Last night hundreds gathered at the Australian Event Awards in Sydney to hear the sixth IUCN World Parks Congress named CIM Magazine best meeting or conference of the year by industry experts. I would like to congratulate Parks Australia and the New South Wales Parks and Wildlife Service on this great achievement. Almost a year…
The Australian Government is continuing to deliver on its commitment to protect the Great Barrier Reef with the opening of the Reef Trust Tender – Burdekin. Through this latest project, the Government will provide $2.5 million to help sugarcane farmers improve nitrogen and irrigation management practices in the Burdekin region. Minister Hunt is inviting sugarcane…
Young Australians from the Brisbane City region are starting to see the results of their hard work as part of the Australian Government’s Green Army Programme. The Minister for the Environment, Greg Hunt, and Federal Member for Brisbane, Teresa Gambaro, praised the work of the young locals when they met with two Green Army teams…
Congratulations to the two winners of the 2015 Environment Minister’s Award for a Cleaner Environment – Emirates One and Only Wolgan Valley Resort and Spa in New South Wales and Mr Allen Riseley of Victoria. I am delighted to be able to recognise outstanding contributions towards a healthier and more sustainable environment by both the…
The second Emissions Reduction Fund auction, conducted by the independent Clean Energy Regulator, has awarded contracts for 45.5 million tonnes of emissions reduction at an average price of $12.25 per tonne. The second auction has delivered an even lower average cost per tonne of abatement than the first auction, where 47 million tonnes of emissions…
The Australian Government is providing incentives for Australians to purchase low emissions vehicles, as part of a new $50 million programme funded through the Clean Energy Finance Corporation. The programme is targeting corporate and government fleet buyers, as well as not-for-profit organisations. With an estimated 450,000 fleet vehicles on the road today, this represents a…
Australia has played a key role in achieving major progress towards the global phase-down of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). I am delighted that there has been a strong commitment to work towards an HFC phase-down agreement under the Montreal Protocol in 2016. This week’s international meeting in Dubai agreed that HFCs should be controlled and phased down.…
A new residential development north of Sydney could set an exciting precedent with the possibility of the entire community being built off the power grid. Huntlee will be the first new town in the Hunter Valley in 50 years and will house 20,000 new residents in 7,500 homes. Brookfield Energy Australia (Brookfield) is examining the…
Montreal Protocol meeting to tackle climate change by cutting HFC emissions Today I will lead Australia’s delegation at the 27th Meeting of Parties to the Montreal Protocol in Dubai, where the focus of global talks will be on working towards a phase down of hydrofluorocarbons. Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are used as a substitute for ozone-depleting gases.…
Citizen scientists to help monitor marine pollution Fishers and surfers will become citizen scientists in a major new science project to monitor the impact of sewage on Australia’s marine biodiversity and ecosystems. Together with researchers, recreational water users will contribute to a National Outfall Database, to be developed in consultation with the states and Northern…