Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts annual report 2008-09
Volume one
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, 2009
ISSN 1441-9335
Managing the department (continued)
Environmental sustainability
This section is presented in accordance with the requirements of section 516A of the EPBC�Act.
Section 516A requires government departments to report on:
- how their activities accord with the principles of ecologically sustainable development (subsection 6a)
- how their outcomes, specified in relevant Appropriation Acts, contributed to ecologically sustainable development (subsection 6b), and
- the environmental impacts of their operations during the year, and measures taken to minimise those impacts (subsections 6c, d and e).
How the department applies the principles
The department administers the EPBC Act and the Natural Heritage Trust of Australia Act 1997, both of which support the principles of conserving biodiversity and protecting the environment.
Examples of how the department applies the principles of ecologically sustainable development are summarised in the table below. More details on specific programs are�contained in other chapters of this annual�report.
Contribution of outcomes
The department is the lead Australian Government agency for developing and implementing national policy, programs and legislation to protect and conserve the natural environment. One of the key functions of the department is to promote and support ecologically sustainable development.
The department's outcomes contribute to ecologically sustainable development as follows:
Outcome 1: Protecting and conserving the environment helps to maintain the ecological processes on which life depends.
Outcome 2: Australia's Antarctic interests include a strong focus on protecting the Antarctic environment, and managing the sustainable use of marine resources.
Outcome 3: Australia's water resources are managed and used sustainably and efficiently.
| Principles | Activities |
|---|---|
| Integration principle: decision-making processes should effectively integrate both long-term and short-term economic, environmental, social and equitable considerations. | Integrated natural resource management: The department develops and invests in natural resource management plans and other strategies to maintain ecosystems These include the regional component of the Caring for our Country initiative and bioregional marine plans. These plans integrate long-term and short-term economic, environmental, social and equitable considerations. Integrated reporting: The department publishes a State of the Environment report. |
| Precautionary principle: if there are threats of serious or irreversible environmental damage, lack of full scientific certainty should not be used as a reason for postponing measures to prevent environmental degradation. | Environmental impact assessments: The department applies the precautionary principle to prevent serious environmental damage when assessing the possible environmental impacts of proposed actions. Assessments must often be made in the absence of full scientific certainty, most notably assessments under the EPBC Act, and through chemical and gene technology assessment schemes. National response to climate change: The department provides policy input for Australia's national and international response to the threat of climate change in the absence of full scientific certainty. It manages for uncertainty, including preparing Australia for unavoidable climate change impacts. |
| Intergenerational principle: the present generation should ensure that the health, diversity and productivity of the environment is maintained or enhanced, for the benefit of future generations. | Pollution prevention: The department applies laws and National Environment Protection Measures to prevent environmentally harmful substances entering the environment. Laws include the Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Act 1981, the Hazardous Waste (Regulation of Exports and Imports) Act 1989, the Fuel Quality Standards Act 2000 and the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989. Whole-of-government policy development: The department seeks to ensure that environmental protection is appropriately considered in the development of other Australian Government policies, including major energy and water reforms. Community capacity building: The department administers the Australian Government's major natural resource management programs that have an environmental focus, including the Caring for our Country program. These programs increase the capacity of Australians to conserve ecosystems for future generations. |
| Biodiversity principle: the conservation of biological diversity and ecological integrity should be a fundamental consideration in decision-making. | Biodiversity conservation: The department applies laws for the conservation of biodiversity to protect wildlife and places with environmental values, including the EPBC Act, and, through the Caring for our Country program, marine protected areas, terrestrial parks and reserves. |
| Valuation principle: improved valuation, pricing and incentive mechanisms should be promoted. | Conservation incentives: The department promotes incentives for protecting wildlife and habitats on private land through covenants. It supports fishing industry adjustment processes to reduce pressures on the marine environment. Waste reduction incentives: The department provides incentives for more efficient use of resources. This includes: markets for waste products, such as used lubricating oils, and water efficiency labelling. It also contributes to reducing packaging waste, as a signatory to the National Packaging Covenant. |
Environmental impacts of operations
Sustainability in Government
The Sustainability in Government program, aims to achieve improvements in the contributions made by the public sector to sustainability (particularly ecological sustainability), through actions including: better environmental management; energy efficiency; public reporting; and sustainable purchasing.
The department helps agencies to develop and implement ISO14001 environmental management systems and to integrate environmental considerations into public procurement decisions. During 2008-09, the department:
- released the report Energy Use in the Australian Government Operations 2006-2007. This report outlines the levels of energy usage and emissions for the Australian Government, at both a whole-of-government and an individual agency/department level. It encourages individual agencies to improve their performance over time, and meet the 2011 energy targets already set under the Energy Efficiency in Government Operations policy
- coordinated the participation of all 128 Commonwealth agencies in Earth Hour 2009. This resulted in a combined total of Commonwealth office floor area of over 3.7 million square metres in more than 1500 buildings participating in Earth Hour
- conducted an Energy Forum for Australian Government agencies, to facilitate energy efficiency, particularly in lighting technology
- worked alongside the Department of Defence to establish more comprehensive metering and monitoring of selected key defence bases, as part of the Energy Efficiency in Government Operations policy
- negotiated a further two-year supply for the whole-of-government electricity contract, with 10 per cent of this being greenpower purchased on behalf of agencies in the ACT, and
- negotiated energy efficiency strategies with stakeholders of the Australian Government special purpose buildings, as part of the Energy Efficiency in Government Operations policy.
National Environment Protection Measures
The department provides support to enable Australian Government agencies to report against National Environment Protection Measures (NEPMs), and coordinates their responses. NEPMs are statutory instruments that outline agreed national objectives for protecting or managing particular aspects of the environment. In fulfilling the legislative requirement for annual reporting on NEPM implementation, agencies must consider the strategies they have employed to reduce their environmental footprint for that reporting year.
Coordination activities this year included:
- convening a workshop for government agencies to inform them of their reporting responsibilities, and
- drafting the Australian Government NEPM implementation annual report.
Model Environmental Management System (EMS)
The department updated the Model EMS, first published in 2003, with the new EMS Tool, which assists other government agencies and office-based organisations wishing to establish, or improve, their own Environmental Management System. The new EMS Tool is based on the international standard for environmental management systems and has been updated to reflect the 2004 version of the standard. It is anticipated that the tool will help to reduce the time and cost often associated with implementing an EMS, and also provide a well developed system for the management of environmental impacts resulting from the day to day operations of office-based organisations. The EMS Tool can be found on the department's website at www.environment.gov.au/settlements/government/ems/index.html
New Building Project
In conjunction with the Department of Finance and Deregulation, the department is involved in the development of a concept for a new building to accommodate all of the department's office-based operations in Canberra. The project is still in the conceptual stage but potentially provides an opportunity to set a new benchmark for exemplary, environmentally sustainable, design and construction for commercially-viable office accommodation.
Environmental performance
Canberra Offices
Through its environmental management policy, the department continues to be committed to adopting ecologically sustainable work practices. As part of this commitment, the department has maintained certification of the environmental management system for its main office in Canberra, to the international standard for environmental management (ISO�14001).
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Greenhouse gas emissions associated with the department's business activities in Canberra resulted from air travel (2 185 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, or CO2-e), our use of electricity for tenant light and power (842 tonnes CO2-e) and use of fuel in our vehicle fleet (204 tonnes CO2-e)1.
Air Travel
Emissions from business air travel contributed 68 per cent of total emissions associated with our Canberra-based operations. The department provides staff with access to video and teleconferencing facilities in our main offices and the aim is to reduce the overall amount of air travel undertaken by the department in 2009-10.
Electricity use
Emissions associated with consumption of electricity (not including Green Power) contributed 26 per cent of total emissions. Our goal is to continue to reduce the amount of electricity consumed per employee and increase the proportion of electricity sourced from renewable supplies. In 2008-09 our electricity consumption was 5566 megajoules per person2. This is just above our set target of 5000 megajoules per person, but still within the government target of 7500 megajoules per person. To reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions associated with the use of electricity, 70 per cent of the electricity purchased for our Canberra tenancies was certified Green Power.
During 2008-09 the department implemented server virtualisation, which will reduce the department's electricity use by 356�400 megajoules per annum. The department also conducted a desktop virtualisation trial using thin client technology. Results of this trial indicate further energy savings can be achieved and we will continue to investigate the advantages of thin client technology, compared with traditional desktop personal computers.
Fuel use
Emissions associated with use of fuel in our vehicle fleet contributed six per cent of total emissions. The department continued to seek improvements in fuel efficiency when leasing our pool vehicles in 2008-09. The department's vehicle pool fleet in Canberra includes 14 cars, with an average Green Vehicle Guide (GVG) rating of 16.8 (out of 20). The total fleet has an average rating of 12.8, which far exceeds the government target of 28 per cent of fleet vehicles rating higher than 10.53. To offset the 204 tonnes of CO2-e resulting from fuel used by our total vehicle fleet, the department funded the planting of 660 trees by Greenfleet4.
To provide alternative transport options for staff travelling between our offices in Canberra, the department purchased two additional electric bicycles for our bike fleet. The bicycles are made available to staff in the department three main offices, for commuting between offices, for business meetings close by, and for recreational rides at lunch time.
Procurement
The department's main procurement activities include: office fit out and refurbishment; leasing of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) equipment; and purchasing of office consumables (mainly copy paper).
During 2008-09 the department conducted a desktop and local area network services procurement process. The department specified strict environmental criteria in this tender including the requirement for ICT products to meet a minimum performance standard of Electronic Products Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) silver5. It was also a requirement that tenderers be able to demonstrate a commitment to environmentally-sound practices in their broader operations.
We are also implementing an internal policy for the purchasing of 100 per cent recycled copy paper in all Canberra offices. We aim to change to a new stationery contract in 2009-10, which will enable the provision of environmentally-preferred options for office products, where possible.
Waste
Last year we disposed of approximately 158 397kg of waste, including 118 858kg of paper waste. Of this, roughly five per cent was sent to landfill, 83 per cent was recycled (including commingled material and paper) and 12 per cent was composted. In addition to general office waste, we also provided our Canberra staff with drop-off points for recycling mobile phones (63 kilograms), batteries (105 kilograms) and corks (29 kilograms). We continue to recycle all of the broken fluorescent lamps from our offices (195 kilograms).
Environmental Management
In May 2009, the department underwent a two-day external audit and gained re-certification to the international standard for environmental management (ISO 14001), for its main office (the John Gorton Building) in Canberra. Departmental managers meet each quarter to review the effectiveness of measures taken to minimise environmental impact and set new targets for improvement.
Supervising Scientist Division
The Supervising Scientist Division contributes to the department's sustainability objectives through a range of measures, aimed at continuously improving the environmental performance of its business operations and minimising associated environmental impacts. The division manages its environmental performance as part of its broader internal risk management framework. The division also contributes to other Australian Government environmental management and reporting initiatives, as required.
Staffing - Darwin Office and Jabiru Field�Station
Environmental performance data, on a per employee basis, have been calculated using a total staffing number for 2008-09 of 64.5 employees - 57.5 for the Darwin office (including Parks Australia North staff) and 7 for the Jabiru Field Station.
Electricity
Total electricity use for the division in 2008-09, increased by five per cent. Darwin office electricity use increased by four per cent and Jabiru Field Station use increased by 12 per cent. Electricity consumption per employee was 53 744 megajoules, up eight per cent from last year. This increase is partly due to the reduction in staffing levels, compared to last year. The division is committed to improving the energy efficiency of its operations, through: the use of timers on air-conditioning systems; sensor activated and on demand lighting systems; and improved staff awareness and compliance with departmental energy management requirements. The division is also subject to third party audit of its energy use efficiency as part of its building lease conditions. The division does not currently use green power but may investigate this in the future, when it becomes available in the Northern Territory.
Fuel and Transport
The division's vehicles travelled 214 736 kilometres in 2008-09 (approximately 3329 kilometres per employee). Total fuel used for the division decreased by eight per cent and distance travelled by vehicles decreased by four per cent. There has been a 24 per cent decrease in unleaded fuel consumption and a six per cent decrease in diesel consumption. This was due mainly to the reduction in the division's vehicle fleet and some changes to more fuel-efficient vehicles during the reporting year.
Water
Total water use by the division in 2008-09, increased by eight per cent. Darwin office water use decreased by 18 per cent. While Jabiru Field Station water use increased by 25 per cent, the bulk of this water was used by Kakadu Native Plants - a local indigenous-owned plant nursery that also operates out of the Jabiru Field Station site. The division implements a range of measures to improve its water use efficiency, including use of automated watering systems, dual flush toilets and other water-saving devices.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
The division generated a total of 804 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions during 2008-09 (12.47 tonnes per employee), which is an increase of around 2.5 per cent. Most of the division's greenhouse gas emissions were generated from electricity consumption.
Paper
The division is committed to the use of partly recycled paper for all office printing. It also promotes recycling and reuse of waste paper where possible. A total of 770 reams of partly recycled and four reams of virgin paper (totalling 1.9 tonnes) were used by the division in 2008-09, or approximately 12 reams per employee , representing no change in total per capita consumption over the previous year. Use of virgin paper reduced by 60 per cent compared with last year.
Procurement
The division takes environmental sustainability into account as part of its purchasing decisions but does not record green procurement separately from other purchases. Where possible, the division purchases environmentally friendly and recyclable materials and products. All contractors and other service providers are required to comply with the division's environmental management policies and procedures while on site.
Waste
The division generated 19.68 tonnes of waste in 2008-09, comprising: 0.82 tonnes of plastic/glass; 3.50 tonnes of paper/cardboard; and 15.36 tonnes of non-recyclable waste. Recycling of plastic and glass increased by 12 per cent and recycling of paper and cardboard increased by 21 per cent, in 2008-09. There was also a 20 per cent reduction in waste going to landfill. The division provides facilities for separation of recyclable and non-recyclable wastes, including: organic material; paper; toner cartridges; batteries; glass; cardboard; and plastic. Most organic waste is processed through an on-site worm farm, to provide live feed for breeding populations of fish used in research activities.
Environmental Management System
The division utilises a range of measures to manage, monitor and report on its environmental performance. It has developed a draft Environmental Management System (EMS) based on the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO)14001 standard. As implementation of the draft EMS was deferred in early 2009 due to resource constraints, a number of other strategies for managing the division's environmental performance were considered. These included: integration of environmental aspects into the division's broader risk management framework; use of external environmental audits, associated with lease conditions; and review of policies and procedures to minimise potential environmental impacts associated with the division's field based work. It is anticipated that these strategies will be finalised during the 2009-10 financial year
Performance Tables
The following tables summarise the environmental performance of the department's four major operational areas in�2008-09:
- head offices in the John Gorton Building, the Burns Centre, Farrell Place and Allara Street in Canberra and the Fyshwick and Queanbeyan warehouses
- Australian Antarctic Division in Tasmania and the Australian Antarctic Territory
- Parks Australia Division
- Supervising Scientist Division in Darwin and�Jabiru.
| John Gorton Building, Burns Centre, Farrell Place and Allara Street in Canberra and Fyshwick and Queanbeyan warehouses | Performance 2008-09 |
|---|---|
| Greenhouse gas emissions | |
| Total greenhouse gas emissions (after offsets) | 3,026 Tonnes CO2-e |
| Total emissions offset (including Green Power) | 2,154Tonnes CO2-e |
| Electricity Use (tenant light and power) | |
| Total electricity consumed | 9,393,691 MJ |
| Total electricity consumed per employee (offices only) | 5,566 MJ per employee |
| GreenPower purchased | 6,561,795 MJ |
| Air Travel | |
| Total distance travelled | 20,617,402 km |
| Total number of flights | 19,910 flights |
| Average flights per employee | 10 flights per employee |
| Vehicle use | |
| Vehicles in use (owned or leased by the organisation) | 38 vehicles |
| Proportion of alternative fuel or hybrid vehicles | 34% |
| Total distance travelled | 812,409 km |
| Fuel consumed (Unleaded Petrol) | 28,148 litres |
| Fuel consumed (E10) | 27,597 litres |
| Fuel consumed (Diesel) | 22,305 litres |
| Paper use | |
| Total paper purchased | 27, 615 reams |
| Paper purchased per employee | 13.8 reams per employee |
| Waste generated | |
| Solid waste generated per employee | 79 kg per employee |
| Solid waste diverted from landfill | 95% |
| Australian Antarctic Division | Performance 2008-09 |
|---|---|
| General | The AAD complied with all applicable environmental laws and agreements, and required compliance with them by participants in activities supported by the AAD, by other Australian visitors to the Antarctic, and by our contractors and suppliers. The AAD continues to enhance its implementation of measures to prevent or minimise pollution, waste and other human impacts in all environments in which we operate. |
| EMS | The AAD continues to operate a certified EMS to the international standard AS/NZS ISO 14001. This system ensures that management measures to protect the environment are implemented for those aspects of the organisation's activities most likely to have more than a negligible environmental effect. Australia is a major proponent of this systematic approach to environmental management through the International Committee for Environmental Protection. For the AAD to meet its triennial recertification requirements, the external auditor undertook a surveillance audit at the AAD headquarters in Kingston and the Cargo facility, during September 2008. This surveillance audit was successful, with the AAD maintaining its certification for a further three years to 30 September 2011. |
| Energy (electricity) | The offices, laboratories and workshops in Kingston consumed 4 228 610 kilowatt hours. |
| Transport | The AAD's Kingston-based fleet vehicles consumed 16 438 litres of fuel. The fleet includes a Toyota Prius hybrid vehicle. Vehicular fuel consumption for 2008-09 at the AAD's four stations, was 131 485 litres. |
| Greenhouse gas emissions | The division's greenhouse gas emissions totalled 20 906 tonnes. |
| Water | The Kingston site consumed 3442 kilolitres of water. It should be noted that reuse of stormwater for watering the landscaping saved 2 900 kilolitres of fresh water. The AAD's three stations in Antarctica and one on Macquarie Island (sub-Antarctic), consumed 5371 kilolitres of water. Potable water management plans are in place for all stations, monitoring results are recorded in State of the Environment reporting. |
| Waste (including paper) | 548 reams of A4 equivalent paper were purchased for use at the Kingston offices and the stations. The waste returned to Australia statistics for 2008-09 were very different from previous years due to the use of a very large cargo ship, which brought back large quantities of waste materials that had been stored on stations for some time. The old Davis station was also dismantled and returned on the cargo ship, accounting for over half of the total waste tonnage that went to landfill. Of the waste returned to Australia other than the old Davis station, 50% went to landfill, 29% was recycled and reused, 21% was treated and disposed. Including the old Davis station, total waste returned to Australia was 68% landfilled, 18% recycled and reused and 14% treated and disposed. |
| Green Procurement | The division's purchasing accords with departmental guidelines. The environmental guidelines are under review. |
| Other | Fuel usage for power and heating at the stations was 1 785 661 litres. |
| Parks Australia Division | Performance 2008-09 |
|---|---|
| General | More detailed sustainability reporting is provided in the Director of National Parks Annual Report for 2008-09. Management plans for individual protected areas include environmental management goals and prescriptions. Climate change strategies with actions to minimise carbon footprint, were drafted for Kakadu National Park, Booderee National Park and the Australian National Botanic Gardens (ANBG). Environmental performance data for Parks Australia's staff based in Canberra are included in the department's results and staff based in Darwin are included in the Supervising Scientist division results. |
| Greenhouse gas emissions | The division's greenhouse gas emission totalled 6317 tonnes, which is an increase of 4% over last year. This is due to a combination of factors as reported below. |
| Energy (electricity) | Purchased electricity use was increased by 1.6% from last year, across relevant areas of the division. The ANBG which consume 61% of Parks Australia's total purchased electricity, continued to source 10% of contracted electricity purchased from Green Power, under a bulk government agency purchasing arrangement. Uluru-Kata Tjuta recorded a 9.8% increase in diesel used to generate power as a result of a breakdown in the main generator and resultant reliance in a less efficient back-up. |
| Transport | Booderee National Park continued its BioDiesel (B5) trial. On completion of vehicle services, no notable service or operation issue emerged that could be directly linked to the use of biodiesel fuel. External funding for the trial ended during 2008-09. Diesel use in Kakadu was down 44.9% due in part to a lower number of vehicles being used across the year and a corresponding decrease in travel of 36 349kms. |
| Waste (including paper) | At the ANBG, where statistics are available, 98.3m3 of co-mingled waste and 129.4m3 of cardboard were recycled. Available data suggests staff used 5.4 reams of paper per person per year, a 3.8% increase on 2007-08. |
| Water | Booderee National Park's water usage was up 60% due to a leak in the water mains at Bristol Point and Green Patch. Remedial action has been undertaken. Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park's water use was down 8.5%, compared with 2007-08. (The Park and the Mutitjulu community together consumed 72 855 kilolitres). The ANBG consumed 165 965 kilolitres, which is up 7.1% due to a dry summer and high winds. The ANBG continued to implement its water management strategy, including: the use of soil moisture sensors; latest technology irrigation emitters and drip systems; ball values which reduce low end water loss from sprinkler systems; and valve maintenance to reduce low-end drainage for sprinkler heads. In addition, irrigation infrastructure was altered to reduce the incidence of double watering in some areas, by capping and relocating sprinkler heads Solar powered remote solenoid control units were installed and integrated into the Irrinet system. The ANBG continued the project to design and construct new potable infrastructure for on-site buildings, to separate out the non-potable water for the irrigation system. In June 2009, agreement was reached with the National Capital Authority and ACT Government, to deliver 170 megalitres of water from Lake Burley Griffin to the Gardens. |
| Green Procurement | Increased awareness and application of Parks Australia's environmental purchasing guidelines included in the Director of National Parks' Chief Executive Instructions. |
| Supervising Scientist Division (including Policy Services Section, Parks Australia North) | Performance 2008-09 | |
|---|---|---|
| Indicator | Quantity Measure | Change |
| Energy use and greenhouse gas emissions (GGE) | ||
| Total energy use: Per employee: |
962 607 KWh 53 744 MJ |
+ 5% + 8% |
| Total GGE: Per employee: |
804 tonnes CO2-e 12.5 tonnes CO2-e |
+ 2.5% No change |
| Paper use | ||
| Total paper used: - partly recycled - virgin Per employee: |
774 reams 770 reams 4 reams 12 reams |
+ 12% + 13% - 60% No change |
| Waste | ||
| Total waste generated: Per employee: |
19.68 tonnes 0.30 tonnes |
- 16% |
| Total recycling: - paper/cardboard - plastic/glass |
4.32 tonnes 3.50 tonnes 0.82 tonnes |
+ 19% + 21% + 12% |
| Total waste to landfill: | 15.36 tonnes | - 20% |
| Total waste diverted from landfill: | 4.32 tonnes | |
| Transport - vehicles | ||
| Total distance travelled: Per employee: Total unleaded: Total diesel: |
214 736 kilometres 3329 kilometres 9797 litres 13202 litres |
- 4% -1% -24% -6% |
| Water use | ||
| Total water used: | 9575 kilolitres | + 8% |
| - Darwin Office - Jabiru Field Station |
1997 kilolitres 7577 kilolitres |
- 18% + 25% |
Footnotes:
1 Greenhouse gas emission calculations for air travel are taken from 'Guidelines to DEFRA's GHG Conversion Factors for company reporting' published by the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Calculations for emissions resulting from fuel use and electricity use are made using the Online System for Comprehensive Activity Reporting using current conversion factors provided by the Department of Climate Change.
2 In the 2007-08 Annual Report, the Canberra offices reported electricity consumption as 4,907 MJ/person. The correct amount has since been found to be 5,439 MJ/person.The incorrect reporting of this figure was due to inconsistent measuring of data.This inconsistency in measurement has been remedied.
3 See www.greenfleet.com.au for calculations used in determining offset requriements.
4 See www.greenvehicleguide.com.au for guide to ratings.
5 See www.epeat.net