There are many large companies with a working commitment to ESD as they recognize this is in their own best interest. For example, companies such as Cabot Australasia Pty Ltd and Kemcor Australia have comprehensive environmental improvement plans. The Greenhouse Challenge Program, a joint initiative of three Commonwealth departments which sets out a framework for industry and government to work in partnership. Its aim is to ensure companies and government achieve maximum practicable greenhouse gas abatement performance and, at the same time, improve their competitive advantages. It should be stressed that any regulation directed towards ESD needs to be facilitative.
Governments are unable to achieve ESD on their own.
They can only lead, assist and reward. It would be more workable for responsibility for ESD to lie with the level of government best able to enforce, subject to nationally-agreed guidelines. There needs to be some way of reflecting the environmental costs of the governments' fiscal policies. Unfortunately, Treasury does not recognize this. One way to address this would be to supplement the Expenditure Review Committee of Cabinet with a Sustainable Development Review Committee.