Environmental Sustainability Strategy

The Way Forward : An Environmental Sustainability Strategy for the Department

November 2005

A summary of the environmental sustainability strategy of the Department is presented here and is also available for downloading.

• Our vision for environmental sustainability
• Departmental overview
• Building on our achievements
• Objectives of the strategy
• Download the summary
• More information

Our vision for environmental sustainability

The department’s overall vision of the future of education in Victoria is:

 

The Victorian Government’s vision of an assured future includes the commitment that ‘protection of the environment for future generations is built into everything we do’. For the department, this means we will consider the following environmental principles in undertaking all aspects of our operations and delivery of curriculum services:

• maintaining and restoring natural assets
• using resources more efficiently, and
• reducing everyday environmental impacts.

It is no longer possible to ‘do nothing’ - we are all responsible - so we all need to take action. This action is to become more ‘environmentally sustainable’ by:

• reducing total energy use
• reducing total waste
• reducing total water use
• protecting, enhancing, restoring the native biodiversity (flora, fauna and habitat) around us
• reducing the volume of harmful emissions (e.g. greenhouse gas) released
• improving the efficiency and effectiveness of our transport systems, and
• improving corporate governance processes to support these changes.

The Government has identified environmental sustainability as a strategic issue of importance to Victorians and identified priority goals and targets that form the basis of the department's move towards environmental sustainability.

The department is committed to achieving the Government goals and targets for environmental sustainability and developing Victorians’ knowledge and skill base to appropriately respond to pressures on the environment. The department will do this by:

 

• improving the environmental performance of the department’s corporate, TAFE and school facilities
• increasing awareness and understanding of environmental sustainability in the department, our stakeholders and the wider community, and
• supporting whole-school planning in education for a sustainable environment in schools through student learning.

Departmental overview

The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development is the lead agency in Victoria for providing education services for all Victorians. Because of its scale and the extent of its operations, the department is one of the largest users of natural resources and producers of wastes in Victoria. At the same time, the department is one of the most influential institutions in the state, directly in contact with about 25 per cent of the total state population.

As both a leading consumer of resources and a significant agent of social change, the department is in a strong position to influence the community in the move towards environmental sustainability.

Building on our achievements

Many people within the department are working on programs, projects and activities to improve environmental sustainability. For example:

• Schools integrate sustainability education throughout the Victorian Essential Learning Standards. The Sustainable Schools Initiative provides a whole-school planning approach to integrate curriculum planning and facilities management to promote environmental action. Over 140 schools in metropolitan, rural and regional areas are using components of the program.
• The Strategic Partnerships Program provides funding for over 20 organisations to deliver environmental education programs in schools, including the funding of an environmental network that has enabled the sharing of the work of organisations, the promotion of collaborative partnerships and the facilitation of professional development opportunities.
• Facilities & Infrastructure have undertaken a range of initiatives to investigate Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD) opportunities, including, the Building Quality Standards Handbook, the Lighthouse Schools Project and the Building Sustainable Schools Project with the Victorian Schools Innovation Commission.
• TAFEs are increasingly incorporating environmental sustainability competencies within their qualifications. The Department established three specialist centres: one focussing on environmental management, wind generation and conservation and national heritage; a second on sustainable housing; and, a third on waste management and hydrogen-based power. All new TAFE building projects now incorporate Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD) principles.
• The department has established an Environmental Management System for the department’s head offices, including energy, water and waste audits, and annual reporting and is implementing an Energy Action Plan at head offices in partnership with the Victorian Government Property Group.

Objectives of the Strategy

To achieve the mission and the outcomes sought by Government, the following objectives are proposed for the 1-5 year timeframe of the Strategy.

1) Strengthening governance and leadership

A strong commitment to corporate governance processes is fundamental to meeting the environmental sustainability challenges. This begins by consolidating the commitment to environmental sustainability with formal support from the Department’s Executive to drive improvement.

2) Implementing and learning from ‘Quick Wins’

Applying the environmental sustainability approach through case study projects will add to the body of knowledge that already exists and provide motivation and incentive for others to act. The Department has implemented a one year ‘Quick Wins’ program focussing on energy reduction in schools, TAFE Institutes and DEECD offices through technology upgrades, education and behaviour change, and improvements to construction, operations and maintenance guidelines.

3) Integrating environmental sustainability into systems and policies

There are a number of opportunities to improve the consideration of environmental sustainability in existing policies and systems. These systems need to be supported by quality and reliable information and reporting at a variety of scales (facility / sector / whole of Department) to inform the environmental performance reporting required by Government.

4) Increasing participation, engagement and achievement

Expanding the scope and breadth of existing successful programs, projects or actions is more cost effective than developing new approaches and at the same time recognises achievement. Many of the programs and activities in place across the Department are delivered through partnerships, both internal and external. These will continue to be supported to provide specific skills and technical advice.

5) Enhancing people’s knowledge and skills

A key benefit of the diverse, decentralised management structure within the Department is the autonomy that each school or TAFE facility can exercise with respect to environmental sustainability actions. However, the pool of staff with experience and skills in environmental sustainability is relatively small compared to the scale of the Department as a whole. Increasing access to environmental sustainability awareness, education and training programs is needed.

6) Achieving sustainable financing and resourcing

Some significant actions to improve environmental sustainability will require additional investment, both for capital infrastructure and to improve the capacity of practitioners. Sufficient and sustainable resourcing needs to be secured to enable funds to be earmarked for environmental sustainability actions.

Download the summary

View online: The Way Forward: An Environmental Sustainability Strategy for the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development  - Summary (PDF - 96Kb)

More information

For more information about this strategy contact the Department.

The 'Our Environment: Our Future' framework can be found on Department of Sustainability and Environment website: Our Environment, Our Future: Victoria’s Environmental Sustainability Framework