Issues in the city - an overview
Table of contents
Introduction
Ageing population
Air we breathe
Biodiversity
City living
Competitive edge
Economy
Energy costs
Getting around town
Global warming
Litter
Manufacturing
Quality of life
Pandemics and security threats
Personal security
Social cohesion
Water
Changes in our environment are already changing the way we think about the city. Here’s how some global environmental concerns are impacting locally. Issues are listed alphabetically.
Ageing population
As with many other cities in the Western world, Melbourne’s population is ageing.
Air we breathe
In Melbourne, particles and ozone are the two major pollutants that exceed our air quality objectives.
Biodiversity
In greater Melbourne, 70 plant species and more than 60 animal species are threatened. The animal species include: seven mammals, 43 birds, four reptiles, three frogs, six fish and three invertebrates. Greater Melbourne has approximately 1,800 known plant species and 432 known vertebrate species.
Only half of greater Melbourne’s thirty-one councils offer biodiversity conservation and land management incentives.
City living
In Victoria, houses and buildings account for 36 per cent of all the state’s greenhouse gas emissions, and 40 per cent of all waste going to landfill.
In the City of Melbourne, more than 70 per cent of residents live in high-rise apartments. Our residential sector is responsible for:
• 22 per cent of the city’s total water use;
• sending more than 14,000 tonnes of waste to landfill each year; and
• generating seven per cent of our greenhouse gas emissions.
Competitive edge
The City of Melbourne has identified a range of new technologies and growth industries it has earmarked as desirable for the city. But what’s coming next, and how will new technologies impact on the city during the next decade? The city needs to look ahead and find ways to take advantage of any opportunities.
Economy
Unprecedented growth in China and India, and the rise of the middle class in these countries is driving the international economy, including the Australian economy. This trend is expected to continue during the next decade. While the general picture of Australia’s economic future is good, some states and industries are enjoying more growth than others.
Australia’s north western states and cities are booming, but south eastern states and cities are more subdued. The drought is having a severe impact on regional areas and will continue to impact on food prices and rural stability unless the weather changes and offers some long-term relief.
Energy costs
Energy costs are expected to increase during the next ten to fifteen years. Factors such as:
political and social events restricting supply, severe storms and hurricanes, peak oil (when demand for oil outstrips supply); demand from rapidly expanding new players on the world’s economic stage; and increasing costs of energy production will continue to push energy costs up.
Increased energy costs will be felt in the Melbourne community in many ways, including: public and personal transport; food distribution; and impacts on the economy (as a whole and in specific industries).
Getting around town
In 1950, the average Melburnian took more than 415 trips using public transport. In 2004, Melburnians were taking around 102 trips per year.
The distance motor vehicles are travelling in Melbourne has increased 63 per cent during the past 20 years. Our population increased by 24 per cent. Clearly, more of us are driving more often than back in 1950.
Global warming
Global warming (the heating of the earth's atmosphere) is recognised by the world’s scientific community as the cause of climate change.
In Melbourne, as direct results of global warming and climate change, we can expect:
• more days with temperatures higher than 35 degrees Celsius;
• increased temperature extremes; and
• more violent storms and flash floods.
Litter
Melbourne is rated one of the cleanest cities in Australia. However, littering in our waterways is an issue for the future. In 2004, 730m3 of litter (about 9,700 household size garbage bins) was removed from litter traps in the Yarra River and adjoining waterways. Traps capture less than one per cent of the waste washed into our waterways from our streets each day.
Litter not caught in traps or through other means is washed into Port Phillip Bay.
Cigarette butts are another issue, and are our most commonly littered item.
Manufacturing
The City of Melbourne is home to only a small proportion of the state’s manufacturing industry workers, but we still have a key role to play in this sector. The city provides many services to the metropolitan and rural manufacturing industry. In the future, Melbourne may be forced to ask questions about our role in manufacturing, especially given the increasing cost competitiveness of China, India and other rapidly growing economies.
Quality of life
Melbourne has been rated one of the world’s most liveable city on many ‘city scorecards’ during the past few years. This is an achievement we would like to preserve.
The quality of life we are known for is not available for all to enjoy. Many who live on the fringes of ‘mainstream life’ struggle to find their way. Finding ways to improve services, and quality of life for all, is a challenge the city will need to meet in the future.
Pandemics and security threats
Many predict that a major pandemic/epidemic is inevitable during the next ten years. A terrorist attack or some other kind of attack on the city is also a possibility. Plans are in place to deal with these situations in Melbourne, but can we really prepare for the unknown?
Personal security
Just as for Pandemics/Epidemics plans are (hopefully) in place to deal with this situation, but what does this mean for the city during and after? Can we and should we prepare for this?
Social cohesion
Melbourne is considered a tolerant and multi-cultural city. Global events and the increasing interconnectedness of individuals and groups across the world and locally will create new challenges and tests for social cohesion in the future.
Water
All residents, businesses, and industries within the municipality need to reduce water consumption and manage water better. The City of Melbourne aims to cut the city's water consumption by 40 per cent per person, generating a total 12 per cent saving in water consumption by 2020. The city’s residential population will more than double during this period, but this is the target we need to meet to manage our water successfully.
Stormwater is an issue for the city. Options being explored for the better management of stormwater include the introduction of more natural water capturing and treatment facilities. Use of wetlands, porous pavements and rainwater tanks can improve the quality of water reaching the city’s waterways.
Groundwater is an integral part of the water cycle, infiltrating down into cracks and spaces in soil, sand and rock. Groundwater in Melbourne is considered too salty for use as a water resource, but it does play an important role in carrying water into our waterways, and helps prevent movement and sinking of soil and buildings.
