Carbon Alert - April 2009
Information on this page
- Climate Change Policy and Legislation
- Carbon Management and Accounting
- International Climate Change News
- Energy, Technology and Renewables
Climate Change Policy and Legislation
National Energy Security Assessment 2009. A report launched by Martin Ferguson, Minister for Resources, Energy and Tourism, findings of which will provide key input into the development of Australia’s future energy-related policies, including those that will be contained in the Energy White Paper later this year. (March 2009)
National Energy Policy - Framework 2030. Strategic Directions Paper. The Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism have released a strategic directions paper to map out the intended scope and specific work being undertaken as input for consideration into the Energy White Paper. (March 2009)
Australia and New Zealand Strengthen Climate Change Cooperation. Australia and New Zealand have agreed on terms of reference to explore harmonising the design of the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme and the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme. (March 2009)
Greens, Coalition Agree on ETS Senate Inquiry; Time for Scientists to Speak Out. A media release from the Australian Green Deputy Leader, Christine Milne, outlining the terms of reference of the ETS Senate Inquiry. (March 2009)
National Carbon Offset Standard: Key Issues and Contentions. The Environment Defenders Office has released a paper to clarify key elements of the proposed National Carbon Offset Standard. (February 2009)
Energetics’ Response to the National Carbon Offset Standard Discussion Paper. A response paper. (February 2009)
Carbon Management and Accounting
Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. A report by Parliament's Joint Standing Committee on Treaties examines Australia's ratification of the Kyoto Protocol as well as climate science and a range of policy measures. (March 2009)
EPA’s Carbon Neutral Update 2007–08. EPA remains committed to achieving its overall target of reducing emissions by 10 per cent from 2005–06 levels by 2010. (March 2009)
Weekly Greenhouse Gas Indicator. Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland Summer Report 2008/09. This Summer Report covers greenhouse emissions from energy during the 2008/09 summer and also compares them to emissions over summer the previous year.
The Climate Institute Fact Sheet: Pollution Tracker. The Climate Institute commissioned leading energy experts to provide an update on Australia’s carbon pollution profile, figures showing that despite the economic slowdown, Australia’s emissions from fossil fuel consumption continue to rise. (March 2009)
Low Carbon and Environmental Goods and Services: An Industry Analysis. The global low-carbon economy was worth £3 trillion ($A6.3 trillion) last financial year, according to a report commissioned by the British Government. The report found Australian clean-technology investment to be worth more than £30 billion a year and growing. (March 2009)
Industrial Constraints and Dislocations to Significant Emissions Reductions by 2050. A report from WWF in response to arguments from industry groups claiming that a shift away from cheap energy from fossil fuels would be harmful to employment and the economy. (March 2009)
Carbon Disclosure Project Supply Chain Report 2009. This report looks at how businesses are responding to the call for action and transparency in managing carbon and climate change in their supply chain.
S&P U.S. Carbon Efficient Index. The S&P U.S. Carbon Efficient Index offers a broad, U.S. market index that is comprised of companies with relatively low carbon emissions.
$10 Million to Help Northern Australian Indigenous Communities Explore Potential of Future Carbon Markets. A federal government initiative looking at carbon market opportunities arising from traditional fire management in northern Australia. (March 2009)
Smart 2020: Enabling the low carbon economy in the information age. Transformation in the way people and businesses use technology could reduce annual global emissions by 15% by 2020 and deliver energy efficiency savings to global businesses of over $980 billion, according to a new report by the Climate Group.
ECOS magazine: Issue 147. The CSIRO has released its latest ECOS magazine issue focusing on "global-scale mechanisms - natural and man-made - being proposed to rapidly reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) below levels at which dangerous climate change is predicted".
International Climate Change News
Key Messages from the Congress. The International Scientific Congress on Climate Change (ISCCC) was held in Copenhagen from 10-12 March 2009 and was attended by more than 2,500 delegates from nearly 80 countries.
A Global Green New Deal. A report by UNEP suggesting that unless policy actions to stimulate recovery of the global economy also address other global challenges, such as reducing carbon dependency, their impact on averting future crises will be short-lived. (February 2009)
Connecting Climate Change and Economic Recovery. Economist Nicholas Stern discusses the downturn and its effect on the climate change agenda. (March 2009)
Keynote Remarks at U.S. Climate Action Symposium. In his first major speech as climate envoy, Todd Stern says the U.S. is 'back in the game', but can't achieve cuts of 25% to 40% by 2020. (March 2009)
Energy, Technology and Renewables
Victorian Government to Fund New Solar Power Station. The State Government will provide up to $100 million to develop a new large-scale solar power station in Victoria, Premier John Brumby has announced. (March 2009)
Renewable Energy Project Making Waves in Victoria. The Brumby Government has approved a renewable energy pilot project in waters around Portland, Warrnambool and Phillip Island. (March 2009)
Algae Could Fuel Cars and Jobs. According to a CSIRO media release, the production of biodiesel from algae could reduce greenhouse gas emissions, help to address future fuel shortages and create jobs in rural Australia. (March 2009)
Can Technology Clear the Air? Some scientists argue that air capture will be a powerful tool against global warming, this article describes ideas to scrub carbon from the atmosphere. (January 2009)
