The Conservation Council commends the Department of Planning and Local Government (DPLG) for producing a Plan that establishes a clear vision for the Greater Adelaide Region, but notes that the Plan has significant downfalls when it comes to planning for natural resource management and adapting climate change. download complete submission
We are in the midst of a climate emergency, and we need to respond accordingly through plans such as this. CCSA believe that every policy must be re-examined for its relevance and in light of the fundamental questions: Will this help us mitigate and/or adapt to climate change? Or will this hinder the process? Will it assist the transformation of our economy, society and environment towards a sustainable, steady state economy, or is it about ‘business as usual’?
In developing, reviewing and amending the Plan for Greater Adelaide CCSA urge the South Australian Government to:
• ensure they have sufficient information to understand the range and severity of threats affecting our environment now and into the future;
• use this information to set targets and policy that will be sufficient to address these threats;
• recognise that when adequate information is not available, the safest approach is the Precautionary Principle;
• lead by example in adopting practices that need to become the norm across society; and
• involve the wider community in the process, by active consultation wherever possible, and working in partnership with other sectors and with other levels of government.