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Greenhouse News
- Opposition still lacks formal ETS policy
- Councils must act now on developing climate change policies
- Tracking to Kyoto and 2020 interim report released
- Hydrogen powers conventional car engine
- World Heritage properties at increased risk from climate change
- Funding priorities announced for Pacific climate change adaptation
- Forest Industries Climate Change Research Fund grants available
- Councils join NSW Government in fight against climate change
South Australia
- Major ‘hot rock’ project launched at Paralana
- Opposition to site of BHP desalination plant
- Protect water in Cooper Creek; SA urges Queensland
- Major cut to landfill waste in Adelaide
- Irrigation allocations to increase
- Upgrading Adelaide’s water supply networks
- Woodland restoration needed to save local bird species
National Affairs
- CRC funding announced
The Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Senator the Hon Kim Carr, has announced funding of $243 million for world-class collaborative research and innovation under the Australian Government’s Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) Program.
The successful grants include:
- $20.1 million to the CRC for Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems – focusing on the world’s understanding of climate change in relation to Antarctica and the Southern Ocean, which is critical to our understanding of global warming.
- $28 million for the Dairy Futures CRC which will conduct research in new pasture varieties and farming systems will assist the dairy industry to adapt to climate change and reduce environmental impacts.
- $20 million for the CRC for Greenhouse Gas Technologies - working on the capture of carbon dioxide from stationary industrial sources; its compression; transport and storage in deep geological reservoirs.
- $17.5 million to establish a new CRC in Energy Pipelines – will enable Australia to meet the increased demand for gas transportation arising from the need to decrease greenhouse gas emissions.
- $12 million for CRCMining which will develop technologies to assist the Australian mining industry reduce its CO2-e footprint. The Centre’s activities are structured around four research programs. Three programs address emissions reduction by improving operational efficiency of mining systems and individual mining machines. The fourth program addresses emissions reduction by developing a novel drilling system to more effectively capture fugitive emissions from coal mines.
In addition, the Government announced in the May Budget that the Bushfire CRC will receive an additional $15 million over three years from 2010 to tackle specific research tasks arising from the experience of the Victorian bushfires.
Further information about the funding is available here.
Water Management
- Report into water usage in the electricity generation industry
The National Water Commission has released a new report investigating the impact of changing water availability on the electricity sector in Australia.
Thee report explores options for the industry to manage these supply risks by reducing its water consumption or by making more use of alternative water sources. It focuses primarily on the use of water in thermal power stations - the largest user of water in the electricity generation industry. Thermal power plants, primarily coal-fired power stations, are responsible for around 1.4 per cent of total water consumption in Australia.
It also looks at the role of current and planned reforms in water, electricity and carbon markets in determining the most suitable and effective water management options.
It was prepared for the Commission and the Australian Government Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism by ACIL Tasman and Evans and Peck.
The report is based on evidence from consultation with electricity generators, industry associations and institutions and government policy agencies in energy and water, as well as an analysis undertaken by the authors. It focuses on the use of water in thermal power stations.
Recommendations
Recommendation 1 - Governments should ensure that future licence arrangements are made as consistent as possible with the pricing and access frameworks of the National Water Initiative particularly with respect to supply security; security of tenure; trading entitlements; and pricing.
Recommendation 2 - To facilitate improved water use efficiency by the electricity generation industry, water supply access arrangements should not mandate take or pay arrangements, nor exclude participation in water trading unless agreed by electricity generators.
Recommendation 3 - In line with the National Water Initiative, the full opportunity cost of all supply and savings options should be reflected in the price of all supply options when considering these in regional water planning processes. This should form the basis of pricing for the selected options for generators.
Recommendation 4 - Policy makers should ensure that the electricity generation industry is included in consultations between water planners, the community and other users as part of the longer term development of planning and policy options for future water resource management.
Recommendation 5 - The legislation and regulations for use and disposal of water produced from coal seam gas should be reviewed to ensure that there are no unnecessary regulatory or legislative constraints on the use of that water.
Recommendation 6 - In light of the need to reduce carbon emissions and the impact on water demand for cooling in power stations, priority should be given to focusing research and development in Australia on water management and efficiency in electricity generation.
The report is available here.
- Challenges for urban water management report released
A report looking at the particular challenges for urban water management, highlighted by the drought, in achieving urban water supply investment has been released.
The report, by the Allen Consulting Group, examines the current institutional arrangements for the urban water sector and identifies a vision for the future. It suggests that by establishing a more competitive urban water market, industries and communities will be better able to ensure the sustainable supply of water to cities.
The road map and its accompanying recommendations have been developed by the Allen Consulting Group flowing from discussions among a group of water industry and policy experts, which have come together in a forum under the auspices of Global Access Partners (GAP).
Among the key recommendations of the report:
1. That Australian Governments commit to establishing a competitive urban water market supported by effective regulation so as to achieve a vision that ensures:
• There is a secure level of water supply to meet society’s essential needs, society has confidence in the quality of water, and consumers (particularly the vulnerable) and the environment are appropriately protected.
• Households have the freedom to choose from a range of options and can afford their basic water needs.
• Businesses and communities can access secure supplies of water in the least cost manner.
• The water and wastewater industry have the incentive and the means to meet society’s water needs at lowest-cost without facing unnecessary constraints.
2. That this vision is best implemented in a phased and contingent manner through the adoption of an interim industry structure featuring competition in bulk supply, which would be reviewed before proceeding to a fully competitive retail market.
3. That the first steps towards the interim structure be taken as soon as possible and include the following four priority actions:
a. Conduct detailed accounting of regulated water utilities
b. Remove unnecessary constraints to competition in water and waste-water services
c. Trial use of entitlements to water supply for retailers and large users
d. Develop a model for a more independent, transparent and integrated water resource and grid planning.
4. That an initial period of research over the next one to two years is required to underpin the reform program. This research is best be undertaken on a cooperative basis through COAG and should include:
a. Design of the four priority actions identified
b. Initial design of interim market and industry framework
c. Detailed design of the interim market and industry framework.
The report is available here.
Land Management
- Identifying new technologies for waste processing
A business case is being developed to identify the best technologies to process Melbourne’s organic waste into clean energy.
The business case is a key plank of the Victorian Advanced Resource Recovery Initiative (VARRI) that is designed to help the city meet its target of recovering 65% of municipal waste by 2014.
VARRI is an initiative involving the Metropolitan Waste Management Group, local government, the waste industry and the Victorian Government.
The business case, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2009, will lead to the establishment of alternative waste facilities for Metropolitan Melbourne. The aim of the initiative is to have two facilities begin operation in 2010.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Metropolitan Waste Management Group, Robert Millard, says VARRI will bring a new approach to waste management.
Mr Millard says many Victorians do no realise the link between waste and greenhouse gas, even though they are busy finding ways to cut their carbon emissions. He says implementing new technology to recycle organic waste will reduce the need for new landfill and help the state reduce greenhouse emissions.
Greenhouse News
- Opposition still lacks formal ETS policy
The latest policy on an Emissions Trading Scheme put forward by Federal Opposition Leader, Malcolm Turnbull, has failed to win endorsement from Coalition MPs.
A party room meeting in Canberra agreed to oppose the Rudd Government’s emissions reduction scheme, but it did not adopt Mr Turnbull’s plan – developed with Frontier Economics – as official policy.
The decision to oppose the government’s legislation means it will almost certainly be defeated in the Senate when a vote is taken on August 13. But the Coalition still does not have a unified stand on an emission’s trading scheme.
The Frontier Economics plan proposes treating power generators differently from other industries by exempting them from having to buy permits to cover all their emissions.
The government would set what is described as an emissions intensity baseline for the power generators. Generators that emit more than the prescribed baseline would have to buy permits, while those that emit less would receive credits.
Mr Turnbull says the proposal would overcome an abrupt and large increase in power bills. He says the increases would be small and gradual giving households and businesses more time to scale back their electricity use by purchasing more efficient appliances, insulating buildings and making other adjustments.
Mr Turnbull says a smaller and more gradual increase in power bills would also greatly decrease the need for compensation payments to families. He says this, in turn, would greatly reduce the many billions of dollars of annual fiscal “churn” created by an ETS.
Mr Turnbull says the Coalition has also committed itself to doubling the compensation proposed for electricity generators from $4 billion to $8-10 billion to provide greater fairness and investment certainty for firms in the industry. The Frontier Economics CPRS Report can be found here.
- Councils must act now on developing climate change policies
Councils around Australia are facing a potential minefield in dealing with climate change issues, according to a specialist in environmental law at law firm Maddocks.
Prue Burns, a Partner in Maddocks Public Law, says councils should presently be developing clearly defined policies to deal with the impacts of changing weather conditions triggered by climate change. Ms Burns says formulating and implementing such policies will help councils limit their potential exposure to legal action arising from loss and damage associated with the impacts of climate change.
Byron Council on the north coast of New South Wales is currently involved in legal action in the State’s Land and Environment Court centred on the construction of a rock wall to protect a property in the municipality from storm damage. The case has been listed for hearing again in October.
And legal representatives of other land holders in the municipality have reportedly written to the council requesting that their clients be allowed to protect their properties against storms.
Ms Burns says councils are faced with a variety of legal problems in relation to the environment including:
- changing processes (storm surges and erosion);
- private property rights;
- public access to beaches and amenity;
- development assessment;
- compulsory acquisition of property;
- council liability; and
- limited resources.
According to Ms Burns, most councils have experience and expertise in mitigating the effects of climate change, but many lack experience in adaptation or developing mechanisms to deal with changing circumstances. She says councils accept the need to develop adaptation policies, but in some cases, lack the resources to formulate the policies.
Ms Burns says State Governments have put in place coastal management policies and manuals, but there are many areas where councils are left unaided in developing policies to tackle climate change. She says councils lacking expertise should engage specialists to undertake risk analyses and then have policy initiatives drawn up once potential liabilities are identified.
- Tracking to Kyoto and 2020 interim report released
The Federal Government has released a new report which shows Australia's carbon pollution will continue to rise if the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme does not become law.
The Tracking to Kyoto and 2020 report shows that without the Scheme in place, emissions are projected to be 20 per cent above 2000 levels by 2020. The report shows that to achieve a five per cent reduction in carbon pollution by 2020, Australia needs to avoid the creation of 138 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2020. This is equivalent to halving the carbon pollution that comes from electricity generation and transport between 2011 and 2020.
To achieve a 25 per cent cut by 2020, Australia needs to avoid the creation of 249 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2020.
While emissions growth has slowed over the past 12 months due to the global recession, Australia's emissions continue to rise, with an average increase of 1.6 per cent each year from September 1998 to March 2009.
The report also shows that Australia remains on track to meet our Kyoto emissions target of 108 per cent of 1990 levels over the Kyoto period from 2008 to 2012. As a result of slowed emissions growth from the global recession and the first year of the Scheme, Australia will be on track for emissions to be 107 per cent of 1990 levels over the Kyoto period.
Tracking to Kyoto and 2020 is an interim update of the previous Tracking to the Kyoto Target projections released in 2008. A full update of the projections will be released in late 2009.
To download a copy of the report, visit www.climatechange.gov.au
- Hydrogen powers conventional car engine
A conventional car engine has been converted to run on hydrogen under a project involving Melbourne University; several local manufacturers, including Ford; and the Victorian Government.
The $2.92 million Hydrogen Car Engine project differs from other global research into hydrogen-fuelled cars because it uses a method of burning hydrogen in a conventional internal combustion engine.
Dr Michael Brear of Melbourne University’s Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, says the project is helping to create a new market for low cost, efficient, gas-fuelled engines.
Dr Brear says hydrogen is potentially the cleanest gaseous fuel available. He says the increased uptake of gaseous fuels like LPG, natural gas and ultimately hydrogen will help significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The project has just passed the halfway mark and work over the next 18 months will aim to make the engine the most efficient hydrogen-fuelled internal combustion unit ever demonstrated.
Dr Brear says the engine technology also has applications in areas such as renewable and distributed energy production. This includes use as an off-peak electrical generator running off solar or wind generated hydrogen, or electrical generation from biogas.
- World Heritage properties at increased risk from climate change
A new report finds that 17 of Australia's iconic World Heritage properties will experience increased risks from climate change.
Sites including Sydney Opera House, the Great Barrier Reef, Kakadu National Park, Lord Howe Island Group, the Tasmanian Wilderness and the Greater Blue Mountains Area are identified as particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
The Implications of Climate Change for Australia's World Heritage Properties: A Preliminary Assessment was commissioned by the Australian National University and assesses the likely impacts of climate change on these properties, identifies major gaps in knowledge and recommends a range of responses.
The report is the first comprehensive report by any country into the impacts of climate change on all of its World Heritage properties.
These effects include reduced rainfall, higher sea and land surface temperatures, more severe storm events, ocean acidification and rising sea levels.
This report will inform the Climate Change Adaptation Plan for Australia's World Heritage and Iconic Areas which will outline clear principles and key actions for incorporating climate change adaptation into management of Australia's World Heritage and iconic areas.
A copy of the report is available on the Department website at: www.environment.gov.au/heritage/publications/climatechange
- Funding priorities announced for Pacific climate change adaptation
The Federal Government has announced funding priorities to assist Pacific Island countries to meet the immediate challenges of climate change.
The Government has previously announced $150 million for the International Climate Change Adaptation Initiative. The Initiative aims to meet high priority climate adaptation needs in vulnerable countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
$75 million has been previously allocated, with $50 million being allocated now for a range of programs.
$25 million will be allocated to help implement high priority, practical adaptation programs in Pacific island countries, including:
- working with the agricultural sector to address food security issues;
- protecting water supplies and essential infrastructure;
- improving coastal zone management to increase the resilience of coastal areas and community settlements to climate change; and
- supporting disaster preparedness and disaster risk reduction programs.
A further $12 million will be provided for the Pacific Adaptation Strategy Assistance Program to strengthen the capacity of Pacific Island countries to assess their vulnerabilities to climate change and develop adaptation strategies. This will help Pacific Island countries to build the skills and knowledge they need for long-term decision making to prepare for climate change.
Australia will also contribute:
- $6 million to support Pacific regional organisations to undertake adaptation work on issues such as fisheries management and crop diversity;
- $4.3 million investment will be made upgrading sea level monitoring stations in Pacific countries; and
- $2.7 million will be spent in partnership with non-government organisations working on adaptation in the region.
Of the $75 million previously allocated, amounts include:
- $14.8m of funding for the Pacific announced by the Prime Minister at last year's Forum in Niue;
- $20m for the Pacific Climate Change Science Program; and
- $40m for the World Bank's Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience.
For more information please visit www.ausaid.gov.au/keyaid/adaptation.cfm
- Forest Industries Climate Change Research Fund grants available
The Australian Government has committed $5 million to the Forest Industries Climate Change Research Fund, a new grants program to address major knowledge gaps about the impact of climate change on forestry and forest industries in Australia.
The fund will assist the industry to better understand the implications of climate change and build industry capacity to adapt to predicted scenarios and capitalise on emerging mitigation opportunities.
Climate change has significant implications for Australia’s forests and forest industries, and it is important that Australia’s forest industries are prepared to meet future challenges.
Projects should be principally focused on projects that inform industry in the following areas of activity:
- Adaptation – enabling industry to adapt to new circumstances
- Mitigation – enabling industry to contribute to the national climate change mitigation effort
- Bioenergy – to promote the development of sustainable forest-based bioenergy on a commercial scale
- Inventory and data – to fill data gaps so that quantitative analyses on climate change responses can be undertaken in the future (the Data Gaps Overview is available from the Secretariat by request)
As a general rule, grants from the Australian Government under this fund will receive a maximum of $500 000, although higher grants may be considered in special circumstances where collaborative and integrated projects seek outcomes that will apply across the whole industry.
The Forest Industries Climate Change Research Fund will be a merit-based, competitive grants program. Applicants must submit an expression of interest which will be assessed against eligibility criteria. Funds are limited and therefore meeting eligibility does not guarantee funding. The fund will support projects that focus on the objectives of the program.
Expressions of interest close on August 20th.
Further information is available here.
- Councils join NSW Government in fight against climate change
The local government sector in New South Wales has joined forces with the Rees Government to tackle the impacts of climate change.
The Local Government and Shires Associations and the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to address future impacts including sea level rise, more extreme weather events and the spread of pests and disease.
The MoU commits the associations and the department to cooperate on infrastructure risk assessment and management; the provision and sharing of information on projected climate change impacts; and the legal considerations of adapting to the effects of climate change.
The memorandum provides for the creation of a Climate Change Coordination Committee to oversee projects and the Director of the Environment Department, Lisa Corbyn, says she would like council staff to be involved in the committee’s work.
Ms Corbyn says the response to climate risks will vary between regions and state and local governments are responsible for planning ahead for the changes that higher global temperatures will bring. She says by working together to avoid duplication and to promote efficient use of resources, the sectors can improve their capacity to address shared responsibilities, risks and accountability.
President of the Local Government Association, Genia McCaffery, says the memorandum is a positive step forward because addressing climate change requires a multi-government response.
General News & Links
- Biofuel R&D funding recipients announced
The successful applicants for funding under the Australian Government's $15 million Second Generation Biofuels Research and Development Program have been announced, with seven projects sharing in the funding.
The Second Generation Biofuels Research and Development Program supports the research, development and demonstration of new biofuel technologies which address the sustainable development of the biofuels industry in Australia.
The seven successful projects are (pending successful offer negotiations):
- The University of Melbourne ($1.24 million): This project will look at Biofuel from Micro algae involving the efficient separation, processing and utilisation of algal biomass. The project is also supported by Bio Fuels Pty Ltd and will be located at Hazelwood Power Plant, Victoria.
- Algal Fuels Consortium ($2.724 million): The consortium is developing a pilot-scale second generation biorefinery for sustainable micro algal biofuels and value added products. The participants are the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), Flinders University and CSIRO. The project is located at Torrens Island, South Australia.
- Curtin University of Technology ($2.5 million): The project will investigate the sustainable production of high quality second generation transport biofuels from Mallee biomass by pyrolysis and utilising the biorefinery concept. The project is also supported by Spitfire Oil Pty Ltd and located in Perth, Western Australia.
- Bureau of Sugar Experiment Stations (BSES) Limited ($1.326 million): BSES will be developing an optimised and sustainable sugarcane biomass input system for the production of second generation biofuels, located at Indooroopilly, Queensland. The project is also supported by CSIRO.
- Monash University ($1.383 million): The Monash University project will aim to develop a pyrolysis biorefinery supported by the Renewable Oil Corporation and located at Monash University, Victoria.
- Microbiogen Pty Ltd ($2.539 million): The project aims to produce commercial volumes of ethanol from bagasse using patented yeast strains. The project is located at Lane Cove, New South Wales.
- Licella Pty Ltd ($2.288 million): Licella will examine the commercial demonstration of Lignocellulosics to stable bio-crude, located at Somersby, New South Wales.
- Joint Australian/Japanese marine research receives funding
A new collaboration on three joint Australian-Japan research projects has been announced which will boost the potential for research breakthroughs in marine science.
The recipients will investigate topics including:
- the genetic diversity of reef-forming coral and their vulnerability to global climate changes, to be undertaken by the University of Adelaide and Kobe University;
- climate change impact in the eastern Antarctic Marine System, to be led by the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems CRC and the Japanese National Institute of Polar Research; and
- the migratory dynamics of juvenile southern bluefin tuna, to be undertaken by CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research and Nagasaki University.
Projects were jointly selected by Australia and Japan. Australian funding of $210,000 towards the projects is provided through the Australian Government’s International Science Linkages (ISL) program, which supports research cooperation between Australian and international researchers. Japanese Government will contribute funds through their Strategic International Cooperative Program. This is the first time these two programs have been bought together.
- Study shows marine ecosystems recovering after fishing curbs
Scientists have joined forces in a groundbreaking assessment of the status of marine fisheries and ecosystems.
Beth Fulton, a fishery ecosystem scientist from the CSIRO Wealth from Oceans Flagship, was among an international team of 19 co-authors of a report on a two-year study, led by US scientists Dr Boris Worm of Dalhousie University and Dr Ray Hilborn of the University of Washington.
The study shows that steps taken to curb overfishing are beginning to succeed in five of the 10 large marine ecosystems they examined. The paper, which appears in the 31 July issue of the journal Science, provides new hope for rebuilding troubled fisheries.
The study had two goals: to examine current trends in fish abundance and exploitation rates (the proportion of fish taken out of the sea) and to identify which tools managers have applied in their efforts to rebuild depleted fish stocks.
The work is a significant leap forward because it reveals that the rate of fishing has been reduced in several regions around the world, resulting in some stock recovery. Moreover, it bolsters the case that sound management can contribute to the rebuilding of fisheries elsewhere.
“These highly managed ecosystems are improving,” says Dr Hilborn. “Yet there is still a long way to go: of all fish stocks that we examined 63 per cent remained below target and still needed to be rebuilt.”
The authors caution that their analysis is mostly confined to intensively managed fisheries in developed countries, where scientific data on fish abundance is collected. They also point out that some excess fishing effort is simply displaced to countries with weaker laws and enforcement capacity.
Dr Fulton used the ecosystem models Atlantis and Ecosim to analyse ecosystem recovery in 31 fisheries worldwide, 10 in detail, including Australia’s Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery.
She says a combination of management measures has been adopted in Australia’s commonwealth fisheries in the past decade to reduce pressures on fishery ecosystems.
These intensive efforts involved cooperation between fishery scientists, managers and industry. Management measures included catch quotas coupled with strategically placed fishing closures, ocean zoning, selective fishing gear, community co-management and economic incentives (such as individual transferable quotas).
“Exploitation rates have more than halved since the early 1990s,” Dr Fulton says. “This means that management is setting the stage for ecological and economic recovery.
“As a result we are seeing recovery in overall ecosystem structure, even if some species aren’t fully recovered yet."
STATE NEWS
New South Wales
- Approval for gas-fired power station
A $200 million gas-fired peaking power station has been approved for construction at Leafs Gully in south west Sydney, subject to strict conditions.
The conditions which have been placed on the power station cover air quality, noise and visual impacts, wastewater management and revegetation.
The facility has been declared a critical infrastructure project – it will have a maximum generating capacity of 360 megawatts and will not operate for more than 15% of the year. Construction of the power station will take about two years.
The proponent, AGL, has committed to revegetation to improve wildlife corridors on site and will also plant native trees on the station’s northern boundary to screen affected properties. AGL will conserve about 170 hectares of vegetation around the power station to protect large tracts of endangered ecological communities.
A wastewater management plant will mean the project is “zero-discharge”. Water will not be discharged into the local surface water or groundwater system, protecting local water quality.
- Central Coast mining development rejected by government
A sand mining operation planned for Somersby on the New South Wales Central Coast has been rejected by the State Government.
The government has refused an application for the Somersby Fields Project, which would have involved more than seven million tonnes of sand being extracted over 18 years. The development was rejected because of its proximity to a school and its potential impacts on air quality, noise, water and threatened species.
The Department of Planning found the potential economic and job creation benefits of the project did not outweigh its social and environmental consequences.
Residents groups at Somersby had been campaigning for years to prevent the development and they were on hand to hear State Planning Minister, Kristina Keneally, announce the decision during a visit to the Central Coast.
- Scholarship for aspiring water researchers
PhD students have until the end of August to apply for a major scholarship to support specialist research into water.
The Professor Peter Cullen Post Graduate Scholarship honours the renowned water scientist, the late Peter Cullen AO.
The aim of the scholarship is to:
- improve the understanding of how rivers, groundwater, wetlands, and estuaries function and respond to enhanced management;
- improve the linkages between water science and water management in NSW; and
- provide research opportunities for water specialists in the state.
The student who wins the award will receive $20,000 a year for the three years of the scholarship. Applications for the scholarship close on August 28 and students can download the application package by going to www.dwe.nsw.gov.au.
- City of Sydney — one year on
The City of Sydney says it is delivering significant environmental projects just 12 months into implementing its “Sustainable Sydney 2030” plan.
The city says global warming is a critical issue and it has set the goal of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 70% by 2030.
Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, says cities have a crucial role in reducing C02. Ms Moore says they cover only two per cent of the earth’s land mass, but have over 50% of the population and produce 80% of greenhouse gas emissions. She says national governments must work with city leaders to set and achieve meaningful targets to reduce emissions and avert what she describes as “catastrophic climate change”.
Ms Moore says projects already underway to make Sydney more sustainable include:
- improving energy efficiency in the city’s libraries, pools, parks and community centres;
- installing photovoltaic cells on the roof of the Town Hall to covert sunlight to electricity;
- developing plans for “green transformers” – a network of more sustainable decentralised power generators for inner Sydney;
- conducting a low energy street lighting trial with Energy Australia;
- exploring the potential for a new waste treatment facility to divert even more waste from landfill and possibly generate renewable fuels;
- upgrading fleet cars to Toyota hybrid vehicles and purchasing one of Australia’s first hybrid trucks; and
- planting more than 5000 new street trees and establishing an additional 85,000 square metres of green public space.
Victoria
- Work to start in weeks on Wonthaggi desalination plant
Work on the $3.5 billion desalination plant at Wonthaggi will begin in October now the successful consortium to deliver the project has been chosen.
The AquaSure Consortium consisting of Suez Environment, Degremont, Thiess and Macquarie Capital Group will deliver the project which is due to provide desalinated water by the end of 2011.
The development includes the 150 billion litre desalination plant, an 84-kilometre transfer pipeline to connect to Melbourne’s water network, an underground power connection and renewable energy projects including a wind farm at Oaklands Hill.
The plant is critical to securing water supplies for Melbourne, Geelong and towns in Western Port and South Gippsland. It will give water users flexibility with the capacity for the Victorian Government to order water in annual block increments starting at zero and then 50, 75, 100, 125 and 150 billion litres as required.
Construction of the plant will create 1,700 direct jobs and as many as 3,050 indirect jobs. The consortium has already started a recruitment drive to fill positions.
It is contacting over 2,000 companies and individuals who have registered their interest in the project through the Victorian Industry Capability Network – the central registry for all businesses wishing to supply goods and services to AquaSure and the project.
- Outer Melbourne targeted in weed control initiative
Weed control in Melbourne’s outer urban fringe is the focus of a $4 million funding program developed by the Victorian Government.
The Urban Fringe program is designed to develop an effective approach to controlling the spread of weeds in outer suburban areas and councils can apply for funding on a dollar-for-dollar basis under the terms of the four-year initiative.
The first project under the program will involve the government and the Shire of Yarra Ranges for weed control in the Dandenongs – a major tourist precinct to the east of Melbourne. The government and the shire will each contribute $250,000.
Environment and Climate Change Minister, Gavin Jennings, says the Shire of Yarra Ranges is a priority area because it contains environmentally significant sites which attract visitors to the ranges. Mr Jennings says weeds can impact negatively on those sites.
He says weed control in the Dandenongs is a complex issue and the program must engage the local community and business leaders to be successful in the long term.
- Preparing for another potentially explosive summer
Victoria is aiming to recruit 700 seasonal firefighters ahead of the 2009-2010 bushfire season with crews to be deployed from September – a month earlier than last season.
The Department of Sustainability and Environment will call for applications for seasonal fire fighting personnel from August 15 until September 6. The DSE will use a web-based e-recruitment system and applicants can obtain information and submit their applications by visiting www.dse.vic.gov.au/fires.
The new firefighters will join more than 2,700 firefighters from the DSE and partner agencies and more than 59,000 Country Fire Authority volunteers. Fourteen hundred of those CFA volunteers have joined the ranks since the devastating Black Saturday fires which claimed the lives of 173 people.
The fires on February 7 impacted 78 communities and destroyed 430,000 hectares of land. Since the fires, clean up work has been completed at all 3,046 properties that were registered for clean-up under the Victorian Government’s partnership with Grocon.
In other post-fire developments, three temporary villages have been established at Kinglake, Marysville and Flowerdale for 150 families and 120 individuals.
Three hundred and 50 case managers have been deployed to help bushfire affected families; 30 community recovery committees have been established to develop plans for towns; building permits have been issued for more than 500 houses and sheds; and more than 4500 kilometres of boundary fencing has been replaced or restored.
- House roofs linked to Warrnambool's water catchment
House roofs at a new estate at Warrnambool will be directly linked to the city’s water catchment.
Down pipes connected to the roofs of houses at the Russell Creek development on the city’s north east fringe will carry water to a commercial underground trunk pipe. The trunk pipe will carry the water two kilometres to a dam where, after purification, it will be added to Warrnambool’s drinking supplies.
An estimated 20 million litres of water is expected to flow into the dam via the roofs and down pipes of 142 homes involved in a trial. The amount of water will climb to an estimated 450 million litres under plans to widen the number of houses involved to 3000.
The scheme is believed to be the first instance of rain water flowing directly from house roofs into a reservoir, bypassing natural drainage lines like creeks and parks. The scheme can be copied anywhere that new housing estates are being constructed.
- Upgrading East Gippsland’s water quality and security
Major capital works projects designed to improve water security, reduce water loss and improve water quality in East Gippsland are now operating.
The projects, valued at $6.7 million, will benefit more than 18,000 water customers in the region and represent the largest capital works program undertaken by the East Gippsland Water Authority.
The projects are:
- a $2.1 million development at Wy Yung, north of Bairnsdale that involved lining and covering an 88 million litre water storage basin;
- a $2.7 million project for two new covered water storage tanks at Eagle Point; and
- a $1.9 million upgrade of the winter storage reservoir for Mallacoota’s wastewater treatment plant.
The improvements to Wy Yung reservoir will reduce water contamination and cut evaporation by 90%.
The new tanks at Eagle Point will provide 12 million litres of potable water storage without evaporation losses, seepage and water quality problems that impacted on the old reservoir.
The waste storage at Mallacoota has been expanded from 84 to 136 million litres to ensure the town can manage future growth. All the waste water treated at the facility will be used on local tree-lots, pasture and to water the local gold course.
Queensland
- Planning for low carbon future for south east Queensland
A new draft plan setting out proposed actions to cut the amount of greenhouse gas emissions from land management and future urban development in south east Queensland has been released by the Bligh Government.
The draft South East Queensland Climate Change Management Plan is designed to move the region towards a low-carbon future that will be more resilient to the long-term impacts of climate change. The plan focuses on emissions from urban development and transport rather than the heavy industrial emitters targeted by the Federal Government’s Carbon Pollution reduction Scheme.
It identifies 32 potential climate change planning actions for south east Queensland ranging from improving transport and settlement patterns to planting more trees to store carbon, increasing renewable energy, and increasing community awareness of climate change impacts.
The draft document is also designed to link regional planning for climate change to state-wide planning initiatives to tackle climate change impacts like sea level rise.
The plan also covers a range of possible regional initiatives to:
- promote leading energy efficient planning and design of urban developments;
- increase the proportion of energy derived from low-emissions sources;
- improve the uptake of sustainable and climate smart urban developments;
- increase the proportion of energy derived from low-emission and renewable sources in south east Queensland; and
- reduce methane lost to the atmosphere from landfill and sewage works.
- A new weapon in the fight against pests and diseases
Primary producers in Queensland now have access to a software package with comprehensive information on pests and diseases that pose threats to their crops.
The electronic guide provides farmers with a more convenient and better quality tool for early detection of pests and diseases than the weighty old guides they regularly keep in the glove boxes of their utilities.
The information can be accessed through the browser on most Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) devices and some types of Smartphones. The current package takes up 50 MB of memory, but with some cards having four GB, there is potential for farmers to have huge volumes of information on hand through their PDA or mobile phone.
The guide has been developed by Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries, and the Nursery and Garden Industry Association Queensland.
The Pest, diseases, disorders and beneficials in ornamentals – field identification guide is available by calling (07) 3277 7900 or 13 25 23.
- Survey reveals the human threat to Fraser Island
A survey conducted on the level of human waste found on Fraser Island has prompted the Queensland Government to consider making portable chemical toilets mandatory as part of beach camping permits.
The survey found camping on the major tourist resort adds 4.3 kilograms of faeces and 18.3 litres of urine to every lineal metre of sand on the island’s eastern beach wilderness camp zones. Nearly all the nutrient and faecal levels tested in camping zone ground water exceeded water quality standards and had the potential to spread diseases.
About 90,000 people a year beach camp, with most of them using the sand dunes as toilets.
Queensland Sustainability Minister, Kate Jones, says Fraser Island is a World Heritage Area and should be respected. Ms Jones says every visitor has a responsibility to look after his/her own waste.
Ms Jones says work has started on new facilities including chemical toilet dump sites. She says $700,000 was spent on toilets last year and a further $2.3 million has been allocated over the next three years for sites on the island including Lake Mackenzie, Waddy Point, Central Station and Lake Birabeen.
- Gaining critical knowledge about coral and the GBR
A coral from the Great Barrier Reef will be the first Australian animal to have its DNA fully sequenced in Australia.
Deciphering the genetic code of the staghorn-shaped coral could have medical and conservation applications.
David Miller of James Cook University – a co-leader of the research – says the GBR is a cornerstone of Australia’s tourist industry and working out the genome of the coral could help preserve the reef. Professor Miller says it will help scientists understand how corals build reefs and why the corals fail to do so when they are under stress.
The professor says the knowledge that scientists gain could help improve predictions about how the reef will react to occurrences like global warming, ocean acidification, the spread of coral diseases and pollution.
The coral genome project is a joint undertaking by the Australian Genome research Facility and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies.
- Twin conferences draw international plant breeders
Two international conferences being held simultaneously in Cairns are encouraging world specialists in plant breeding and research to focus their attention on the critical challenges of food security and sustainability.
The conferences, being staged from August 10 to 14 2009, are the 14th Australasian Plant Breeding Conference and the 11th Congress of the Society for the Advancement of Breeding Research in Asia and Oceania.
The conferences are targeting the breeding of new varieties of plants to feed people; plants that are more resistant to climatic conditions, pests and weeds; and crops and vegetables to significantly improve nutrition and human health.
One of the issues being discussed is the development of biofortified rice – rice developed with Vitamin A which is not present in normal rice.
A scientist from the Philippines-based International Rice Research Institute, Parminder Virk, believes the creation of crops fortified with Vitamin A will improve nutrition and help prevent blindness and immune system difficiencies. He says this could be of enormous potential in countries where rice is a staple food.
South Australia
- Major ‘hot rock’ project launched at Paralana
One of Australia’s most advanced geothermal energy projects has been officially launched at Paralana in South Australia’s far north.
The launch, by Federal Resources and Energy Minister Minister Martin Ferguson, represents a landmark for the Petratherm company and its joint-venture partners, Beach Petroleum and TRU Energy.
Petratherm Managing Director, Terry Kallis, says the launch takes them a step closer to the goal of producing emission-free geothermal energy for commercial consumption. Mr Kallis says the project is on track to deliver the first commercial energy supply by 2011.
The partners have commissioned a $40 million custom-made drilling rig from Weatherford International in Dubai to drill four kilometres below the earth’s surface to create a deep injection well.
The well – in tandem with a second drilled well – will establish an underground “heat exchanger” capable of circulating super-heated water exceeding temperatures of 200 degrees centigrade. The water generates steam that can drive turbines.
Mr Kallis says the partners are closer than ever to providing large-scale base-load power to the national electricity market which will help reduce Australia’s reliance on fossil fuels. He says the partners anticipate supplying geothermal energy on a commercial basis within two years and aim to be powering businesses on a much larger scale by 2015.
- Opposition to site of BHP desalination plant
BHP Billiton is facing strong and significant opposition to its plan to construct a desalination plant at Point Lowly on South Australia’s Upper Spencer Gulf.
The plant is an integral part of the company’s expansion plans for the Olympic Dam uranium and copper mine in the state’s far north.
The SA Parliament’s Environment, Resources and Development Committee has unanimously found the proposed desalination plant should be constructed elsewhere. The committee has been told Point Lowly would be the worst possible site for the facility because brine would not disperse properly and would damage marine life, including cuttlefish breeding areas.
The Opposition’s Conservation spokesperson, Michelle Lensink, says evidence indicates the brine from the plant could cause an environmental disaster.
And Greens MP, Mark Parnell, says the desalination plant should not go ahead at the expense of the environment. He says the area is too important to sacrifice and BHP Billiton needs to return to the drawing board to find a better site for the plant.
The company says it will consider the committee’s recommendation.
- Protect water in Cooper Creek; SA urges Queensland
South Australia has called on Queensland to prevent further water being taken from Cooper Creek.
The move follows reports the Bligh Government is looking to reactivate a number of dormant water licences which could take 10 billion litres from the waterway. The dormant licences were originally allocated for cotton industry development.
In October last year, South Australia made a submission to Queensland warning that the dormant licences posed a “significant risk” to the achievement of environmental objectives in the creek. The creek flows through western Queensland to Coongie Lakes and is one of the key tributaries into Lake Eyre.
Now, SA has written to Queensland Premier, Anna Bligh, urging an independent scientific review of the plan to reactivate the licences.
SA Premier, Mike Rann, says Ms Bligh has declared Cooper Creek to be a “wild river” recognising it as a pristine waterway that is need of special protection. Mr Rann says Queensland should allow the review and not deprive the environment of vital water.
- Major cut to landfill waste in Adelaide
The amount of waste going to landfill in Adelaide and North Adelaide has been reduced by 36% with the introduction of a new waste collection system by the City of Adelaide.
The reduction has been achieved in seven months by introducing a larger bin for recyclables and a smaller bin for general waste under the New Waste and Recycling System. The 36% diversion of waste from landfill involves 1,365 tonnes of recyclable material – the equivalent of 600 full waste collection trucks.
Adelaide Lord Mayor, Michael Harbison, says the project is one of the biggest of its kind the council has been involved in and it has helped households and businesses to develop better recycling habits.
Cr Harbison says it is encouraging to achieve such a reduction in waste going to landfill by simply directing bottles, cans and paper away from general waste bins. He says increased education and awareness will result in more recoverable material in the recycling and organic waste stream.
Cr Harbison says about 1250 city households are participating in an SA Government food organics pilot project by using an environmentally friendly “bio basket” to dispose of their food scraps.
- Irrigation allocations to increase
River Murray irrigators are now able to access 5% of their licensed water entitlement.
The increase has been made possible by a 25 gigalitre advance to South Australia and other Murray-Darling Basin states. The advance was negotiated under special water sharing arrangements for 2009-2010, specifically to support irrigators in all jurisdictions early in the season.
Heavy rainfall in many parts of the Murray-Darling Basin in late June and early July has improved forecast River Murray system inflows for July. It is hoped that inflows for the month will be about 310 giglitres. However, this is still well below the long-term average July inflow of 1,190 gigalitres.
- Upgrading Adelaide’s water supply networks
The South Australian Government has approved preliminary works on a $400 million project to connect Adelaide’s northern and southern water supply networks.
The Network Water Security Program has been brought forward by the government following the expansion of the Adelaide desalination plant to a 100 gigalitre capacity.
At 50 gigalitres, the desalination plant was able to be integrated into the Happy Valley water supply system without the need to interconnect the northern and southern systems. However, the recent doubling of the plant’s capacity means the systems have to be connected to ensure the government can optimise the use of the additional capacity over 12 months.
Hydraulic modeling performed by SA Water engineers indicates that connecting the northern and southern water supply networks can be completed through the construction of small pipelines and extra booster pumping stations rather than by installing a large diameter pipe.
- Woodland restoration needed to save local bird species
Fifty percent of local native bird species are facing extinction but may still be saved with fast action to restore natural woodland habitats, according to leading University of Adelaide ecologist Associate Professor David Paton.
"The Mt Lofty Ranges and adjacent plains are not the haven for wildlife you might assume," says Associate Professor Paton. "Just 10% of the original habitat remains, and much of that is on the poorest soils and topographies."
Associate Professor Paton has outlined the need to reinstate native vegetation to cover 30% of the Mt Lofty Ranges.
Because of loss of habitat, 10 species are already extinct and a further 60 species continue to decline in numbers despite cessation of vegetation clearance in the 1980s. Climate change is expected to make this worse.
"This will be a terrible loss but it is avoidable if suitable and resilient habitats are re-established," says Associate Professor Paton.
"Most of the bird species have not yet disappeared because of the time lag between the loss of vegetation and the subsequent loss of fauna.
"This provides a unique opportunity for our generation to arrest species losses that will not be available to future generations."
Associate Professor Paton says it is essential to recreate large-scale woodland habitat. "This is not about re-vegetating areas - this is about reconstructing complex habitats to secure the region's biodiversity," he says.
"This will require building capacity, both knowledge and people to do the work, and building a program of long-term research that includes monitoring the new habitats as they mature. It also requires a secure, long-term funding strategy since these activities run over periods of decades rather than a few years."
Western Australia
- Gorgon development wins WA environmental approval
The $50 billion Gorgon gas development on Barrow Island has been given final environmental approval by the Western Australian Government.
It is estimated the Chevron liquefied natural gas project will generate an estimated 10,000 jobs during construction and boost Australia’s gross domestic product by $64 billion.
Final approval for the revised and expanded development has been granted with strong new environmental conditions to provide higher levels of protection for regionally significant coral reefs and flatback marine turtles.
The environmental conditions governing the project ensure that:
- coral lost due to dredging will continue to be confined to 3% of the total coral area off the east coast of Barrow Island;
- monitoring is extended to significant coral reef outcrops outside impact zones;
- artificial light emissions will be minimised to protect the local population of flatback turtles;
- the turtle conservation program will be extended from 30 years to the life of the project;
- noise emissions be incorporated into the long-term marine turtle management plan and other plans as required; and
- the proponent continue monitoring for subterranean fauna.
It is the first time the government has required management of light emissions as a project condition. The requirement has been incorporated in the environmental approval because of the value of Barrow Island as a habitat for the flatback turtles.
The government has also included the requirement that Chevron enhance the turtle population by establishing hatcheries if there is a decline in turtle numbers around the island.
- Managing development from Dongara to Cape Burney
A planning strategy is being formulated for the coastline between Dongara and Cape Burney in response to increasing demand for land.
Rural coastal properties in the area are currently experiencing increasing pressure for subdivision and development, and the State Government is planning for the development and potential population increase along the coastal zone.
The strategy will ensure the stretch of coastline is properly managed and will also determine the future use and type of development that may occur in the area.
A steering committee has been formed to guide the development of the area in liaison with the WA Department of Planning, the City of Geraldton-Greenough and the Shire of Irwin. Community workshops will be held in the future to ensure community participation in the early stages of the strategy development process.
- Funding for community based recycling programs
Twenty-one recycling projects involving business, industry, local government and community organisations have attracted $824,000 in funding from the State Government.
The funding has come from the Strategic Waste Initiatives Scheme ($713.432) and the Community Grants Scheme ($110,865).
The Eastern Metropolitan Regional Council received the largest allocation of funds ($169,205) for two projects; the continuation of a mattress recycling project and a fluorescent recycling study.
The second major allocation of funds went to Curtin University to support a study into the recycling of concrete road base. The study will be important in reducing the amount of construction and demolition that goes to landfill.
Construction and demolition waste represents the largest category of waste material going to landfill in Western Australia in terms of weight and volume.
- Funding for critically endangered species
Programs to protect two of Western Australia’s critically endangered species are being boosted by $60,000 in State Government funding.
The money from the Natural Resource Management Fund will help efforts to aid the recovery of Gilbert’s Potoroo and the elusive Western Ground Parrot.
There is one population of about 35 potoroos at Two Peoples Bay and a second introduced population of about 25 of the animals on Bald Island off the coast of Albany. The NRM funding will support the monitoring of the potoroos in the crucial mainland population.
There are two known populations of the Western Ground Parrot – in the Fitzgerald River and Cape Arid national parks. The funds allocated to help the birds recover will be used to develop methods of managing feral cats in the Fitzgerald National Park.
Tasmania
- Work starting on Australia’s first Micro-LNG plant
Australia’s first Micro-LNG plant is being constructed at Westbury in Tasmania.
The plant will be operated by BOC – a member of the Linde Group – a world leader in the production of Liquefied Natural Gas used for transport.
The Micro LNG production technology will provide an alternative fuel to diesel for heavy vehicles. The fuel will release up to 20% fewer greenhouses gases.
The first sod has been turned at the site and the plant is expected to be fully operational by July 2010. It will have the capacity to produce 50 tonnes a day of LNG, which is the equivalent of 70,000 litres of conventional diesel.
- Wind turbine plan rejected by Hobart City Council
The Hobart City Council has rejected a proposal to erect four wind turbines on a bank building in the centre of the city – a decision described as disappointing by the Tasmanian Government.
A Hobart developer, Robert Rockefeller, had planned to put the 11-metre high turbines of the ANZ Building in Elizabeth Street Hobart. It was estimated the turbines would cut the power bill for the building by 10%.
The council voted seven to four against the proposal on the grounds the turbines would detract from the city’s skyline and impact on its heritage values.
Tasmania’s Minister Assisting the Premier on Climate Change, Lisa Singh, says the turbines could have given central Hobart a leadership role in dealing with climate change.
Ms Singh says the council’s decision is disappointing because it is a lost opportunity for Hobart. She says as more building owners take steps to deal with climate change, councils will need a clear approach to renewable energy initiatives.
Ms Singh says options for renewable energy, like wind turbines on city buildings, should be further explored and she has asked Tasmania’s Climate Change Office to provide advice on how such proposals can be better managed in the future.
- Groundwater testing undertaken
An industrial chemical has been detected at some bore sites during testing of Tasmania’s groundwater.
Sampling of the groundwater monitoring network, some 60 bores, found several pesticides and the industrial chemical Bisphenol-A; all at levels below the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.
The chemical is widely used in the production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, and the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment says its detection is surprising.
The department says that is because the bore sample sites are not near highly industrialised zones or near waste disposal sites where such detections might be more likely. The department will further examine the source of the contamination.
It says the detection of the pesticides and the chemical in the groundwater serves as a reminder that chemical users must take measures to ensure the risks of off-site movement are minimised.
- New research vessel to be based in Hobart
Hobart will be the base of a new research vessel capable of handling all of Australia’s tropical, temperate and sub-polar marine environments.
The Federal Government has allocated $120 million for the ship, which is in the early stages of planning. It is likely to be 85 metres long, weigh 3,000 tonnes and be capable of staying at sea for up to 55 days at a time.
The ship will accommodate up to 45 scientists, allowing for much more cross-disciplinary work. There will be facilities on board for oceanography, marine biology, meteorology, climatology and marine geoscience.
The vessel’s voyage range will be 10,000 nautical miles, enabling it to investigate the Indian, Pacific and Southern oceans, including sub-Antarctic conditions.
Federal Innovation Minister, Kim Carr, says like space, the world’s oceans are still a fascinating mystery. Senator Carr says the new vessel will give marine scientists access to the world-leading facilities they need to unlock the hidden frontier of marine science.
ACT
- More wetland ponds to upgrade non-potable water supplies
The ACT Government has called for tenders to design two wetland ponds to improve the supply of non-potable water in the territory.
The tenders are valued at nearly $14 million and cover the design of wetland ponds in the suburbs of Dickson and Lyneham.
They are in addition to several ponds already functioning in Canberra’s northern suburbs to provide improved landscape amenities and recreational opportunities, as well as improved water quality.
The wetland ponds also help to protect water species including birds, turtles, yabbies and frogs, and also reduce the risk of flooding in Canberra’s catchments by reducing storm flows.
The government will seek community views on the project and the location of the ponds starting in November 2009. Construction is expected to start in March and April 2010.
- ACT improves its record on litter
The ACT has the second lowest rate of litter in Australia, according to the latest National Litter Index.
The index for 2008-1009 reveals the number of litter items in the ACT has decreased from 68 items to 56 items per 1000 square metres or a drop of 20% since 2006-2007 – second only to Victoria.
The report shows that cigarette butts remain the litter item of most concern and that plastic items like food containers and utensils are a major contributor to litter.
Cigarette butts are small and can easily find their way into the stormwater stream. They are also slow to decompose and can start bushfires.
The highest litter areas, according to the report, are industrial zones, retail areas and highways.
The ACT Government has committed $483,000 over the next two years to developing a future waste strategy for the territory, which will target electronic and organic waste – major contributors to landfill.
- Environmental law explained in handbook
Lawyers, policy makers and the ACT community now have access to the 2nd edition of the ACT Environmental Law Handbook.
The updated publication provides current information about environmental law in the ACT. The handbook has been produced by the ACT Environmental Defender’s Office and has been funded by the Territory Government’s Environment Grants Program.
Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Water, Simon Corbell, says environmental law in the ACT is complex, reflecting the inherently complex nature of the environment and the ways in which society interacts with it.
The handbook also sets out how the law surrounding heritage sites, local flora and fauna and the planning system was developed.
Northern Territory
- Quality of Darwin beach being improved by local community
The environment of Darwin’s Mindil Beach is being upgraded by the local community with the help of $45,000 in Federal Government funding.
The funding from the government’s Coastcare program is being used to remove weeds, plant grass and erect fences to manage access to the beach’s sand dunes and improve entry to the beach.
The money for upgrading the quality of the beach is part of $9.4 million being used to implement a range of projects to improve the territory’s environment.
One of the key projects is ongoing work by the Northern Gulf Resource Management Group to protect marine life, including threatened maritime turtles, from discarded fishing gear and nets. The Federal Government is providing an extra $2.8 million to allow the management group to continue the Carpentaria Ghost Net Program.
Conferences
- CleanUp 2009 Conference
The CleanUp 09 conference will combine the 5th International Workshop on Chemical Bioavailability (24-25 September 2009) and the 3rd International Contaminated Site Remediation Conference (27-30 September 2009).
Leading scientists, industrialists and regulators from around the world will gather in Adelaide to explore emerging issues related to the assessment and remediation of contaminated sites, to speed up technology transfer and exchange information on innovative developments in fundamental and applied environmental research.
With over 30 international keynote speakers and 200 platform oral presentations, speakers will contribute to sessions that include: bioavailability, emerging contaminants of concern, e-waste, NAPL, VOCs, MNA, PRBs, brownfields, sustainable remediation, chemical oxidation, nanomaterials for remediation, an update on the NEPM variation, and others.
CleanUp 09 programs now available on line!
Detailed workshop and conference programs are now available via the CleanUp 09 website. Simply follow the links below:
Bioavailability Workshop: www.cleanupconference.com/programw.htm
Conference: www.cleanupconference.com/program.htm
Register on line now at www.cleanupconference.com/registration.htm
Sponsorship opportunities still available
Sponsorship opportunities still exist for CleanUp 09, providing an excellent opportunity to increase your company profile and showcase your products/services to a wide range of key decision makers in the industry. Find out more details on line at www.cleanupconference.com/sponsorship.htm
- Local Government Sustainable Development Conference
- Tuesday 18th - Wednesday 19th August
- The Sebel Albert Park, Melbourne
The peak national local sustainable development conference designed to assist local government practitioners to identify, plan and implement best practice sustainable development solutions, particularly related to reducing the carbon footprint.
The 4th Annual Local Government Sustainable Development Conference will showcase leading edge examples of outstanding environmental initiatives by Australian local governments, including the winner of Australia’s Sustainable Cities Award, the winner of the Excellence in Overall Environmental Management at the UN Environmental Awards, as well as presentations by the Prime Minister’s Environmentalist of the Year, the President of the Local Government Association of Australia, and leading experts in the fields of water management, climate change, energy efficiency and waste management.
Topics will include:
- Expert analysis of Local Government's emissions trading obligations
- Climate change and energy efficiency
- Integrating sustainability into economic imperatives
- Future directions for asset management
- Practical approaches to water management
- Sustainable planning and urban design
- Waste management and resource recovery
- Community engagement in environmental initiatives
- Green purchasing and procurement
Speakers include:
- Geoff Lake, President, Australian Local Government Association
- Cr Colin Hampton, Mayor, City of Frankston
- Cr Geoff Ablett, Mayor, City of Casey
- Cr Peter Young, Gold Coast City Council
- Stephen Sawtell, General Manager, Coffs Harbour City Council
- Louise Hicks, Partner, DLA Phillips Fox
- Nick Bailey, Manager, Local Government, Sustainability Victoria
- Chris Newman, Manager, Councils Reforming Business, Local Government Victoria, Department of Planning and Community Development
- Peter Kinrade, Senior Consultant, Marsden Jacob Associates
- Gareth Williamson, Senior Waste Management Consultant, Meinhardt Infrastructure and Environment Pty Ltd
- Susan Staples, Manager, Sustainability, Climate Change and Water, KPMG
- John Gertsakis, Executive Officer, Product Stewardship Australia
- Steve Harrison, Director, Business & Economic Development, City of Prospect
- Geoff Withycombe, Executive Officer, Sydney Coastal Councils Group
- Peter Maganov, Manager Sustainability, Randwick City Council
- Michael Top, Group Manager, Sustainability, Bayside City Council
- David Lemcke, Senior Planner – Planning, Policy & Legal, Wyong Shire Council
- Rosemary Dillon, Manager, Corporate Planning and Community Outcomes, Blue Mountains City Council
- Matthew Trigg, Sustainable Design Officer, City of Port Phillip
- Robyn Evans, Research Director, RMIT Centre for Design
- Faye Adams, ESD Officer, Manningham City Council
- Simone Dilkara, Project Manager, Goulburn Mulwaree Council.
For further information, or to register for the Conference, go to www.halledit.com.au/lgsd09 or contact Denise McQueen on 03 8534 5021 or denise.mcqueen@halledit.com.au
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- National Economic Development Conference 2009
- Tuesday 29th - Wednesday 30th September
- Sebel Hotel, Albert Park, Melbourne
The National Economic Development Conference (NEDC) 2009 will focus on ways in which local government, regional development bodies and the private sector can work collaboratively and fruitfully together to grow and retain jobs within their municipalities and regions.
Hosted by Economic Development Australia, the NEDC is the peak annual event for economic development managers and practitioners.
The theme of the 2009 conference will be on collaborative solutions for jobs creation. Case studies of successful collaboration will be a feature of the conference, together with insights into the growth sectors of the economy including green jobs. It will review strategies aimed at revitalising local economies and techniques to drive job creation in a sustainable environment.
Private sector experts will join with their local government colleagues to present their findings and insights into enhancing the dynamics of employment growth through creative interactions with their business community.
More than 250 delegates are expected to attend the 2009 conference. A key focus of this conference - as with past conferences - is to actively share the learning experiences in economic development, and to promote a cross-pollination of ideas and experiences.
The impact of the global financial crisis on local economic activity has heightened the need for pro-active, low cost initiatives to retain and grow employment in both metro and regional areas. Strategies to foster innovation, to drive regional development, and to engage creatively with the local business community will be outlined by both local government and private sector presenters.
For more information about the 2009 conference please visit www.halledit.com.au/ed09, phone the conference organisers, Hallmark Conferences, on (03) 8534 5000 or email denise.mcqueen@halledit.com.au.
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- Innovation in Planning & Development Assessment Summit 2009
Wednesday 21st - Thursday 22nd October
Dockside Convention Centre, Sydney
The Innovation in Planning & Development Assessment Summit 2009 will feature highly topical presentations and case studies about the latest technologies and innovations being used by local governments to improve their planning and development assessment processes, many of which have sustainability at their core.
This national summit will also provide an important update on the national roll-out of the Federal Government’s $30 million electronic development assessment program, and how it is set to drive improvements to local government development assessment systems. The summit will analyse new standards for online development assessment systems, and chart the likely future path of development assessment reform.
The Innovation in Planning & Development Assessment Summit will arm planners, senior council managers and councillors with the latest advice to ensure their local governments are keeping pace with development assessment and planning reforms and the introduction of new systems and technologies.
This event will also provide detailed information about best practice benchmarks in local government planning and development assessment. Case studies will be presented that will detail how leading councils are: overcoming the national shortage of planners; reducing development assessment times; and achieving excellence in urban design. Best practice strategic planning and systems for ensuring sustainable development are also to be analysed during the summit.
Speakers include:
- Robyn Barrow, Chair, eDA National Steering Committee
- Peter Allen, Chair, Development Assessment Forum
- Stuart Macnish, National eDAIS Commissioner
- Jerrold Cripps, Commissioner, Independent Commission Against Corruption
- Stephen Johnston, Chief Executive Officer, Planning Institute of Australia
- Neil Savery, Chief Planning Executive, ACT Planning & Land Authority
- Marcus Ray, Executive Director, Assessment Systems & General Counsel, NSW Department of Planning
- Todd Wellard, eDA Business Manager, Housing Affordability Fund Project, Local Government Association of Queensland
- Fiona Delahunt, Director, e-Planning, Statutory Services, Victorian Department of Planning and Community Services
- John Hudson, Director, Sustainable Systems, NSW Department of Planning
- Dariel De Sousa, Consultant, Sustainability and Climate Change, Maddocks
- Stephen Sawtell, General Manager, Coffs Harbour City Council
- Phil Tolhurst, General Manager, Liverpool City Council
- Malcolm Ryan, Director of Planning, Warringah Council
- Scott Walker, Director, City Services, Banyule City Council
For further information and to view the Conference Program go to www.halledit.com.au/dap09 or contact Denise McQueen on 03 8534 5021 or denise.mcqueen@halledit.com.au
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Diary of Events
Please click here to view a diary of upcoming events in the land and water field.
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