Green offsets for sustainable development
Green offsets - development without additional environmental impact
Green offsets are a way of having both economic development and environmental protection. A green offset is action taken outside a development site (but near to it) to reduce pollution. The developers either take the action themselves or pay for others to do it on their behalf.
A green offset scheme ensures that there is 'no net impact' from development. Any additional pollution that is generated by a development is offset by action taken off-site that reduces at least that amount of the same pollutants.
See also:
For more information see Green Offsets for Sustainable Regional Development: Concept Paper (NSW Government, May 2002): greenoffsets.pdf (357 kb, requires Acrobat Reader).
Pollution offsets
The NSW Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) is trialling schemes to demonstrate how pollution offsets work in practice. The pollution offset schemes will be designed to:
-
reduce water pollution in the lower Hawkesbury-Nepean - the South Creek Nutrient Offset Pilot
-
reduce salt loads in rivers in western NSW.
See DEC pollution offset pilots for updated information.
Pollution offsets are also being considered in DIPNR's Sustaining the Catchments - the Regional Plan for the Sydney Drinking Water Catchments and Adjacent Regional Centres (Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources, March 2004), to assist those developments that have significant social and economic benefits to the community, and cannot otherwise meet the neutral or beneficial effect test. Under the proposal, pollution offsets will be considered on a case-by-case basis and implemented by negotiated agreement.
Diffuse water pollution estimator
A prototype web-based diffuse water pollution estimator (DWPE) has been developed to assist the operation of the pilot water pollution offset schemes and help development consent authorities assess on-site stormwater treatment for proposed developments.
The DWPE estimates pre and post development nitrogen and phosphorus loads for a site. It considers land use, on-site stormwater management practices and site characteristics both before and after development.
The system has a land development focus. It can be used comfortably for developments up to 5 hectares in size and as a 'first cut' estimator for larger developments.