05/09/2005 - Greenhouse
gas emissions will be reduced and Australian
businesses will be encouraged to enter the
Chinese renewable energy market under new
projects announced today by the Minister for
the Environment and Heritage, Senator Ian
Campbell.
The four new joint projects between Australia
and China have been formally agreed under
Australia’s Bilateral Climate Change Partnerships
Programme.
“These projects are particularly important,
given that China is the world’s second largest
emitter of greenhouse gases, and is predicted
to become the largest emitter within 20 years,”
Senator Campbell said.
“The new initiatives are part of Australia’s
continuing efforts to take practical action
to tackle climate change.
“These joint projects, focusing on renewable
energy and greenhouse emissions from agriculture,
aim to enhance both countries’ capacity to
take action on climate change, while also
providing business opportunities for Australian
companies,” he said.
In addition to work with China, Australia
has active bilateral climate change partnerships
with the United States, Japan, New Zealand
and the European Union, through which Australia
is pursuing a range of practical projects.
The Minister encouraged Australian companies
to take advantage of the business opportunities
offered by the bilateral partnerships. As
an example, he said the Pursuing Renewable
Energy Business In China project would guide
Australian businesses in entering the Chinese
renewable energy market.
“The Government understands the response
to climate change provides significant opportunities
for Australian businesses, so I encourage
companies with good project ideas to apply
to the Australian Greenhouse Office for support
under the Bilateral Climate Change Partnerships
Program,” he said.
For more information on Australia’s bilateral
climate change partnerships, including how
Australian companies can get involved, see:
www.greenhouse.gov.au/international/partnerships
Media contact:
Renae Stoikos (02) 6277 7640 or 0418 568 434
Background
Four new projects under the Australia-China
Climate Change Partnership
Reduction of Nitrous Oxide Emissions from
Agriculture
Entitled ‘Improving the management of water
and nitrogen fertiliser for agricultural profitability,
water quality and reduced nitrous oxide emissions
in China and Australia’, this project aims
to reduce excessive fertiliser use while maintaining
production with economic, environmental and
greenhouse benefits applicable to both Australia
and China.
The Australian Government is contributing
$687,500 for the greenhouse component of this
$3 million project which, by reducing unnecessary
fertiliser use, significantly decreases the
potential associated emissions of nitrous
oxide, which has 310 times the global warming
potential of carbon dioxide.
The project is being undertaken by the University
of Melbourne and a number of Chinese agricultural
research organisations, with support from
the Australian Centre for International Agricultural
Research, the Australian Agency for International
Development and the Australian Greenhouse
Office.
Pursuing Renewable Energy Business in China
This project will develop a comprehensive
guide that aims to improve market opportunities
for the Australian renewable energy industry
in China, and to increase the current capacity
of Australian industry to take advantage of
opportunities in the Chinese renewable energy
sector. Subject to final acceptance of the
grant conditions, the project will be implemented
by the Australian Business Council for Sustainable
Energy and the Chinese Renewable Energy Industries
Association, with an Australian Government
grant of $138,000.
Improving Modeling of China’s Energy Use
and Emissions
This project aims to improve the representation
of the Chinese energy sector, energy use and
greenhouse gas emissions, in the Australian
Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics
(ABARE) Global Trade and Environment Model.
Being implemented by ABARE and the Chinese
Energy Research Institute, with an Australian
Government grant of $100,000, these enhancements
to the model’s Chinese energy and emissions
database will improve the model’s accuracy,
thereby increasing its value as a tool for
international climate change policy analysis.
Renewable Energy Training Development and
Cooperation Project
This project will develop a five-year renewable
energy training framework to provide China
with an adequate, ongoing workforce, trained
to international standards, to meet their
expanding demands for renewable energy. The
training framework will be developed by Australian
company Global Sustainable Energy Solutions
and the Chinese Renewable Energy Industries
Association, and is supported by an Australian
Government grant of $96,000.
