Good hands for the future

Last Thursday I spoke at an Environmental Management Course at the University of Newcastle with NSW Senator Kerry Nettle (Greens).

The 3-hour tutorial/workshop discussed issues of relevance to the environmental managers and planners of the future. The focus was on meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (to paraphrase from the 1987 "Our Common Future" Brundtland report of the World Commission On Environment and Development).

Kerry and I discussed how to make positive social change within the political context of Local, State and Federal Governments.

What was most interesting were the questions from the students during the discussions.

There were many questions around the idea that if the State Government recognises that human-induced climate change is happening and recognises that burning coal is a key contributor to climate change, why are they considering more coal mines, more coal infrastructure and more coal-fired power stations? How do you answer that logic?

Others questioned why governments who have a good policy (eg the State Government's biodiversity strategy) don't implement them?

Good questions from developing professionals who want a future to meet their own needs.