Leaving green footprints: South Australia's strategic plan and ecological footprint

Abstract

The ecological footprint has gained wide popularity and is used throughout the world as a measure of ecological sustainability. The reduction of South Australia's ecological footprint by 30 per cent by 2050 is one of the targets in South Australia's Strategic Plan 2007, within the overall objective of attaining sustainability. This paper critically analyses this ecological footprint target and the objective of attaining sustainability. It argues that for South Australia to leave 'green footprints' which are ecologically sustainable for the planet and to 'attain sustainability', will require that (i) the limitations with the level and time frame of the ecological footprint target, (ii) the contradictions between various objectives and targets within the Strategic Plan, and (iii) the current prioritisation of economic over ecological sustainability are addressed.