Australian Capital Territory Consolidated Acts

PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT ACT 2007 - SECT 9

For this Act:

"sustainable development" means the effective integration of social, economic and environmental considerations in decision-making processes, achievable through implementation of the following principles:

        (a)     the precautionary principle;

        (b)     the inter-generational equity principle;

        (c)     conservation of biological diversity and ecological integrity;

        (d)     appropriate valuation and pricing of environmental resources.

"the inter-generational equity principle" means that the present generation should ensure that the health, diversity and productivity of the environment is maintained or enhanced for the benefit of future generations.

"the precautionary principle" means that, if there is a threat of serious or irreversible environmental damage, a lack of full scientific certainty should not be used as a reason for postponing measures to prevent environmental degradation.