Paper Summary:

This paper reviews how Australia is currently confronted with vital problems jeopardizing the condition of the environment and weakening its economic and social development. The paper reports how the important concerns are the conditions of the soil, water and the likely effect of changes in climatic conditions due to greenhouse gases.

From the Paper:

"Yet another issue is that although Australia is the driest continent on this planet, it ranks fifth on the per capita consumption of water in the world. Per day average household consumption of water is estimated to be nearly 300 liters, which is double the worldwide average. Half of the domestic water usage is spent on watering of household gardens. The increased levels of water consumption due to rising populations and more water usage in homes is untenable, considering the reality that drawing out water from several catchments are reaching capacity levels. Even prior to the recent droughts, several catchment levels were at their unprecedented low as compared to their net potential. Whereas the water policy of 'pay as per use' has lessened or contained the demand of water since the bygone decade in majority of the principal capital cities, the argument goes on regarding the practicality of these policies on a more broad based manner. (Sustaining Australia sustainable development issues facing Australia to 2025)
In another effort to deal with the environmental problems, the Australian Government passed the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act during 1999 in a wide-ranging initiative to delineate the environmental task of the Commonwealth in keeping with its consciousness of the environmental problems which the nation is presently passing through, inclusive of the urban air quality and pollution problems. The law took a leap in attempting to harmonize National, State and Territory measures to safeguard the environment, giving Commonwealth leadership with due respect to State and Territory control. Nevertheless, environmental headway for Australia continues to be sluggish due to want of unambiguous leadership at the federal level. "

Sample of Sources Used:

• Australia: Environmental Issues, 2002, May, Viewed 31 October 2006, <http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/ausenv.html>.
• 4613.0 - Australia's Environment: Issues and Trends, 2003, Australian Bureau of Statistics, Viewed 30 October 2006, <http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/b06660592430724fca2568b5007b8619/22df603ea8680b40ca256a8a00836f8a!OpenDocument>.
• Australia's extraordinary environments, 2006, Viewed 30 October 2006, <http://www.idp.com/excellenceaustralia/environment/australia/default.asp>.
• Department of the Environment and Heritage, 2006, 24 October, Viewed 31 October 2006, <http://www.deh.gov.au/>.
• Environmental Weeds in Australia, 2004, 10 November, Viewed 1 November 2006, <http://www.deh.gov.au/biodiversity/invasive/weeds/>.

Visitors who viewed this Research Paper also liked these:

• Essay # 90370 : "Environmental Policies"
• Research Paper # 100842 : "Social Policy in Australia"
• Research Paper # 55743 : "Sustainable Development: A Global Challenge"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: