Key Findings
Queensland's second state of the environment report is a comprehensive review of the condition of Queensland's environment.
We have heard for many years that the environment is our single greatest asset. It provides the natural resources upon which a large proportion of Queensland's economy is based: our mineral, agricultural, fisheries, forest and energy resources, our biodiversity and the natural and cultural resources that make Queensland such a great place to live in and visit. The environment also sustains us by providing the fundamental ecosystem services upon which life depends. The quantity and quality of our air, land, water, coastal zone, biodiversity and natural and cultural heritage are being placed under increasing pressure.
Ecologically sustainable development is no longer just a desirable goal of society, but a necessary one. Only by ensuring that our actions result in environmental impacts that are acceptable in the long term can we ensure that our children inherit the same opportunities to prosper as we enjoy today, or even greater ones.A growing body of evidence is emerging that such an approach leads to a genuine long-term competitive advantage and a profitable economy, and sustains our way of life both today and in the future.
The state of the environment report is produced every four years. Such a timeframe allows us some opportunity to assess the effectiveness of our endeavours to ensure that we are adequately protecting our most significant asset. Even so, many natural and cultural systems change incrementally over far greater timeframes, and assessing our impacts upon them can pose a great challenge. We remain committed to continually assessing and improving the science underpinning our assessment of the state of Queensland's environment.
Last updated: 19 May 2004