ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT TARGET

108 Mr HAMILTON-SMITH (Waite—Leader of the Opposition) (30 September 2008). What plans has the government implemented to reduce South Australia's ecological footprint by 30 per cent by 2050?

The Hon. M.D. RANN (Ramsay—Premier, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Social Inclusion, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Sustainability and Climate Change): I have been advised of the following:

An implementation plan has been developed for the Ecological Footprint target in South Australia's Strategic Plan (T3.7: reduce South Australia's Ecological Footprint by 30% by 2050). The achievement of a 30% reduction in South Australia's Ecological Footprint is closely related to the achievement of the State's 60% greenhouse gas emissions reduction target. The implementation plan for the Ecological Footprint target acknowledges the close connection with greenhouse emissions reduction strategies.

The implementation plan draws the links between a broad range of programs and initiatives across agencies and includes the following:

Energy (links to Greenhouse SASP target)

Greenhouse Impact Assessment

Supporting the purchase of accredited GreenPower

Improving energy efficiency of residential dwellings and commercial buildings

Increasing public transport patronage

Promoting sustainable transport

Increasing fuel efficiency in the Government Fleet

Reduce waste to landfill, and improve the sustainability of our consumption behaviours Implementing SA's Waste Strategy

Achieve changes in food systems and diet by:

Influencing food consumption towards NH&MRC dietary recommendations

Increasing awareness of the impact that food choices have on the Ecological Footprint

Promoting sustainable purchasing/consumption

Developing strategies to improve goods and services supply chain resource efficiencies

Aligning ecological footprint and food policies

Achieve improvements in Adelaide's urban form by:

Implement a footprint calculator as a planning tool for urban development

Managing urban growth boundaries to maximise efficiencies in infrastructure and service provision

Planning for new sustainable built environments while optimising previous investment in social and physical infrastructure

Improve community understanding of the Ecological Footprint concept and facilitate new behaviour patterns by:

Developing and implementing a climate change behaviour change program

Improving the understanding of Ecological Footprint through education and awareness programs;

Improve the effectiveness of the ecological footprint calculator by:

Reviewing and, if appropriate, revising the Ecological Footprint calculation methodology and recalculating South Australia's Ecological Footprint