Sustainable Development - Australian Process

Global Environment Change
Biodiversity
Social Equity
Occupational Health & Safety

Cross Sectoral Issues

Land Allocation
Land Management
Coastal Zone Management
Chemical wastes & Residues

Following the release of the Government's discussion paper, Ecologically Sustainable Development, in June 1990, responses were received from over 200 individuals and organisations. Many respondents identified additional issues which were common to many or all of the Government's identified industry sectors.

These have been categorised as cross-sectoral and intersectoral issues.

Cross-sectoral issues can be defined as those where the actions of one industry sector impacts on one or more other sectors.

A good example of cross-sectoral issues can be found in the fishing industry. Fishing is adversely effected by agriculture, tourism, manufacturing and forest use industries. Downstream effects (such as water pollution and siltation), can have significant impact on fish breeding areas. While the Fisheries Working Group is well placed to highlight these downstream effects, the solutions will need to be initiated in the other sectors involved.

Cross-sectoral issues are distinct from intersectoral issues which are those common to many or all of the sectors, but where effects from one sector to another are not significant. A number of key intersectoral and cross-sectoral issues are outlined in the box next to this one.

Intersectoral issues are common to many, if not all, industry sectors, while cross-sectoral issues may only have an effect between two sectors.

The ESD Chairmen arranged for papers to be prepared on these issues as a basis for further discussion at a workshop for Working Group members in May 1991. This provided an opportunity for better understanding of intersectoral issues and ensured that such considerations were an integral part of the Working Groups final recommendations.

A full report on intersectoral issues was submitted to the Government at the end of 1991 along with the reports from each of the nine Working Groups. Cross-sectoral issues were considered in both the Working Groups reports and the report on Intersectoral Issues.

Source: ESD Newsbrief, No 1, May 1991