The Queensland Government has produced a state of environment (SoE) report every four years and has completed three reports to date: the 1999, 2003 and 2007 reports. The EPA is the lead agency in the preparation and delivery of the report. The reports describe:
the pressures acting on the state's air, land, inland and coastal waters, biodiversity, and natural and cultural heritage;
the state or condition of the environment; and
the responses by society to reduce pressures and protect and conserve the state's natural and cultural heritage.
The reports are an important tool for environmental management in Queensland. They provide an information base to support the community, industry and government in working towards improved environmental management and the sustainable use of our natural resources.
The report describes the environment in terms of nine major themes (chapters): sustainability; atmosphere; land; inland waters and wetlands; the coastal zone; biodiversity; invasive plants and animals; human settlements; and natural and cultural heritage. Each chapter is made up of a series of issue papers. The report concludes with an assessment of the key legislation relevant to the Environmental Protection Agency in achieving environmental outcomes.
Links to the report, the government's responses, sources are available from the EPA website here
Key policy responses are available here
Planning for a rapidly growing economy and population
Moving freight and reducing congestion
Understanding climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions
Managing pollution and waste
Delivering water security
Maintaining and improving liveability
Sustainable use and management of natural resources
Minimising the effects of invasive plants and animals
Understanding and protecting our natural and cultural heritage
The June 2008 issue of Spinifex, QCC's newsletter has some critiques of the Queensland State of Environment Report by Carol Booth and Simon Baltais. This is available for download here.