Framework for State of the Environment Reporting
What is the Framework for State of the Environment Reporting?
The Framework for State of Environment Reporting is a "recipe" for developing the Victorian State of Environment Report. The Framework provides an overview of the reporting model and structure of the first Victorian SoE report released in 2008.
The Framework was developed following extensive consultation with key stakeholders, including government, industry, business, non-government organisations and the public. The consultation process was undertaken to identify a range of issues important to the key stakeholders and the Victorian community.
The Framework guides the development of the SoE report. It outlines an innovative way of understanding the conditions and trends of the natural environment within the context of social, cultural and economic factors.
In September 2005, the Framework for State of Environment Reporting was tabled by the Minister for Environment in the Parliament of Victoria.
What does the Framework contain?
The Framework contains background information on the Victorian SoE such as legislative requirements, the purpose of the report, the reporting timeframe and the processes of evaluation and review. The Framework is divided into five sections:
Part 1. Introduction
Part 2. Driving Forces Influencing Environmental Change
Part 3. Production, Consumption and Waste
Part 4. The State of Our Environment
Part 5. Living Well Within Our Environment
The Victorian SoE report is based on the Driving Forces-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) which is an extension of the Pressure-State-Response (PSR) model developed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and is the most frequently used SoE reporting model within Australia and internationally.
Why has the Framework been developed?
The Framework has been developed in accordance with the Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability Act 2003 which states, "A Report on the State of Environment of Victoria must be prepared in accordance with a framework for environmental reporting developed by the Commissioner and approved by the Minister."
Where can I obtain a copy of the Framework?
An electronic copy of the Framework for State of Environment Reporting is presented below in PDF format.
To view this document you will need a copy of the Adobe PDF reader, available for free from the Adobe web site.
The reporting model for the first report
The reporting team developed the conceptual framework to provide for a meaningful and holistic report that is truly useful for decision makers and the Victorian public. The report explores a range of pressures acting to influence the state of the environment, and how that in turn influences our quality of life, finally posing the question of what action we might take to influence the pressures and mitigate any negative trends in environmental sustainability.
The introduction gives an overview of the reporting model, the history of environmental reporting, and introduces the importance of ecosystem services, a concept that provides a central theme to the report.
Part 2. Driving Forces Influencing Environmental Change recognises that environmental conditions, trends and problems are often deeply embedded in the socio-economic structures of our societies and conversely, while at the same time our wellbeing depends upon the natural environment. A range of factors that have the potential to contribute to environmental change will be explored.
Part 3. Production, Consumption and Waste represents Victoria as a ‘metabolic’ system having inputs of energy, water and materials and outputs of goods and services, pollution and waste. The processes of extracting, processing and consuming resources will be examined through an analysis of production and consumption of energy, water and materials. A range of environmental pressures which result from these processes and activities are identified. The implications of these pressures on different aspects of the environment are further explored in the next part of the report.
Part 4. The State of the Environment evaluates the condition and trends of Victoria’s natural environment through the use of indicators within the broad themes: atmosphere; land and biodiversity; inland waters; and coasts, estuaries and the sea. The direct pressures acting on the environment, some of which result from the processes of production, consumption and waste as identified in Part 3, are reported. The implications of the current condition of the environment will also be discussed, along with societal responses.
Part 5. Living Well Within Our Environment brings together the key findings of the report, considers how the state of the environment influences our quality of life, examines our progress towards achieving environmental sustainability and provides recommendations for future directions.
