The Environmental Management Systems Working Group was established in May 2000 by the Sustainable Land and Water Resources Management Committee of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Resource Management.

In November 2001, the EMS Working Group - consisting of representatives from Commonwealth, State and Territory Departments of Primary Industry and Agriculture - released a discussion paper entitled ‘Towards a National Framework for the Development of Environmental Management Systems in Agriculture’ (see appendix B).

This submission reviews specific aspects of the proposed national framework and focuses on the role of governments in facilitating the adoption of Environmental Management Sytems.

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Contents

Preliminaries
Cover, Copyright, Key messages

1 Introduction
EMS discussion paper
Purpose of this submission

2 The role of environmental management systems
Will greater use of EMSs bring improved outcomes?

3 The proposed national framework
What is the role of governments in EMSs?
Is a national framework required?
An assessment of particular areas of the proposed framework

4 Proposed limitations on government involvement with EMS

5 The use of incentives to facilitate EMS adoption

6 Conclusion