The environment watchdog says the government's budget process needs to be improved to take better care of the environment.
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The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Simon Upton said the process did not take into account the complexities and long-term nature of many environmental problems.
"The benefits that arise from protecting and conserving the environment - or trying to recover some of the damage we've caused - unfold over long time frames.
"This makes the natural environment difficult to slot into an annual budget process dominated by decisions orientated towards short-term outcomes," Upton said.
He has recommended several changes to the budget process to improve the way the environment is considered, including increasing the quality of information available to reflect what is known about future risks, uncertainty and tipping points.
He also wants a review of how the cost-benefit analysis is applied to budgets.
"We need better information, better policy tools, and better integration of the environment into the budget process to ensure future generations don't inherit a long list of problems that could have been avoided," Upton said.
