Australia's Environmental Issues and EIA: A Sustainable Systems Report

This report provides a detailed analysis of environmental issues in Australia, focusing on overgrazing, agricultural clearing, and deforestation, and their links to climate change. It examines the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process in New South Wales (NSW), highlighting its drawbacks and comparing it to the process in Western Australia. The report also includes a case study involving a development activity, outlining study goals, screening assessments, and baseline establishment. It further assesses the social impacts of the development, emphasizing public participation within the EIA process. Finally, the report proposes a strategy for behavior change using soft tools to promote sustainable practices and overcome environmental challenges. The report incorporates the use of Harvard referencing style, as requested in the assignment brief.

SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS
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Table of Contents
Introduction...........................................................................................................................................3
1. Identification of environmental issues in Australia............................................................................3
2. Examination of EIA process conducted in NSW Australia................................................................5
3. Location.............................................................................................................................................8
4. Development of new strategy and planning to overcome the environmental issues in Australia.....10
Conclusion...........................................................................................................................................13
Reference List......................................................................................................................................15
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Introduction
It is well notified by one and all; that the environmental conditions are degrading with each passing
day and this study explores this with respect to Australia. It is this part of the world that has been
facing a lot of environmental issues and is ardently looking for ways to curb them. The purpose
behind this research is to explore these issues, and relate them with the climatic changes with lining
down certain steps to tackle these concerns to ensure a safe environment to reside in. An analysis of
this contextual study has further paved path to lay down the steps to control these issues. And this
was done by investigating the factors effecting the Australian environment and the adverse impact of
the same on the climate. An understanding is perceived on the significance of these conditions on the
climate and solutions are reached by observing and studying the drastic climatic change.
1. Identification of environmental issues in Australia
A team of well educated and experienced researchers undertook the task of identifying the
environmental issues in Australia. Their study, to everyone’s amazement rendered some of the
shocking reasons behind these environmental challenges. They identified an array of these problems
with focusing mainly on those which are considered to be most influential in this case. To state the
same, the underwritten content will help to interpret the main two issues that are bothersome to this
country:
I. Overgrazing and Agricultural clearing
The country has witnessed a high frequency of agricultural clearing activities. And it has been found
that it is because of these clearing activities for agricultural purposes, that the country is facing a
huge problem. There has been marked a great removal of Australia’s primitive vegetation to serve
the purpose of producing main agricultural lands. And the stats report the percentage to be 13% of
the original vegetation that was erased since European settlement found its base here (Elaw.org,
2019). This percentage seems to increase drastically as the country faces the pressure to produce
more economically through agriculture. In tandem to this issue there is another problem of
overgrazing that has become a serious issue from environmental point of view.
This poses a grave threat to the Australian biodiversity. It is the collective activities of grazing and
agriculture that have changed the green grasslands dramatically. The wide open woods are
transformed to an extent that the wild life is getting adversely affected. The researchers have found
that less than 2% of the original grassland has remained as it otherwise they have changed beyond
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one’s imagination. The problem of overgrazing has laid foundation for a string of problems like that
of erosion, desertification and spread of invasive plants.
II. Deforestation
This is the second biggest environmental issue that Australia is facing in the current time. With the
increased cutting down of the forests, the salinity of the soil is also increasing tremendously. The
drainage of such waters into the down slope area is affecting the water quality. The study has found
that 7% of the agricultural grounds in Western Australia are facing this problem. Also, it has been
found that the soil quality that has gotten affected is very difficult to be recovered (Epa.wa.gov.au,
2019). This is costing the government $1 billion yearly affecting the economic budget to maintain
the environmental balance.
Other than these two, there are others like the issues of pollution, infrastructure development,
introduction of exotic species; illegal fishing and overfishing, etc. that seem to have presented
serious environmental issues in Australia.
Impact of these issues on the climate change in Australia
These environmental issues are affecting the coastal areas’ life. Short spanned weather cycles are
causing river flooding, sea fluctuations, coastal inundation, and some acute events in the continent.
All these address risks not only to the people having their households in these areas but also varied
businesses of infrastructure, water energy, tourism and fishing are getting severely affected. The city
people are facing problems of temperature rise, which acts as a catalyst to bushfire. The coastal areas
have become more prone to cyclones and storms now. Different natural ecosystems and biodiversity
are becoming vulnerable as a result. Other industries of agriculture, fisheries and forests are also
confronting some of the serious risks with the change in the weather. The rain rate has fallen down
with loss of grasslands in the country (Planning.nsw.gov.au, 2019). The livestock are at higher risks
of low productivity along with facing the heat stress. Not only the rainfall has shifted its cycle but
resultantly and gradually, the groundwater is reported to become vulnerable to the climatic
variations. The rise in the temperature and heat is resulting in contamination of water, algal
outbreaks and acidic soil situations.
These changed weather conditions, water quality; environmental heat levels etc have an unpleasant
influence on human health. In the last 10 years, the mortality rate has increased due to variable
environmental changes. These changes are also posing challenge for the government’s potential to
cope with these mentioned risks.
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Strategies to tackle environmental issues
Though these are the challenges faced by the people and nature in Australia due to weather changed
conditions, it has been reported that by following the under mentioned strategies, these problems can
be brought under control:
 The first is to make sure that natural sources of energy like that of solar energy are used to
lower the global warming and ensure a sustainable future.
 This solution should be engaged collectively to catalyze the continent’s transition to zero
level pollution, supporting the most vulnerable of climatic changes.
 Government along with different businesses and communities are taking needed steps to
reduce global warming to 1.5 degrees by the century’s termination.
 Zero carbon pollution and 100% use of renewable resources in Australia have been targeted
before 2050 (Epa.wa.gov.au, 2019).
 Different businesses are employing inventive methods to lower the carbon emissions. Also,
the government is ensuring that companies can purchase renewable resources at affordable
rates.
 Companies and government can attempt to rehabilitate and reforest Australia. Certain climate
finance solutions are also offered to companies facing the risks of climatic changes.
2. Examination of EIA process conducted in NSW Australia
Environmental Impact Assessment or simply EIA, is a process of identifying the
environmental consequences of a project and analyzing the ways to mitigate them. This has a
great say in the decision making process of a proposed activity; not only the decision makers
but the public too are informed about the impacts on the physical environment and on the
socio-cultural and health impacts (Soe.environment.gov.au, 2019). And resultantly,
alternatives are suggested and transparency is maintained with public engagement. This
process is crucial and has the following advantages:
 Intelligently sub-sides the environment unfavorable assignments.
 Introduces project frameworks that lessen the environmental issues.
 Envisages extreme impacts and identifies possible substitutes.
 Recognizes improvement measures to neutralize the potential extreme impacts.
 Involves and updates the vulnerable individuals and communities.
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 Persuades the decision making and the formulation of associated rules and
regulations.
Besides this, it is also noteworthy that this process does not necessarily changes or nullifies a
project even if the grave consequences have been notified. Now, this EIA is prepared very
vigilantly either by the government agency or ministry or by the project promoter. If EIA
allows, either of this party may hire a consultant to handle the entire process of EIA or a
portion of the same. This process is a procedural undergoing that summates into a written
report that functions as a direction for the decision makers to accept or refuse an anticipated
proposal. The procedure includes the underwritten steps:
1. Identification of the proposed activity
2. Screening of the proposal if it warrants an EIA
3. Scoping stage; involving parties that help identify the issues
4. Preparation of reference terms to map out an EIA
5. Then preparing draft EIA and proposing public involvement
6. Final Report comes out and decision is taken with the help of judicial review.
7. Project gets implemented and is constantly monitored
Drawbacks of EIA process
Though this process is highly recommended and followed but there have been seen certain
drawbacks pertaining the legal provisions of EIA. And which are:
The provision only entails screening, preparation, submission, review and
implantation of the project; and the rules properly ignores scoping, monitoring and
follow up processes. There are no strict rules for an avoidance of the same on post
EIA activities. Also, there is no clear provision for public involvement in EIA
preparation and implementation. The proponents may avoid this as there is no legal
compulsion on them to follow this.
The next is the validity span of Environmental Clearance Certificate (ECC), which
allows a validity of a year and renewal is then a necessary process. This poses heavy
load on DOE resulting in wastage of money and time of the proponents (Fao.org,
2019).
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The absence of a proper judicial control on polluter of EIA system causes a situation
where the polluter may negotiate with the system and an effective measure may be
totally ignored against the polluter and the project.
Lack of an independent Appeal Committee cause the proponents to face serious
problems of time and money wastage in case the EIS review is declined by DOE. As
the appeal committee is led by secretary of MoEF, who also is a functional member of
DOE, thus proponent’s appeal is liable to fail.
The issuance of site clearance before ECC reception makes the DOE approve the EIA
report at the earliest that might be of poor quality (Greenpeace.org.au, 2019). It
becomes difficult technically to reject the proposal as the proponent already has
invested resources at the site.
Due to rigid environmental quality set standards, it becomes difficult to take out a
successful EIA. Hence these have to be revised to suit the changed environmental
conditions too.
A clear role of the EIA undertakers, proponents, consultants and DOE has to be
outlined under EIA provision. Lack of these causes a number of problems.
Other usual problems are that of public confusion in predicting the future of EIA. This creates
problems in collection of information that takes place in form of graphs, numerical data and
maps. And whatever information is collected becomes a subject of mistrust for EIAs. Poor
understanding of the results is analyzed in terms of physical and socio-economic perspective.
And only outcomes are focused instead of a deep study.
The EIA conducted at NSW, Australia considered the State significant proposals and
identified their socio-economic and environmental impacts. This considered the project
advances and set terms of reference through secretary’s environmental assessment
requirements. EIS was prepared using governmental as well community’s consultation and
was publically exhibited. Department would assess the project and be determined by the
minister. Complete monitoring would be done during project’s development and its operation
(Spracklen et al. 2015). A consultation report was prepared from analyzing the input from
different stakeholders on this. This led formulation of new guidelines that asked to:
 Produce a framework for EIA’s scope setting.
 Ensure better engagement of different stakeholders.
 Better EIA documents’ quality.
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 Set framework for projects’ development and respective operations.
 Provide clarity on approved assignments to superior the post compliance.
 Enhance accountability for involved professionals.
Certain changes were applied in Environmental planning and assessment regulation 2000,
Environmental planning and assessment act 1979, social impact assessment guidelines and
community consultative committee guidelines.
Comparison of EIA process in Western Australia with respect to NSW, Austrla
Changes to proposals (section 45C)
The EPA chairman might approve this under EP rule s45C and changes to proposals may be
declined if seem to have been posing serious environmental threats.
Amendment of implementation conditions (section 46)
Here the minister may ask EPA to investigate and report the change in implementation
conditions of proposed proposals. This is to expand the proposal’s implementation time limit
(Sonter et al. 2018). The proponents are also sought to consolidate implementation
requirements across ministerial statements to lessen duplication, reorganizing reporting and
conformity.
Minor changes to Implementation Conditions (section 46C)
Here the associative minister can change the implementation conditions if they are minor and
mandate to standardize proposals’ conditions.
3. Location
Meriton suits Kent Street, Sydney has been selected to determine whether EIA practice is
required to reduce environmental issues. The total area of this location is about 34 km2 that
facilitates in assessing all issue for sustainable development. Apart from deforestation, there
are ranges of issues related to environment including pollution, global warming and sound
pollution that damages environment at some extent that needs to minimize as d far as
possible. A study was conducted at NSW, Australia and it has been found that the
environmental issues that this area of the world is facing are that of deforestation; land
clearing, loss of original vegetation, fragmentation of the conventional vegetation,
acidification of soil and soil erosion.. Not only has this become a serious matter to be dealt at
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the earliest in order to stop the chain of other abovementioned issues, but also has triggered
the interest of researchers and others to undertake a deep study of the same.
Figure 1: Meriton suits Kent street, Sydney.
The location has been selected to conduct a screening test to assure that EIA practices can be
implemented positively for sustainable development. It is about 7.2 Km far from the Sydney
Airport. The goal of this study is to identify the environmental issues of the areas and analyze
the situation, if it demands an EIA process or not. The stats that presented rate of
deforestation were really shocking for all. Among the various areas under vigilance, NSW
was marked with an area of 250,000 hectares (approx.) that witnessed deforestation from the
year 2010 until 2014 (Kamaruddin et al. 2016). In order to see whether the area requires an
EIA or not, a screening level assessment was done. An Environmental Impact Assessment is
a sequential process that comprises of:
1. Screening
2. Scoping
3. Prediction and mitigation
4. Management and monitoring
5. Audit and compliance
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In this screening process, two major points are considered; EIA effect on the environment
and its significance on the future. The very first step that decides if a complete EIA is
required on an assignment is that of “Screening”. In the contextual study, a survey was
undertaken where it was found that deforestation at NSW, Australia is at a rise and it was
reported that the area’s primary deforestation covered an area of 75,000 hectares over a time
period of last four years (Kalkuhl et al. 2018). The re-growth deforestation in this area has
covered an area of 230,000 hectares, implicating very clearly that this zone of the continent
requires a complete EIA undertaking in order to resolve the issue of loss of vegetation.
Figure 2: Total Deforestation
Through screening process, it can be stated that public participation is necessary to reduce the
adverse effect of environment issues. On the other hand, the major benefit of this approach is
creating awareness among people so that a strategic solution can be implemented.
Participation of public is required in this process to change daily working process such as
utilization of plastic and waste management for effective result.
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4. Development of new strategy and planning to encourage awareness among the people
related to utilization of plastic for packaging
Use of plastic plays a leading role in creating a negative impact on the environment because it
cannot be decomposed through chemically and physically. Common plastic items that are
used are bags, bottles, containers and food packages. Plastic has been used for different
purposes; especially for packaging that gradually reduce the sustainability of environment. In
order to reduce the utilization of plastic, it is essential to encourage participation of people to
avoid use of plastic for packaging. Soft tools are used to create awareness among people,
which have been listed below:
Soft tools Impact of soft tools related with industry
Plant new trees, and avoids use of paper
and cardboard instead use recycled
products and paper.
Recycled products facilitate in utilizing the raw
material in an effective way that increase
productivity.
Spread awareness and respect
indigenous people’s rights.
This approach develops a critical thinking among
associate employees so that utilization of plastic
can be minimized.
An alternative product needs to
implement on the behalf of plastic to
reduce negative impact on environment
The cost of manufacturing and resources can
be minimized through this approach that
eventually upsurge the socio- impact on public
The identifying tools play an important role in reducing the utilization of plastic especially
for packaging that facilitates in reducing adverse effect on environment. Industries are
required to create awareness among employees that helps in utilizing available resources
without making any wastage in the environment positively. There are several companies who
are avoiding plastic at their workplace such as ASDA, McDonald’s and Costa coffee. Costa
Coffee the decision to pay waste collectors £70 for every tonne of used cups which is a real
game changer. By 2020, the company is targeting an astonishing half a billion recycled cups,
the equivalent of its current annual sales in the UK.
Activities that industries need to implement within workplace
Activities Description
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Community based educator A group of 10-15 volunteer has been selected to
create awareness among people so that utilization of
plastic can be minimized, especially for packaging
(McDonald, 2015). Under this activity, negative
impact of using plastic towards environment for
sustainable development
Barrier analysis Barrier analysis stated that an alternative material
needs to introduce in respect to plastic so that
traditional method of packaging can be minimized for
effective result.
Community led total sanitation This method implies that a sanitation method has been
applied to stop open defecation that increases the
positivity and sustainability (Brugnach et al. 2017).
Conclusion
The environmental issues in Australia are reportedly causing climatic changes, which is
furthering the threat to the physical as well as natural world. This study has identified these
problems and relates the associative issues in regards to “deforestation” that is becoming the
focus of all problems. An Environmental Impact Assessment has been carried out at New
South Wales that identified deforestation to have been raising a serious and immediate alarm
for the people in general and the government to lay down certain strong strategies to control
this. And also ensure that effective measure is being taken collectively by the ministries and
different communities to preserve the native vegetation of the area.
Along with having implemented certain developmental steps to curb the environmental issues
in the continent, the citizens too are informed and encouraged towards conserving the
environment. It is only when the steps are taken on an individual level, that proper forest
management can be ensured.
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