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NSW Government action

The NSW Government recognises global warming as a serious environmental, economic and social threat to both our State and our world. As such, NSW has long supported international activity to try to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol.

 

Since the Commonwealth Government's recent ratification of the Kyoto protocol (PDF 64kb), NSW has been working constructively through the Council of Australian Governments (COAG), the major intergovernmental forum in Australia, to progress a number of important reforms including a national emissions trading scheme and a mandatory renewable energy target.

 

NSW has responded to the challenges posed by climate change through:

  • the State Plan, which aims to shape the State's future and identify priorities for the Public Sector and includes specific targets for NSW Government activity. Under the Environment for Living priority area the government committed to a return to year 2000 greenhouse gas emission levels by 2025 and a 60 per cent cut in greenhouse emissions by 2050. Updates on progress towards State Plan targets and recent actions are regularly provided.
  • the NSW Greenhouse Plan, which sets out action for the NSW Government for the period between 2005 and 2008 to reduce the emissions from its own activities and to work with other stakeholders to reduce the emissions from their activities
  • developing a Climate Change Action Plan, which will be the key NSW policy document setting out the strategic direction for government climate change action over the next five years. The plan will help the community and business get 'climate ready' to deal with the challenges posed by climate change.
  • establishing a Climate Change Fund in July 2007, incorporating an expanded Water and Energy Savings Fund, the Climate Action Grant Program and some funding from the Environmental Trust. The fund will total $340 million over five years and provide financial support for communities, schools and business.
  • the $150-million NSW Energy Efficiency Strategy, which contains a range of measures to assist families and businesses save money and help the environment by reducing the growth in energy use and the state's greenhouse gas emissions
  • a targeted response in the areas of emissions reduction and adaptation.

NSW Local Government is also responding to the challenge of climate change.

 

 

Page last updated: 15 December 2008