QUEENSLAND BUSINESSES URGED TO INVEST IN GREEN
Published Monday, 22 October, 2007 at 04:05 PM
Premier
The Honourable Anna Bligh
Queensland developers will be urged to invest in green as part of a unique new environmental program being developed by the State Government, Premier Anna Bligh announced today.
Ms Bligh said under Green Invest a government-run environmental offsets exchange facility would be established to help developers find offsets for vegetation that they cleared as part of major projects.
The Premier and Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation, Andrew McNamara released a discussion paper on Green Invest and a new Queensland Government Environmental Offsets Policy.
“Both of these initiatives are designed to strike a balance between ecologically sustainable development and protecting our unique environmental values,” Ms Bligh said.
“When available land is developed sometimes some environmental damage is unavoidable.
“An offset is an action taken to compensate for a negative environmental impact that might result from an approved activity or development.
“They are an option of last resort only after all efforts have been made to avoid or minimise environmental damage.”
Ms Bligh said Green Invest will help development occur without a net loss to the environment by assisting business to identify and take action to protect similar areas of land elsewhere.
“It will create a marketplace where developers who need offsets can be matched with landholders willing to preserve part of their property for conservation purposes,” she said.
“Offset agreements will be identified, registered and administered in a market situation.”
The initial focus of Green Invest will be on offsets required under the Vegetation Management Act 1999 and the Nature Conservation (Koala) Conservation Plan 2000.
However in the longer term it also could potentially deal with water, biodiversity and carbon offsets.
The Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation, Andrew McNamara, said offsets could only be used to meet requirements for developments that could occur under existing legislation, not to facilitate development that would not otherwise be able to occur.
“Demand for vegetation offsets in the South East Queensland Bioregion over the next 20 years is estimated at 120,000 hectares,” Mr McNamara said.
“Potential offsets in the bioregion are estimated at 900,000 hectares.
“By using offsets we have the potential to create new wildlife corridors or improve existing habitat by enlarging protected areas.”
The Minister for Natural Resources and Water Mr Craig Wallace said some Queensland landholders could receive a welcome new source of income by supplying offsets.
He said his department would be facilitating the offset investment scheme and it would produce a new income for some Queensland landholders through supplying offsets.
“Developers will be able to contact Green Invest, a new part of my Department, and Green Invest will help find the offsets for the development,” Mr Wallace said.
"Green Invest will either match a developer with a landholder, or in certain circumstances, the developer can pay a payment and we will source the appropriate land to invest in.
“We will create a marketplace where developers who need offsets can be matched with landholders willing to preserve part of their property for conservation purposes.”
The discussion paper will be available for public comment until November 30 and is available from the Environmental Protection Agency or www.epa.qld.gov.au
Ms Bligh the Environmental Offsets Policy would be an overarching framework for the inclusion of offsets in Queensland’s existing development framework.
Both programs are expected to be up and running by mid next year.
22 October, 2007
Further inquiries: Premiers Office (07) 3224 4500
Ms Bligh said under Green Invest a government-run environmental offsets exchange facility would be established to help developers find offsets for vegetation that they cleared as part of major projects.
The Premier and Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation, Andrew McNamara released a discussion paper on Green Invest and a new Queensland Government Environmental Offsets Policy.
“Both of these initiatives are designed to strike a balance between ecologically sustainable development and protecting our unique environmental values,” Ms Bligh said.
“When available land is developed sometimes some environmental damage is unavoidable.
“An offset is an action taken to compensate for a negative environmental impact that might result from an approved activity or development.
“They are an option of last resort only after all efforts have been made to avoid or minimise environmental damage.”
Ms Bligh said Green Invest will help development occur without a net loss to the environment by assisting business to identify and take action to protect similar areas of land elsewhere.
“It will create a marketplace where developers who need offsets can be matched with landholders willing to preserve part of their property for conservation purposes,” she said.
“Offset agreements will be identified, registered and administered in a market situation.”
The initial focus of Green Invest will be on offsets required under the Vegetation Management Act 1999 and the Nature Conservation (Koala) Conservation Plan 2000.
However in the longer term it also could potentially deal with water, biodiversity and carbon offsets.
The Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation, Andrew McNamara, said offsets could only be used to meet requirements for developments that could occur under existing legislation, not to facilitate development that would not otherwise be able to occur.
“Demand for vegetation offsets in the South East Queensland Bioregion over the next 20 years is estimated at 120,000 hectares,” Mr McNamara said.
“Potential offsets in the bioregion are estimated at 900,000 hectares.
“By using offsets we have the potential to create new wildlife corridors or improve existing habitat by enlarging protected areas.”
The Minister for Natural Resources and Water Mr Craig Wallace said some Queensland landholders could receive a welcome new source of income by supplying offsets.
He said his department would be facilitating the offset investment scheme and it would produce a new income for some Queensland landholders through supplying offsets.
“Developers will be able to contact Green Invest, a new part of my Department, and Green Invest will help find the offsets for the development,” Mr Wallace said.
"Green Invest will either match a developer with a landholder, or in certain circumstances, the developer can pay a payment and we will source the appropriate land to invest in.
“We will create a marketplace where developers who need offsets can be matched with landholders willing to preserve part of their property for conservation purposes.”
The discussion paper will be available for public comment until November 30 and is available from the Environmental Protection Agency or www.epa.qld.gov.au
Ms Bligh the Environmental Offsets Policy would be an overarching framework for the inclusion of offsets in Queensland’s existing development framework.
Both programs are expected to be up and running by mid next year.
22 October, 2007
Further inquiries: Premiers Office (07) 3224 4500