But environmentalists have criticised the ACT's State of the Environment report for being too soft on the Government.

ACT Environment Commissioner Maxine Cooper launched the report a snapshot of Canberra's environmental profile outlining sustainability challenges at Majura Primary School yesterday.

The report has dozens of recommendations on biodiversity, greenhouse gases, water management and sustainable transport.

Dr Cooper said Canberrans had lulled themselves into a false sense of security and were consuming far more resources than they needed.

''The [residents of the] ACT, being affluent, are high consumers. Our latest ecological footprint tells us that we are consuming at an unsustainable rate.

''Our footprint is nearly four times higher than the global average, and 17per cent higher than the Australian average.

''The territory's use of most resources has increased.''

Greens MLA Deb Foskey said she was concerned that Dr Cooper was highly critical of Canberra's residents but did not ask the Government to take more action.

''I would like to think she was prepared to go hard on the Government. So far, from what I've seen of this report, she hasn't.

''She does make recommendations in the report that the commissioner be given the task of monitoring a lot of the Government actions and therefore we need to see that she's prepared to be critical of the Government.''

Conservation Council director Catherine Potter said many of the report's recommendations were weak.

She said the council supported many of the report's proposals, such as calls for changes to the ACT's Sustainable Transport Plan and for a Canberra-wide reduction in energy use.

''[But] we need to be doing more, the Government needs to be doing more, to respond to the concerns raised in this report,'' she said.

Chief Minister Jon Stanhope said the report showed that individual Canberrans needed to take responsibility for their actions.

''Government can't go around to individual houses turning off lights or disconnecting computers,'' he said.

''We can take a lead in terms of education, in terms of advertising, in terms of raising awareness and seeking engagement.

''We are prepared to respond aggressively to these recommendations.''

Opposition environment spokeswoman Vicki Dunne said the report showed Canberrans had made little progress on the environment and the Government had failed to act.

''It shows that Jon Stanhope, as the minister responsible since the issuing of the previous State of the Environment report, has done very little to take on board the messages of four successive commissioners for the environment.''

Mr Stanhope said the Government already had policies to deal with climate change and sustainability, and was showing leadership in the area.

It bought 23 per cent of its energy from green electricity providers and subscribed to a greenhouse gas abatement scheme.

Mr Stanhope said the report showed the commissioner was ''imploring'' Canberrans to work with the Government and business to tackle climate change and waste issues.

Read the report at environmentcommissioner.act.gov.au