Sustainability
What is Sustainability?
Sustainability stems from the phrase 'sustainable development', but has evolved to mean different things to different people. Sustainable development as defined by the United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development (The Bruntland Commission) in 1987 as "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs".
Council uses the term Sustainability to mean decision making and actions that generate outcomes beneficial to people, the environment, the economy and governance.
Why Council needs a Sustainability Strategy
Community concern about climate change has increased in recent years. Research conducted by the NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change reveals that community members value the environment as part of their lives: 93 per cent say that it is important or very important to them. The main reason they give is concern for future generations.
The two most important environment issues identified in 2006 were water (including supply, conservation, management and drought) and air quality, with concern about climate change increasing sharply compared to previous surveys. Reducing energy and water use in corporate functions will set a precedent for decreased water consumption and greenhouse gas emissions for the community as a whole.
The environmental effect of our activities
Queanbeyan City Council has undertaken to measure its environmental impacts by developing an inventory of greenhouse gas emissions and resource consumption. The impact that Queanbeyan City Council has on the environment is substantial. For example:
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it contributes an average of 8600 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year (directly and indirectly) through operations including maintenance, construction and electricity use
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it spends approximately $570,000 on electricity each year in our offices, parks, water and sewer functions; and
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Council uses an average of 95 megalitres of water each year.
Council’s own operations have environmental impacts and it is recognised that there is a need to implement sustainability measures to reduce these. By influencing business and community stakeholders, Queanbeyan City Council hopes to educate and inspire them to adopt environmentally sustainable practices.
Council is working towards developing and implementing a Sustainability Strategy that will be based on our Sustainability Policy and encompass our Sustainability Action Plan and our Climate Change Action Plan.
Queanbeyan’s Role
Queanbeyan’s vision for the future is supported at the global level by the United Nations Vision for the Creation of Sustainable Cities: “To create environmentally healthy, vibrant and sustainable cities where people respect one another and nature, to the benefit of all”.
It is common knowledge that the Earth's resources are rapidly becoming depleted. Hence our ability to live sustainable lifestyles is now of great importance. Queanbeyan City Council recognises that as one of the largest employers and landholders in the community, it may also have one of the largest environmental footprints in the area. That being said, it also recognises that it has a significant role to play in the sustainability of the area and that there is much scope for significant changes to its operations so that positive environmental outcomes can be achieved. Due to the nature of business that local governments carry out, and the contact with the general public that they have, there is also significant scope for these agencies to become a role model for the community that they serve.
Queanbeyan City Council embraces this notion and commits to the following:
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Measuring and reporting on its environmental footprint;
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Employing strategic measures to reduce its environmental footprint;
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Incorporating best practice sustainability into its core business;
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Becoming a Sustainability Champion for the community.
Sustainability Report 2008
About this Report
Council has made a commitment to being a leader in sustainability for the region. Environmental sustainability has become an increasingly important goal as it ensures that resources are used in a way in which their levels are maintained, or increased for the use of future generations.
This report is the first coordinated step that Council is taking to fulfil its commitment to a sustainable future. The purpose of this document is to detail the current state of Council in regards to its use of resources and impact on the environment. It aims to compare these impacts with other similar local government areas and the relevant legislation. Although it is intended that this report be a stand alone document, it is hoped that in the future it can be placed along side an Environmental Sustainability Strategy.
The report itself is broken down into a number of chapters. The main buildings that house Council are treated together in the first few chapters in regards to their consumption and performance. This is because the types of data collected from each of these facilities are similar.
In addition to this, the specialised ancillary facilities are analysed separately due to the varied nature of their operation. A sister document - Sustainability Recommendations, details steps that can be taken by Council staff and Councillors to ensure that Council is heading towards being an environmentally responsible organisation and a ‘Sustainability Champion for the Community’.
For more information on Sustainability and how you can take action please refer to our Sustainability Resources page.
| Type |
Size KB |
Title |
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935 |
Community Climate Change Action Plan |
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80 |
Sustainability Policy |
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1014 |
Sustainability Recommendations 2008 |
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1494 |
Sustainability Report 2008 |