Good Governance for Sustainable Energy Development: An Australian Case Study

The Namoi region in New South Wales, Australia, is known for its natural resources being one of the nation's richest agricultural areas (such as grazing, broad acre cereal crops and irrigated cotton) and having significant environmental values (including 141 listed threatened species and substantial ground and surface water resources). The region also contains one of the country’s most abundant sources of quality coal and coal seam gas with interests in developing these energy resources escalating rapidly over the last five years, outpacing the development of appropriate regulatory frameworks to ensure ecologically sustainable development. This paper will explore the nature of this current land use conflict in the Namoi region, focusing on the unprecedented development of coal and gas resources in the area. It will examine the relevant State and Federal regulatory frameworks, identifying how the law has behaved as an actor in this conflict and investigate applicable institutional arrangements that continue to influence the dispute. Through analysis of Namoi stakeholders' interview data, institutional analysis, case law and other development documents, the case study uncovers a range of social and environmental justice issues associated with the development of energy. The paper will conclude with the consideration of what is meant by the notion of 'good governance' in the context of sustainable energy development for a fair society in a safe planet emphasizing the importance of procedural fairness, recognition, democratic participation, transparency and accountability in environmental governance.