11 2.6 Policy context There are a number of targets in current policy frameworks that are relevant to Natural Burial Grounds.   The State Strategic Plan The South Australian State Strategic Plan includes a target of increasing the population to 2 million by 2050 (Government of South Australia, 2007). A population increase such as this has  implications  for  a  range  of  services  and  infrastructure  planning,  including  planning  for future cemetery needs. The Greenhouse Strategy   In   2007   the   South   Australia   released   Tackling   Climate   Change   –   South   Australia’s Greenhouse Strategy 2007-2020. This plan sets the framework for the changes needed to avoid harmful, human–induced climate change.   Cremation  has  been  criticised  by  some  natural  burial  advocates  for  its  high  energy  use, production  of  greenhouse  gas  emissions  and  generation  of  airborne  pollutants.  This  is frequently cited as one of the main arguments for developing the alternative of Natural Burial Grounds. The issue of environmental impacts from funeral practices is a sensitive one and needs careful consideration. A recent report for Centennial Park by GHD compared the greenhouse gas emissions from cremation  and  burial  (GHD,  2007).  This  ground  breaking  study  was  commissioned  by Centennial Park because they were unable to source relevant data on environmental impacts for the preparation of a submission to this Inquiry.   The GHD study estimated that greenhouse gas emissions from cremation were 0.16 tonnes (160 kg) of CO2 equivalent per person. In 2006/07 the total number of cremations in SA was 7511. Based on GHD’s figures, the total CO2 equivalent emissions from cremation in SA was approximately 120 tonnes in 2006/07. GHD estimated that burial produces fewer emissions, at 0.039 tonnes (39 kg) of CO2 equivalent per burial, at the time of interment. In 2006/07, 4424 people were buried in South Australia and this would have produced approximately 17 tonnes CO2 equivalent emissions that year. This  report  also  concluded,  however,  that  the  maintenance  of  burial  sites  in  conventional cemeteries  resulted  in  a  10%  greater  environmental  footprint  for  burial  than  for  cremation (News Limited, 2008). This is due to the use of fossil fuels in mowing lawns and maintaining gardens over long periods.   To put these figures in perspective, the average car produces about 4.5 tonnes (4500 kg) of greenhouse  gas  emissions  per  annum  (Commonwealth  of  Australia).  Therefore  in  SA  for 2006/07,  the  burial  of  people  produced  about  the  same  greenhouse  gas  emissions  as running  38  cars  for  a  year,  and  cremation  produced  the  equivalent  emissions  of  running about 267 vehicles for a year.   Parliament of South Australia. The Environment, Resources and Development Committee