Attachment 1 – Shepparton South Growth Corridor Outline Development Plan A SUBJECT AREA Greater Shepparton Environmental Sustainability Strategy Discussion Paper Environmental Sustainability Strategy Stakeholder Reference Committee August 2012 1 Notes for the Reader The Greater Shepparton Environmental Sustainability Strategy – Discussion Paper has been written by Travis Turner (Sustainability and Environment Officer) and the Greater Shepparton Environmental Sustainability Strategy Stakeholder Reference (Steering) Committee (SRC) to provide Council staff, Council stakeholders and the wider community with background information relevant to the development of the Greater Shepparton Environmental Sustainability Strategy (to be completed in 2013). The contents of this paper have been collated from relevant literature reviews, discussions held in Greater Shepparton Environmental Sustainability Strategy Stakeholder Reference Committee meetings, and responses to internal staff and community environmental sustainability surveys. This document is not necessarily representative of the views and opinions of Greater Shepparton City Council in relation to environmental sustainability management. This discussion paper is open for public exhibition and comment for a period of 28 days from 1 to 28 October 2012. The closing date for submissions is 5.00pm on the 28 October 2012. Providing feedback to this discussion paper is one step in a series of opportunities that the community will have to actively participate in the development of the Environmental Sustainability Strategy. You can use the questions outlined on page 71 as a guide to writing your submission or feel free to include any other comments that you may have. Written submission can be received by Council via: 1. Mail - Greater Shepparton City Council, Locked Bag 1000, Shepparton VIC 3632 2. Email - [email protected] 3. In person - 90 Welsford St, Shepparton 3630 For further information regarding the Greater Shepparton Environmental Sustainability Strategy please contact Travis Turner (03) 5832 9700 or visit our website (http://www.greatershepparton.com.au/council/environment). To reduce the size and readability of this document, the Discussion Paper has been divided into two separate documents. The Discussion Paper and the Discussion Paper Appendices. Both documents are available on council's website. 2 Contents 1 Foreword ............................................................................................................. 5 2 Executive Summary ............................................................................................. 6 3 Discussion paper rationale .................................................................................. 8 4 What is the value in environmental sustainability management? ......................... 9 4.1 Ecosystem services ...................................................................................... 9 4.2 Sustainability principles and important terms .............................................. 11 5 Introduction and scope ...................................................................................... 13 5.1 Project background ..................................................................................... 13 5.2 Document outline ........................................................................................ 13 5.3 Project scope .............................................................................................. 13 6 The City of Greater Shepparton ......................................................................... 15 6.1 Our region, population and economy .......................................................... 15 6.2 Our regions climate ..................................................................................... 18 7 Environmental sustainability legislative and policy frameworks ......................... 19 7.1 Responsible departments and agencies ..................................................... 19 7.2 Environmental Acts, plans & strategies ....................................................... 19 8 Council‟s current policy and resources allocated to environmental sustainability management ............................................................................................................ 26 8.1 Council departments, branches and teams involved in fulfilling Councils environmental sustainability roles and responsibilities .......................................... 26 8.2 Council policy governing environmental sustainability ................................ 27 9 Protect and enhance our natural assets (land and biodiversity) ........................ 31 9.1 The state of our land and biodiversity assets .............................................. 31 9.2 Threats to our land and biodiversity assets ................................................. 40 9.3 Councils land and biodiversity roles and responsibilities ............................. 42 9.4 Council‟s current land and biodiversity asset protection plans, programs, strategies and projects used to accomplish the above responsibilities. ................ 43 9.5 Council‟s land and biodiversity and opportunities for improvement ............. 44 10 Healthy, productive and sustainable water resources .................................... 47 10.1 State of our water environment ................................................................ 47 10.2 Threats to our water assets ..................................................................... 48 10.3 Councils water use ................................................................................... 48 10.4 Council‟s water management roles, responsibilities................................. 50 3 10.5 Council‟s current water management plans, programs, strategies and projects implemented to accomplish the above responsibilities ............................ 50 10.6 Council‟s water management opportunities for improvement .................. 52 11 Using our resources wisely - energy efficiency and climate change ............... 54 11.1 Probable changes to our regions climate as a result of climate change. 54 11.2 Threats relating to our environmental assets from energy use and climate change ................................................................................................................. 56 11.3 Council‟s energy use ................................................................................ 56 11.4 Council‟s greenhouse gas reduction target .............................................. 58 11.5 Councils energy efficiency and climate change roles and responsibilities 59 11.6 Council‟s current energy efficiency and climate change plans and programs being implemented to accomplish the above responsibilities ................ 59 11.7 Council‟s energy efficiency and climate change opportunities for improvement ......................................................................................................... 59 12 Using our resources wisely – waste management ......................................... 61 12.1 State of our environment .......................................................................... 61 12.2 Threats relating to waste management .................................................... 62 12.3 Council‟s waste management roles and responsibilities .......................... 62 12.4 Council‟s current waste management plans, programs, strategies and projects ................................................................................................................. 63 12.5 Council‟s waste management opportunities for improvement .................. 64 13 Leading by example to encourage and support a resilient and informed community. ............................................................................................................... 65 13.1 Council‟s role in regards to building Council & community resilience....... 65 13.2 Threats to Council leading by example and supporting a resilient and informed community .............................................................................................. 65 13.3 Council‟s current environmental sustainability plans, programs, strategies and projects to build Council & Community Resilience ......................................... 66 13.4 How is Council currently performing at leading by example to encourage and support a resilient and informed community? ................................................. 67 13.5 Potential opportunities to build Council & community resilience .............. 69 14 Where to now? ............................................................................................... 71 15 Conclusions .................................................................................................... 72 16 References ..................................................................................................... 73 4 1 FOREWORD Greater Shepparton City Council (Council) is very excited to be in the process of developing an Environmental Sustainability Strategy (the Strategy). The Strategy will help Council identify and prioritise environmental sustainability activities across Council strategies and plans and will increase the capacity and understanding of environmental sustainability issues across Council and the community. This important project is partially funded from the Victorian Government's Sustainability Fund under the Victorian Local Sustainability Accord. The Greater Shepparton Environmental Sustainability Strategy Stakeholder