Government must embrace sustainable decision making

The lesson from Copenhagen is not from the Conference but rather the city itself – we need to fully embrace the low carbon future

Much has been made of the failure of the recent climate change conference in Copenhagen.

And there is no doubting that it was a failure from a political perspective – a comprehensive failure.

Not only was the original objective of the conference – a binding international treaty to combat climate change – not achieved but its form, content and timing has now become even less certain.

It would be wrong to extrapolate from this and suggest that there is now a heightened uncertainty about the likelihood of the world economy transitioning to a low carbon one.

Make no mistake – the world will transition – in fact it is already happening and faster than you might think.

The proof of this was on full display in Copenhagen – not so much at the United Nations conference but rather in the example of the city of Copenhagen itself.

It was impossible to miss the large offshore turbines in Copenhagen’s harbour that generate renewable energy for the city or to not admire the efficiency of its buildings and public transport system.

In fact Denmark as a country has led the way in recognising the opportunities in a low carbon economy and taking full advantage of them.

The time has come for Tasmania to do the same.

Much has been said about the opportunities for Tasmania in the field of renewable energy development and there is no doubting how well placed Tasmania is in this regard.

We have two of the world’s highest quality wind farms in Woolnorth Bluff Point and Studland Bay and further high quality development opportunities to come. There are also real and exciting prospects for development in emerging technologies such as geothermal, wave and tidal.

We must not be complacent though. As was clear from the industry on display in Copenhagen, the global competition in renewable development is significant. If Tasmania is to maximize this opportunity it needs to move swiftly; it needs to ensure that its planning system and regulatory environment make us a jurisdiction of choice when it comes to development. It also needs to ensure that the policy support mechanisms, on which these opportunities will be established in the short term, are in place and operating effectively.

But the real opportunity is even broader still.

The economies that are taking a lead in the low carbon transition are adopting the transition in the broadest way possible – incorporating principles of sustainability into all public policy decision-making whether it be in relation to industry development; infrastructure investment; education; housing or public transport.

This requires that all decisions are considered from a financial, environmental and social perspective and with appropriate input from the broader community and across all levels of government. It also requires that all decisions and processes are free from undue political pressure and not driven by political expediency.

Tasmania needs to adopt this approach in everything we do.

The recent debate in Hobart over public transport options for Hobart’s northern suburbs is an excellent case in point.

It goes without saying that any development in new public transport infrastructure must stack up financially. There must be careful consideration of the up front capital investment and ongoing operational requirements of the various transport options measured against the likely uptake of the service and expected revenue returns.

But if we are to fully embrace the concept of sustainable decision-making then the assessment needs to extend much further than an old-fashioned business case.

Environmental considerations need to be addressed by ensuring that a low emission technology is adopted whether it is battery operated; electric or hydrogen.

The potential economic flow-on benefits need to be considered including local manufacturing opportunities; tourism opportunities as well as the opportunity for significant urban renewal along the transport corridor.

Consideration needs to be given to the social benefits that can flow from improving access to health, education, aged and child care facilities and from making the city a more connected and vibrant place to live.

And any final development proposal needs to be considered as part of an comprehensive transport plan for Hobart incorporating all other public transport options including car, bus, cycling, walking and, potentially, the re-establishment of ferry services to the Eastern shore and into the northern suburbs.

This represents true sustainable public policy decision-making.

It’s the decision-making of the future.

Tasmania needs to fully embrace this style of decision-making. If we do then we will be well placed to maximise the opportunities that will emerge in the new low carbon economy.

Matthew Groom attended the UNFCCC Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen as a member of the Australian Clean Energy Council delegation. He is also a Liberal Candidate for Denison in the upcoming state election.