Trends in green governance -Embedding environmental concerns into decision-making in Local government in Australia

Local Government has an important role to play in responding to environmental risks and challenges. As well as continuing to deliver a range of environmental policies and programs, across topics such as waste, water transport, biodiversity and natural resource management energy conservation, and community engagement with sustainability issues, local government in Australia has also begun to question how sustainability concerns can become an integral dimension of decision making at the municipal level. This paper describes recent changes across four dimensions of council corporate practice in New South Wales as they relate to sustainability outcomes-long term visioning, considering the ``triple bottom line`` at key decision points, tracking and monitoring, considering the ``triple bottom line`` at key decision points, tracking and monitoring outcomes, and public participation and partnership for change. It highlights challenges to the traditional notion of local government at the centre of policy, and raises questions about extending these practices across the sector for environmental outcomes.