In our new report, Implementing effective independent Environmental Protection Agencies in Australia: Best practice environmental governance for environmental justice, EDO makes nine key recommendations for how EPAs in Australia can be implemented and reformed to better protect the environment and human health, with a particular focus on achieving environmental justice.
Read the full report here.
The Queensland Government is currently investigating the introduction of an EPA, Tasmania has recently reformed their EPA to make it statutorily independent, and there are increasing calls for a national independent EPA to strengthen environmental governance. See below for more details on the opportunity to comment now on the Queensland investigation. Submissions are due by 6 February 2022.
Environmental governance around Australia must move from seeing industry as their ‘customers’ in the business of environmental regulation, to being centered on protecting communities and the environment from environmental impacts and providing for First Nations justice and environmental justice broadly.
EDO’s new report explores the concept of environmental justice and recommends that EPAs must develop environmental justice frameworks so that environmental burdens are not placed disproportionately on groups that are vulnerable to environmental harm, such as First Nations, low-income groups, ethnically diverse communities, rural and remote communities, and young and elderly people.
EDO’s 9 key recommendations for the implementation and reform of existing EPAs at a state, territory and national level are:
Recommendation 1: Duty to develop and act in conformity with Cultural Protocols which are based on First Nations Lore, and to uphold internationally recognised First Nations rights of free, prior and informed consent and self-determination.
Recommendation 2: Underpinned by an environmental justice framework to ensure equality in environmental protection.
Recommendation 3: A clearly defined role and duties to ensure objectives are achieved.
Recommendation 4: Independence from Ministerial influence, other agencies and industry capture.
Recommendation 5: Accountability mechanisms to ensure responsibilities are discharged with integrity in the public interest.
Recommendation 6: Transparency in decision-making through disclosure and community engagement to support accountability.
Recommendation 7: Sufficiently empowered to protect the environment and human health.
Recommendation 8: Sufficient and certain funding to fulfil their functions.
Recommendation 9: Relevant expertise to support decision making that is science-based and provides for First Nations justice and environmental justice broadly.
Australian governments at all levels must commit to implementing and reforming EPAs to provide for strong governance arrangements and environmental justice frameworks if Australia is to protect the environment and human health for the benefit of all Australian’s, today and in the future.
Read the full report here.
New Queensland Report: Implementing an effective independent Environmental Protection Agency in Queensland: Best practice environmental governance for environmental justice
In our new report, Implementing an effective independent Environmental Protection Agency in Queensland: Best practice environmental governance for environmental justice, EDO provides case studies relevant to environmental governance in Queensland, and calls for the Queensland Government to commit to implementing an independent EPA with strong governance arrangements and First Nations justice and environmental justice frameworks.
This Queensland specific report builds on our recently released national report, Implementing effective independent Environmental Protection Agencies in Australia: Best practice environmental governance for environmental justice, which makes nine key recommendations for how EPAs in Australia can be implemented and reformed to better protect the environment and human health, with a particular focus on achieving environmental justice.
Read the Queensland report here.
Panel Discussion
EDO hosted a panel discussion to further explore what strong environmental regulation by EPAs should involve, and why it is necessary to implement EPAs with a grounding in environmental justice and First Nations justice at national, state and territory levels for a healthy environment and healthy communities for all.
Watch it here.
EDO welcomes feedback on the reports. Your feedback will help us ensure we are providing useful information. If you have any concerns or suggestions regarding these reports, please fill out an evaluation form by clicking here or scanning the QR code below:
