and improve warranties, longevity, repairability, re-usability and recycling capacity. Establishing a national 'sustainable design and development' centre of excellence, with public-private partnership funding. Supporting major community centres dedicated to the repair, re-sale and responsible recycling of electronic waste and household goods. Providing widely available container deposit schemes. Adopting a national battery recycling scheme. Reducing population growth pressures.



Other

Invest more in environmental education and the protection, maintenance and ecological restoration of the natural environment.

End broadscale land clearing and initiate a nationwide ecological restoration program to rehabilitate degraded lands.

Provide increased employment, training and volunteer opportunities in conservation management, including via State national parks services and an enhanced national 'sustainability army' for the broader environment. This would particularly help revitalise regional, rural, remote and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities (also see REGIONAL & RURAL policy).

Further develop land stewardship funds to support relevant farmers and rural landowners to help manage biodiversity values on their properties, including areas that are either high conservation value and/or unsuitable or marginal for agricultural use (also see REGIONAL & RURAL policy).

land stewardship funds Adopt a meaningful population policy to reduce population growth pressures (also see SUSTAINABLE POPULATION - AUSTRALIA policy).(2)

Related policies

Background

Sustainable Australia is sometimes asked how we differ from The Greens party.

Firstly, Sustainable Australia is a party of the political centre .

. Secondly, within a holistic environmental policy platform, we stridently advocate for the inclusion of a meaningful sustainable population policy to stop overpopulation, based on environmental science:

"The federal government’s State of the Environment 2016 report (prepared by a group of independent experts) predicts that population growth and economic development will be the main drivers of environmental problems such as land-use change, habitat destruction, invasive species, and climate change."

The Victorian Government's Victorian Greenhouse Gas Emissions Report 2018, is further shocking evidence (unreported in the mainstream media) of how government-engineered rapid population growth is wiping out our efforts to reduce per capita (and therefore total) emissions.

If we are to lower Australia's total environmental impact, as we must, we need to both lower our per capita environmental impacts and stabilise our population.

Realistically, without an end to Australia's politically engineered rapid population growth (via successive Liberal / National and Labor / Greens Federal Governments), we cannot secure a sustainable environment.

Also see Closing the sustainability loop by party founder William Bourke.

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