Page 3120 - Week 10 - Thursday, 18 October 2007
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Debate over a proposal to nominate the territory may help to build networks among stakeholders that will help grow a sustainable economy, improve equity and deliver environmental benefits to future generations. Local wine, food and tourism sectors may most readily benefit, but these are a relatively small component of the ACT economy. Through heightened awareness, stakeholder networking and drawing on research expertise, a broader range of local businesses and research institutions, particularly in the more significant public sector, property and business services and retail sectors, could potentially secure sustainable advantages.
The proposed biosphere reserve nomination might promote greater respect for Indigenous heritage values and other positive outcomes for the local Indigenous community. An exciting opportunity exists for the attribution of an appropriate Indigenous name for the proposed ACT biosphere, just as we see in Barkindji, Croajingalong and Uluru-Kata Tjuta biosphere reserves.
The committee has also recommended that the nomination proceed partly because there are high levels of support for the proposed nomination amongst many community organisations and three of the four universities in the territory. The committee received more than 30 separate expressions of support from individuals and organisations for the nomination, including in submissions, at a roundtable the committee hosted last year and in public hearings, as listed in pages 17 and 18 of the report. This is very significant considering that it was not the committee’s role to promote community engagement with and awareness about the proposal.
The committee found that biosphere reserves are a relatively low profile and even a neglected component of Australia’s suite of policy responses to the sustainability challenge. The committee has made a range of recommendations which suggest that this situation should be redressed. For example, several recommendations deal with the revitalisation and reform of governance mechanisms for biosphere reserves in Australia and for the proposed ACT biosphere reserve.
The committee recommends that the Minister for the Environment, Water and Climate Change write to the Australian government ministers for the environment and water resources and for foreign affairs, requesting that a broad ranging review of UNESCO biosphere reserves in Australia be undertaken. As a contributing process for the national review the committee recommends that the ACT government seek Australian government and private sector financial support for the convening of a national conference on biosphere reserves in Canberra. The main aim of this conference would be to develop a strategic framework for biosphere reserves in Australia. Although 2007 is already well advanced, this national conference could inform Australia’s contribution to the third international congress on biosphere reserves which will be held in Spain early next year. A national conference after the congress could also contribute to the early implementation of the proposed Madrid declaration and Madrid action plan.
For the administration of the local biosphere the committee recommends that the Commissioner for the Environment Act be amended and that additional resources be provided to the Office of the ACT Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment to enable the commissioner to chair the ACT biosphere reserve steering
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