State of the Environment Report

[omada]

The Age has today highlighted a report done by Ian McPhail, the Sustainability Commissioner for the Victorian Government. Although addressing Victorian issues, I think it is relevant to all Australian cities.

Some points from the article:

• - Report calls for a halt to urban sprawl and dramatic changes to the "unsustainable" materialism and consumption of the state's citizens
  
  - Urban-fringe developments "threaten remnant native vegetation and have the potential to further fragment native fauna habitats that are already under significant pressure".
  
  - Report recommends laws encouraging more rain tanks, energy and water-efficient appliances and greener cars
  
  - Urban planners and architects would be central to the design revolution that Victoria needed to become sustainable.
  
  - Economic downturn should not hamper efforts to repair the environment, climate-change technologies would create new jobs and investment.

The full article:
http://www.theage.com.au/environment/br ... tml?page=2