• Management of our resources.
• Management of the environmental, economic and social impacts of using our resources.
• How to meet Greenhouse targets. 

The supply of energy underpins activity in all parts of the economy. Inevitably energy production activities have impacts on individuals, society, and the environment.

The level of greenhouse gas emissions and their potential for global climate change has been a focus of the Working Group. Other environ-mental issues have been waste discharges to air, land and water, and a growing awareness that sector activities can also impact adversely on biodiversity.

Current community attitudes and patterns of energy production and use are heavily influenced by energy prices. The availability and cost of energy (particularly of transport fuels) have contributed significantly to lifestyle changes in modern western societies. However, with growing consciousness of the pressure on the environment and the need to achieve ESD, there is increasing acceptance that our present lifestyles need to change again.

A fundamental goal for ESD is to ensure that environmental and economic factors are integrated into development decision making.

Within such a decision-making system, the first step towards achieving ESD involves ensuring that enterprises use resources efficiently; the second step requiYes embracing a more comprehensive approach to impacts, both positive and negative, on a range of social and environmental values affecting economic diversity and quality of life.

In this context the Working Group has given particular attention to:

• improving efficiency within the energy production and distribution sector;
• reducing greenhouse gas emissions;
• improving marine area planning arrangements;
• improving environmental protection;
• improving and making better use of information through research, development and demonstration, public involvement, education and training; and
• instituting integration of decision making.

The Working Group approached its report with three time-frames in mind: short-term - from now to 1995; the medium term (around 2005) and the long term (around 2030).

The Group stresses that ESD is inevitably a continuing process. (quantifying and evaluating the recommendations will be important, so too will maintaining the momentum generated to date, the consensus-seeking approach and the effective communication between industry, governments, conservation groups, unions and community groups.

Key recommendations:

Included are recommendations that:

• energy tariffs be structured to incorporate the commercial cost of production and distribution;
• vigorous competition and innovation in the energy supply sector be encouraged;
• the planned review of the operation of the National Grid Management Council be conducted according to the principles for an ESD energy production and distrihution sector;
• governments should promote the commercial development of the Australian gas sector consistent with ESD principles;
• governments should examine models of least-cost planning for puhlic electricity and gas utilities with a view to implementing the model or models hest suited to Australian circumstance;
• there should he incorporation of environmental, social and health costs of pollution to land, air and water resulting from energy production activities into energy prices;
• Australia should continue to contrihute through its own scientific research to the development of greater certainty on climate change induced by emissions of greenhouse gases, and the likely nature and scale of its impacts in Australia.

International aspects:

As part of the development of Australia's international negotiating position, the Commonwealth Government should:

• undertake detailed analysis of the range of possible international actions and their potential impacts on Australia, including actions undertaken by both Australia's trading partners and competitors;
• analyse the potential role for Australia in helping to reduce international emission of greenhouse gases;
• assess alternative ways of meeting greenhouse emission targets, including technology transfer to developing countries;
• identify advantages and opportunities for Australia from reductions in emissions of greenhouse gases;
• continue and enhance the existing program for public consultation.

Taxation & tradable emissions:

• governments to carry out a detailed review of the relative merits and impacts of a carbon/energy tax and a tradable emissions scheme, in order to identify the most suitable instrument or combination of instruments for Australia's particular circumstances, and the implications for the energy sector and the rest of the economy in the event of a decision to implement such measures either nationally or internationally.

R, D&D:

• there should be an increase in government support for research. development and demonstration (R, D&D). especially for renewable energy technologies.

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