Towards green ICT strategies
Christian Reimsbach Kounatze OECD Directorate of Science, Technology and Industry07 September, 2009 This OECD report analyses government programmes and business initiatives on ICT and the environment to address environmental challenges, particularly global warming and energy use.

20% renewable energy target secured


Sugarcane waste to power homes along NSW and Queensland coast - The Hon Tony Burke MP - Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
PORTFOLIO: Agriculture, Fisheries and ForestryURL: http://www.maff.gov.au/media/media_releases/2009/august/sugarcane_waste_to_power_homes_along_nsw_and_queensland_coast
SNIPPET: Tens of thousands of homes along the Queensland and northern NSW coast could be powered by renewable energy from sugarcane waste after the passage of the Rudd Government's Renewable Energy Target (RET) legislation. Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke said the passage of the legislation opened up significant opportunities for agriculture, particularly in the sugar industry. 'Families along the NSW and Queensland coast could increasingly find themselves eating Australian sugar, in homes powered by the waste from sugarcane,' Mr Burke said.

Australia announces funding priorities for Pacific climate change adaptation - media release 6 August 2009
PORTFOLIO: Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
http://www.environment.gov.au/minister/wong/2009/mr20090806.html
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. Australia is committed to decisive action on climate change both at home and globally, and recognises that building resilience to climate change is critically important for vulnerable countries in the Pacific.

International Climate Change Adaptation Initiative, Pacific Islands Forum, Renewable energy target legislation, Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme - transcript 6 August 2009
Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
http://www.environment.gov.au/minister/wong/2009/tr20090806a.html
Doorstop interview: Pacific Islands Forum, Cairns. As you may be aware we have a program of $150 million toward adaptation International Climate Change Adaptation Initiative.

Pacific Islands forum, Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme - transcript 6 August 2009
PORTFOLIO: Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts http://www.environment.gov.au/minister/wong/2009/tr20090806.html
Now we ran a story earlier this week on people from the Carteret Islands having to leave now - this is happening now - they have to leave their homes because of rising sea levels for Bougainville. That means passing the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme.

Australian Eco-Screen Invention to Help Reduce Carbon Emissions
PORTFOLIO: Foreign Affairs and Trade
http://www.trademinister.gov.au/releases/2009/sc_090806.html
SNIPPET: Minister for Trade, Simon Crean, today congratulated Brisbane-based manufacturer Centor on the launch this week of its Australian invention - a fully retractable, flyscreen and solar control blind. This is an excellent example of Australian research and design capability - a locally manufactured invention that will reduce carbon emissions and allow people worldwide to enjoy an Australian outdoor lifestyle, Mr Crean said. The Minister for Trade is in Brisbane to attend a meeting of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Ministerial Council on International Trade on 6-7 August, hosted by the Queensland Government.

Highest-ever winter water temperatures recorded (Media Release)
PORTFOLIO: Innovation, Industry, Science and Research
http://www.csiro.au/news/Highest-winter-water-temps.html
SNIPPET: The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation is Australia's national science agency and one of the largest and most diverse research agencies in the world. CSIRO expertise is organised into 16 research areas. The Marine National Facility -.

Media release from Resources, Energy and Tourism Portfolio
PORTFOLIO: Resources, Energy and Tourism
http://minister.ret.gov.au/thehonmartinfergusonmp/pages/australiansolarinstituteboardappointed.aspx
SNIPPET: The Hon Martin Ferguson AM MP. The ASI is a $100 million commitment by the Australian Government to support solar thermal and solar photovoltaic research and development. Mr Thomas is currently the director of TFGInternational.

A First-Hand View of China’s Carbon Capture and Storage Actions
A first-hand tour of CCS sites in China suggests possibilities for cooperation with the United States—to their mutual benefit.Carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology involves capturing carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel use (coal, oil, and natural gas) and some industrial processes, (such as cement production) and storing it permanently underground. As the world’s two largest CO2-emitting countries, the United States and China are in a unique position to act together to advance CCS deployment worldwide. Both Peng China (PDF) and the U.S. already have significant CCS R&D programs, but there is growing consensus that China and the U.S. together could develop CCS more quickly than if they acted alone. The announcement last week by Energy Secretary Chu of a U.S.-China Joint Clean Energy Research Center—with CCS as one of the research tracks—is a good step forward.

ACT welcomes Australia-first electric car plans
http://www.chiefminister.act.gov.au/media.php?v=8252

APO Research

Mining and the environment
Stewart Smith Research Service, Parliament of New South Wales22 July, 2009 This paper briefly places the contribution of mining into the context of the wider economy, and focuses on the impact of coal mining on both natural and agricultural areas of NSW.

Baseline and credit versus cap and trade emissions trading schemes
McLennan Magasanik Associates The Climate Institute20 July, 2009 This briefing paper critiques the proposal to establish a baseline and credit type scheme instead of an emissions trading scheme based on a cap and trade mechanism.

Breaking through on technology - perspectives from Australia
The Climate Institute20 July, 2009 This paper presents an Australian perspective on the opportunities and barriers to clean technology development, deployment and transfer, both within and between countries.

Urban congestion: why 'free' roads are costly
Paul Hubbard Treasury17 July, 2009 Many see traffic jams as a fact of city life, but its root cause is overuse of a common resource – the urban road network. Putting a price on access to roads at busy times could encourage individuals to change their travel plans, according to this report.

Concentrating Solar Thermal Power: Clean Energy for the United States
In the Southwest United States, an enormous solar energy resource remains largely untapped. There is already more than 500 MW of concentrating solar thermal power in the United States and Spain primarily, but there is significant scope to scale up development. As Congress oversees the nation’s transition to a clean energy economy, a homegrown renewable energy technology—concentrating solar thermal power—can help cut emissions and enhance energy security with American resources.

WWF warns: don’t recognise coal mine methane under renewables legislation
The Rudd Government must not sacrifice clean energy technologies ‘to give coal companies more profits’ by allowing coal mine methane projects to benefit from its renewable energy target scheme, WWF says. » read the full story »

Bligh to Rudd Government: do more for coal
Queensland Premier Anna Bligh tells an Estimates hearing there are three things wrong with the Rudd Government’s proposed treatment of the coal industry. » read the full story

‘No credible risk’ - Garrett approves uranium mine
Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett has granted environmental approval for mining of the Four Mile uranium deposit in South Australia, saying it posed ‘no credible risk’ to the environment. » read the full story »

Proof will be in the delivery of Low Carbon Strategy
Responding to the launch of the Government’s renewable energy and low carbon industrial strategies today, Tom Delay, Chief Executive of the Carbon Trust, said:
"We need a seven fold increase in renewable energy generation in just eleven years. This can be achieved but will require not just a transformation in technology, but in political, economic and industrial thinking.

Start your car with a laser to cut your carbon
Carbon Trust provides funding for new low carbon ignition technology

Energy from the desert: Memorandum signed for DESERTEC solar project
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed today in Munich for the foundation of an industrial initiative aimed at generating power from renewable energies in the MENA Region.

World's first as a fuel cell aircraft takes off in Germany
9/07/2009 - The world's first piloted aircraft capable of taking to the air using only power from fuel cells took off in Germany on Tuesday, producing zero carbon dioxide emissions, its makers said.

New green star framework to assess best practice for schemes
9/07/2009 - The GBCA has released a new Assessment Framework for Product Certification Schemes as part of its ongoing review of the Green Star environmental rating system for buildings. According to the GBCA's Green Star Executive Director, Robin Mellon, the new Assessment Framework is the result of extensive dialogue with Green Star stakeholders, the appointment of an independent Expert Reference Panel and feedback from manufacturers and building industry professionals.

NZ consults on 2020 target; energy efficiency agreement out; SA wind power; more
* New Zealand consults on 2020 target * Governments back national forum on local-level power generation * Growth in SA wind power must be backed by network investment, report says * Green Building Council releases new rating tool * Gore set to fly in for regional summit * Oxfam climate change report warns of food shortages » read the full story »

Victoria the worst state for wind farm approvals, inquiry told
Victoria is the ‘most difficult’ state for wind farm developers seeking project approval and it can cost a developer half a million dollars to obtain a preliminary grid connection offer, says a Clean Energy Council submission to a parliamentary inquiry. » read the full story »

Clean Tech Revolution: The £70 billion race is on
New economic analysis shows UK can profit from leading the world in offshore wind and wave power

Australian Government Media Releases

Response to Senator Fielding's questions about the climate change science - 24 June 2009
http://www.environment.gov.au/minister/wong/2009/tr20090624c.html
This is a simple feature of statistics. This is illustrated below.

Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme - transcript 24 June 2009
http://www.environment.gov.au/minister/wong/2009/tr20090624b.html
Lets remember this is why not just Australia, but the US, the United Kingdom, Europe, Japan, China - all these nations are acting on climate change because the threat is present and the threat is real. I think it is the way we can understand the Oppositions attempt to delay the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, the bill in the Senate this week, is that they have had to delay it because they dont have a unified position.

Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme - transcript 24 June 2009
http://www.environment.gov.au/minister/wong/2009/tr20090624a.html
We are very well Penny Wong, our listeners would have heard that Nick Xenophon, South Australian Senator, independent Senator, is asking for this important piece of legislation to be deferred - a matter of weeks, maybe two or three months - you'll be going in in just a moment saying no let's get it on today. It is really quite extraordinary that on this, such an important public policy issue, that the Liberal Party don't have the courage of their convictions, they haven't put forward a single amendment - they just don't want to debate it.

Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, fake email scandal - transcript 24 June 2009
PORTFOLIO: Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
URL: http://www.environment.gov.au/minister/wong/2009/tr20090624.html
Is that right now? Is that - the prospect that this will be delayed and that there won't be a vote until August, is that inevitable?. Well I think it really is incumbent upon Mr Turnbull to come clean on this issue and to disclose fully whatever dealings he has had in relation to this fake email.

Media release from Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Portfolio
URL: http://www.airservicesaustralia.com/media/pressreleases/pr20_09.asp
SNIPPET: Airservices Australia and Naverus today signed a contract that will lay the foundations for the worlds first nationwide performance-based navigation (PBN) network, delivering significant reductions in aircraft emissions and noise, reduced flight miles and substantial fuel savings. The new RNP procedures will be similar to those designed by Naverus for the 2007 Brisbane Green Trial, conducted by Airservices and Qantas. Naverus CEO Steve Forte said the company was delighted to continue the partnership with Airservices on a leading environmental initiative.

Fed: 8 production areas eligible for carbon assistance

A new water commissioner will settle future desal sites

Cleantech Investment and Innovation Conference

OECD Research

The economics of climate change mitigation: how to build the necessary global action in a cost-effective manner
Jean-Marc Burniaux OECD Economics Department 16 June, 2009 This paper examines the cost of a range of national, regional and global mitigation policies and the corresponding incentives for countries to participate in ambitious international mitigation actions.

Sustainable manufacturing and eco-innovation: towards a green economy
OECD Directorate for Science, Technology and Industry 16 June, 2009 This Policy Brief examines how innovation can result in new technological and systemic solutions to environmental challenges and contributes to a wider range of OECD work aimed at analysing the policies that can efficiently support the development and diffusion of eco-innovation.

APO Research

The economics of climate change mitigation: how to build the necessary global action in a cost-effective manner
Jean-Marc Burniaux OECD Economics Department16 June, 2009 This paper examines the cost of a range of national, regional and global mitigation policies and the corresponding incentives for countries to participate in ambitious international mitigation actions.

Sustainable manufacturing and eco-innovation: towards a green economy
OECD Directorate for Science, Technology and Industry16 June, 2009 This Policy Brief examines how innovation can result in new technological and systemic solutions to environmental challenges and contributes to a wider range of OECD work aimed at analysing the policies that can efficiently support the development and diffusion of eco-innovation.

Egypt: Renewable Energy and Clean Transport Are Cornerstones of Low Carbon Growth
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,contentMDK:22203619~pagePK:34370~piPK:34424~theSitePK:4607,00.html

Regional employment and income opportunities provided by renewable energy generation
Walter Gerardi, Simon Knapp The Climate Institute25 May, 2009 This report gives detailed analysis about Australian clean energy jobs.