APO Research

One year after the Garnaut Climate Change Review
21 September, 2009 The emissions trading scheme should be passed into law quickly and with no further distortion, argues Ross Garnaut in East Asia Forum

Emissions trading - has it worked?
Leslie Nielson Parliamentary Library21 September, 2009 This background note looks at whether programs such as the proposed Australian Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) have been successful in reducing greenhouse gases emissions in areas where they have been implemented.

Powerful choices: transition to a biofuel economy in Australia
Barney Foran Triple Helix Consulting21 September, 2009 This paper summarises the findings of eight years' research into the implications of a transition to a biofuel economy using woody biomass feedstocks for second-generation biofuels.

Environmental sustainability in residential housing
Kelly S. Fielding Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute21 September, 2009 This positioning paper addresses the attitudes and behaviour towards waste, water, and energy consumption and conservation among Australian households.

Great Barrier Reef outlook report 2009
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority22 September, 2009 The first in a series, this report provides an overview of the past and present condition of the environmental, economic and social values of the Great Barrier Reef and presents its possible future.

Towards climate safe homes: The case for zero emissions and water saving homes and neighbourhoods
Australian Conservation Foundation, Environment Victoria, the Alternative Technology Association, Friends of the Earth and the Moreland Energy Foundation23 September, 2009 With the right government support and with efforts to fast-track stronger environmental building standards, Australian homes and neighbourhoods could be emissions free and water efficient by 2020, according to this report.

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.

Streamlined environmental assessments Australia wide - media release 13 July 2009
http://www.environment.gov.au/minister/garrett/2009/mr20090713.html
Bilateral agreements for environmental assessments are now in place between the Commonwealth and all Australian states and territories with Victoria and the ACT both signing agreements in the past month. Victoria and the ACT can now run a single environmental assessment process for projects that require environmental approval at both a federal and a state/territory level.

$26 million boost for Landcare projects - The Hon Tony Burke MP - Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
http://www.maff.gov.au/media/media_releases/2009/july_new/$26_million_boost_for_landcare_projects3
SNIPPET: Farmers, farmer groups and industry bodies will benefit from $26 million in Rudd Government funding for 56 Landcare projects across Australia - part of a major investment in land management and sustainable agriculture. Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke announced the funding while visiting the Little River Landcare site, near Dubbo today. 'The projects funded today will help 30 Landcare groups and 20 other community organisations continue the good work,' Mr Burke said.

Climate change, sea level rise, and coastal subsidence

Climate change, sea level rise, and coastal subsidence along the Gippsland coast
Eric Sjerp and Allan Charteris / Gippsland Coastal Board

The impacts of climate change are complex, difficult to predict, yet too far-reaching to ignore. This 2008 report outlines potential threats to assets and infrastructure in Gippsland and address issues like erosion and sand transport. When storms wash away our beaches where does the sand go? The authors describe, among other things, how the highly erodible Gippsland coast can be shaped by storms and other events.

Video: Protecting Coral Reefs

By Lauretta Burke on ecosystem services

Reef ecosystems face both local and global threats. Here is what needs to be done to ensure the world’s corals and mangroves are preserved.

This video talks about the upcoming Reefs at Risk Revisited project, and how placing an economic value on coral reefs and mangroves can help make the case for conservation.

New Green Corps projects aid environment

The Minister for Employment Participation, Brendan O’Connor, today celebrated Australia Day by announcing 15 new Green Corps projects that will help to improve and restore the Australian environment.

Green Corps is an Australian Government funded program that provides young people aged between 17 and 20 the opportunity to volunteer to conserve, preserve and restore Australia’s environment and cultural heritage.

Migration, development and environment

International Organization for Migration
This paper explores the conceptual framework of the interrelationships between migration, environment and development through an analysis of the current literature. It offers an in depth analysis of the various permutations of this relationship and considers the implications these have for policy. Posted 21-01-2009

King tides - a glimpse of future sea level rise

PORTFOLIO: Innovation, Industry, Science and Research

SNIPPET: 'By 2060 to 2070 we could be experiencing tides of at least this magnitude every month, rather than just twice a year due to climate-change induced sea level rise,' says a research scientist with CSIRO's Climate Adaptation National Research Flagship, Dr Kathy McInnes. King tides are natural events that happen twice a year. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, sea levels are projected to rise by between 18-79cm or more this century.

Environment Accounts and Statistics Technical Paper Series

The series covers environment accounts and indicators, environmental surveys, spatial environmental information and other research related to environmental statistics. The technical paper series is intended to stimulate discussion on a range of environmental topics.

Uncertainty and climate change policy

John Quiggin / Economic Analysis and Policy
This paper consists of a summary of the main sources of uncertainty about climate change, and a discussion of the major implications for economic analysis and the formulation of climate policy. Posted 02-12-2008

Rattling Supply Chains

Rattling Supply Chains: The Effect of Environmental Trends on Input Costs for the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods Industry
By Kelly McCarthy on regulation

In recent years, the world has experienced a remarkable rise in the prices of vital commodities, including energy and agricultural products. For example, between 2006 and 2008, the average world price for oil rose by 110 percent, rice by 217 percent, wheat by 136 percent, maize by 125 percent, and soybeans by 107 percent. The resulting economic impact on firms, households, and entire economies has renewed attention to the scarcity of natural resources and the best way of managing them in the twenty-first century.

The world’s natural resources are under pressure, as approximately 60 percent of the benefits provided by natural ecosystems are being degraded or used unsustainably. As much as 20 percent of freshwater use exceeds the long-term sustainable supply, and between 15 and 35 percent of the withdrawal of water for irrigation is unsustainable, raising concerns about agricultural yields and costs. The current patterns of resource consumption are exemplified by the case of oil. North America and Europe consume more than 50 percent of this resource yet account for only 20 percent of the global population. At the same time, the growing populations of developing countries are realizing their desire for a better quality of life, which has led to increased consumption and thus greater demands on finite resources.

Turning it around: climate solutions for Victoria

Nous Group / Environment Victoria
Victoria's greenhouse gas emissions could be more than halved by 2020, according to this report. Pursuing emissions reductions of this order would provide a leadership example that could assist in breaking impasses in climate negotiations. Posted 10-11-2008

Living planet report 2008

Australian's exploitation of the environment is worse then ever, with the nation now boasting the fifth largest ecological footprint per capita in the world - up from sixth worst just two years ago - according to the WWF biennial assessment of the state of the natural world

Research into climate change and waves

Media Statement - 10th September 2008

Penny WongMinister for Climate Change and Water, Senator Penny Wong, today released new research to improve understanding of how climate change might affect off-shore waves and the potential impact on our coastal zones.
The research investigated climatic conditions which could lead to changes in waves on Australia’s coast, including ‘extreme waves’ of around three metres or more.

The available modelled data suggests that over the past 45 years there has been an increase in the frequency of weather events which led to large waves being generated off Australia’s southern coast.

Achieving sustainability of the energy sector in Canada

Achieving sustainability of the energy sector in Canada
Energy represents a major sustainable-development challenge for Canada. In the short term, labour shortages and infrastructure bottlenecks are likely to hinder energy developments and need to be addressed.In addition, provincial fiscal management could be improved by adopting prudent allocation and withdrawal rules of revenues from non-renewable resources to and from a long-term fund. Eventually the main challenge will be to curb greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), despite the rapid expansion of high emitting sectors. The effectiveness of environmental policies could be enhanced by better federal-provincial coordination. Efforts should be concentrated on designing and implementing an missions-trading scheme compatible with corresponding systems abroad. Finally, effective and efficient systems of regulation and taxation are essential to facilitate the timely realisation of energy supply plans.

ACHIEVING SUSTAINABILITY OF THE ENERGY SECTOR IN CANADA

ECONOMICS DEPARTMENT WORKING PAPER No. 618
By
Annabelle Mourougane

Energy represents a major sustainable-development challenge for Canada. In the short term, labour
shortages and infrastructure bottlenecks are likely to hinder energy developments and need to be addressed.
In addition, provincial fiscal management could be improved by adopting prudent allocation and
withdrawal rules of revenues from non-renewable resources to and from a long-term fund. Eventually the
main challenge will be to curb greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), despite the rapid expansion of high
emitting sectors. The effectiveness of environmental policies could be enhanced by better
federal-provincial coordination. Efforts should be concentrated on designing and implementing an
emissions-trading scheme compatible with corresponding systems abroad. Finally, effective and efficient
systems of regulation and taxation are essential to facilitate the timely realisation of energy supply plans.