|
|
Home / About EPHC: Objectives, Vision Statement,
Terms of Reference, Immediate Priorities
Objective
The objective of the Environment Protection and Heritage Council is to ensure
the protection of environment and heritage of Australia and New Zealand.
The statutory objects specified in the NEPC Act (section 3) are:
- to ensure people enjoy the benefit of equivalent protection from air, water
or soil pollution and from noise, wherever they live in Australia; and
- decisions of the business community are not distorted, and markets are not
fragmented, by variations between participating jurisdictions in relation to the
adoption or implementation of major environment protection measures.
Vision Statement
Governments working together with communities to achieve and enhance a healthy
natural and cultural environment in harmony with the social and economic aspirations
of Australia and New Zealand.
Terms of Reference
To meet its objectives the Council will:
- promote ecologically sustainable development in all aspects of its work;
- develop policies and strategies for national approaches to the protection
of the environment and heritage of Australia and New Zealand;
- develop comprehensive standards, guidelines and protocols to address priority
environment and heritage protection issues including the development of National
Environment Protection Measures;
- devise innovative policy tools for improved environment and heritage outcomes
including, for example, the development of financial incentives, tradeable permits,
or property covenants;
- monitor, evaluate, audit and report on the outcomes of these national approaches
and disseminate information about the state of environmental quality, and natural
and cultural heritage;
- promote community understanding and participation in addressing key challenges
associated with environment and heritage protection;
- support participation of Indigenous peoples in environment and heritage protection;
- develop agreed national approaches to emerging global and international environment
and heritage issues; and
- liaise with other Ministerial Councils and other bodies on matters relevant
to the activities of the Council to ensure environment and heritage protection
priorities are addressed across all government sectors.
Strategic Plan
On the 23 June 2006, Council approved it's Strategic Plan for 2006-2008. This
document is available for download below.
In implementing its terms of reference the Council has identified the following
significant and immediate priorities requiring attention:
| Priority Issue |
|
Related Content |
Air Quality |
- Developing national approaches to improve air quality, such as national standards
to address air toxics, fine particles and motor vehicle emissions.
- Improving inventory development, modelling and monitoring techniques, and
considering options for addressing emissions risks.
|
|
Waste Management |
- Promoting waste avoidance and better waste management through national approaches
to encourage and ensure product stewardship and cleaner production.
|
|
Water Quality |
In conjunction with the Natural Resources Management Ministerial Council,
developing national approaches to:
- water quality standards and improving water quality and monitoring; and
- conservation of Australia's urban water resources.
|
|
Eco-efficiency and Sustainability |
- Pursuing eco-efficiency and conservation of natural resources, including
energy and water use, through national approaches to sustainable consumption
and production.
- Developing innovative approaches to business sustainability such as working
with the financial sector to promote improved outcomes for the environment and
heritage of Australia and New Zealand.
|
|
Chemicals Policy |
- Working towards environmentally sound management of chemicals and consistent
regulation of chemical use between jurisdictions and across industry sectors,
for example between agricultural and industrial uses.
|
|
Support Indigenous Peoples' Participation |
- Implementing the Environment Protection and Heritage Council Reconciliation
Action Plan to advance the COAG Reconciliation framework, and actively supporting
Indigenous Peoples participation in environment and heritage protection.
|
|
|
- Developing an integrated national heritage policy covering natural, indigenous
and historic heritage.
|
|
Integrated Approach to Heritage and Environment Protection |
- Developing an approach to integrate heritage and environment protection issues
in the light of revised roles and responsibilities for matters of national heritage
significance as reflected in the passage of the heritage amendments to the Environment
Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
|
|
|
- Developing innovative policy tools, such as economic instruments, and enhancing
national environmental data and reporting capacity.
- Enabling the development of more coherent and sustained reporting frameworks
to meet these requirements.
|
|
Working in Partnership Across Government |
The Environment Protection and Heritage Council acknowledges the need for
governments to work more cooperatively to address many significant issues that
span sectoral or portfolio boundaries, such as greenhouse gas reduction, national
air and water quality, Indigenous participation, and natural resource management.
The Council is committed to working in partnership with other relevant Ministerial
Councils to ensure that environment and heritage issues are adequately considered,
and to promote sustainable development across all levels and sectors of government. |
|
|
