The State of the Environment Report is an annual report that addresses eight environmental criteria:
- land
- air
- water
- biodiversity
- waste
- noise
- aboriginal heritage
- non-aboriginal heritage
These criteria are discussed with particular reference to management plans relating to the environment, special Council projects relating to the environment and the environmental impact of Council activities.
What is the State of the Environment Report used for
The State of the Environment Report provides a public record of the activities of government, industry and the community in protecting and restoring the environment.
State of the Environment Reports can:
- provide decision-makers with regular, scientifically sound information about the condition of the environment
- report on the effectiveness of policies and programs developed in response to environmental change
- assess progress towards achieving environmental standards/targets and sustainability
- provide input into the development of long term, ecologically sustainable social and economic policies
- identify current and emerging environmental issues and gaps in knowledge and data collection
- raise community awareness and understanding about the local environment and the contribution individuals make to environmental problems through use of resources such as energy, water, and production of waste
What is a Comprehensive State of the Environment Report
Council is required to prepare a Comprehensive State of the Environment Report for the year ending after each election of the councillors.
This report provides Council with a sound, reliable and up to date basis for environmental management, increases awareness of environmental issues, provides early warning signs of potential problems and reports on the effectiveness of current policies and programs. It must also identify where information and responses are lacking.
What is an environmental indicator
An environmental indicator is an aspect of the natural world or built environment that can be monitored to provide information on environmental conditions and trends.
Environmental indicators include physical, chemical, biological and socio-economic measures of the environment (such as measurements of contaminants in soil, the health of fish species and the number of motor vehicles per household, etc) that can be used to assess natural resources and environmental quality.
What model of environmental indicator measurement is used in the State of the Environment Report
The Pressure/State/Response model is used in the report and it provides a method for reporting on environmental sectors in which:
- the pressure component identifies and describes the effect that human activities put on their immediate environment and their natural surroundings
- The state component identifies and describes the current and projected status of the environment
- The response component identifies and describes the response of Councils, government agencies, industry and communities to the pressures on, and state of the environment
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