18
November 2008 - Australia and China held
the first meeting of the Australia-China
Ministerial Dialogue on Climate Change at
Parliament House in Canberra today.
Australia's Minister
for Climate Change and Water, Senator Penny
Wong, hosted the dialogue with the Vice-Chair
of the National Development and Reform Commission
(NDRC) and Minister responsible for climate
change, Mr Xie Zhenhua.
"This constructive
dialogue is important to Australia, China
and the effort to forge a global solution
on climate change," Senator Wong said.
"In developing
a post-2012 global agreement on climate
change, it is essential that we continue
to engage with China and strengthen our
working relationship through joint initiatives.
"Australia and
China have a lot in common in tackling the
global challenge of climate change. As major
energy producers and users, we both have
an interest in developing cleaner energy
sources and pursuing low-carbon development."
Today's meeting follows
the April 2008 agreement between the governments
of Australia and the People's Republic of
China to establish annual policy dialogues
at ministerial level.
During today's meeting,
the Ministers agreed to build on their co-operation
on clean energy and clean technologies.
They endorsed the ongoing work of the Joint
Coordination Group on Clean Coal Technology
and the world-leading Asia-Pacific Partnership
on Clean Development and Climate in taking
forward practical co-operation on these
technologies.
China agreed to support
efforts under Australia's proposed $100
million Global Carbon Capture and Storage
(CCS) Institute and recognised that it was
an important vehicle to accelerate global
demonstration of CSS technology at a commercial
scale.
The Ministers also shared
perspectives on their respective climate
change policies: China's White Paper on
Policies and Actions for Addressing Climate
Change and Australia's Carbon Pollution
Reduction Scheme and the associated Treasury
modelling on the costs of mitigation.
Both countries agreed
to build on this exchange by continuing
to share policy approaches and analysis
at the officials level, under the framework
of the Bilateral Partnership on Climate
Change.
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Joint statement of Australia-China
Ministerial Dialogue on Climate Change
Australia and China
held the first meeting of the Australia-China
Ministerial Dialogue on Climate Change at
Parliament House, Canberra, Australia on
18 November 2008.
The meeting follows
the April 2008 agreement between the Governments
of Australia and China, reached during the
visit to Beijing by Australia’s Prime Minister
Mr Kevin Rudd, to establish annual policy
dialogues at Ministerial level.
Australia’s Minister
Climate Change and Water, Senator Penny
Wong, hosted the Dialogue. China’s delegation
was led by Mr Xie Zhenhua, Vice-Chair of
the National Development and Reform Commission
(NDRC) and Minister responsible for climate
change.
The Ministers stressed
their commitment to meeting the challenge
of climate change and to working closely
to support the negotiations under the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change and its Kyoto Protocol to reach positive
outcomes at UN Climate Change Conference
in Copenhagen in 2009.
The two sides reaffirmed
their commitment to the Bilateral Partnership
on Climate Change and to continue to work
on joint projects on such areas as renewable
energy technologies, energy efficiency,
and emissions reporting and measurement.
The two sides agreed
to continue and build on their cooperation
on clean energy and clean technologies.
They endorsed the work of the Joint Coordination
Group on Clean Coal Technology and the world-leading
Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development
and Climate (APP) in taking forward practical
cooperation on these technologies. The Ministers
agreed to support efforts under the Global
Carbon Capture and Storage Initiative as
an important vehicle to enhance research
and development and to accelerate global
demonstration of CCS technology at a commercial
scale.
The Ministers shared
perspectives on their respective climate
change polices with respect to China's White
Paper on Policies and Actions for Addressing
Climate Change and Australia’s Carbon Pollution
Reduction Scheme and the associated Treasury
modeling on the costs of mitigation. The
two sides agreed to build on this exchange
by continuing to share policy approaches
and analysis at officials level, under the
framework of the Bilateral Partnership on
Climate Change.
+ More
Soil carbon and deer
damage among projects funded in Victoria
20 November 2008 - Projects
to investigate soil carbon and reduce the
damage caused by feral deer herds are among
16 projects in Victoria to share in more
than $28.5 million from the Rudd Government
to protect Australia’s environment and promote
sustainable farming.
Details of the Victorian
projects to be funded under the Caring for
our Country Open Grants were announced today
by Environment Minister Peter Garrett and
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and
Forestry Tony Burke.
The Open Grants funding
is part of the $2.25 billion earmarked for
the first five years of Caring for our Country,
launched in July this year.
Mr Garrett said the
projects, ranging from $80,000 to $400,000,
would lead to significant environmental
benefits and advances in land management
practices in all states and territories.
“Through Caring for
our Country, the Government is taking a
comprehensive, targeted and integrated approach
to natural resource management funding,
encouraging organisations to work together
to deliver on national priorities,” Mr Garrett
said.
“Many of the organisations
funded through this Open Grants scheme look
beyond their local environmental issues
to link up with others to deliver better
environment and land management practices
on a larger scale.
“The Protection of sustainable
farming and biodiverse ecosystems project
from East Gippsland, for example, is a joint
effort from many organisations including
conservation groups, non-government organisations,
state government agencies, local governments,
the catchment management authority, farmers
and community members.
“The project aims to
reduce and control the impact of feral deer
on the highly sensitive ecosystems in grassy
woodlands and warm, temperate rainforests
of East Gippsland.”
Agribusiness Gippsland
has also been allocated funding for a pilot
project looking at soil carbon storage.
Both Ministers said
climate change and other pressures such
as invasive weeds and pests emphasised the
need for the government to work in partnership
with communities to help ensure the future
of Australia’s environment and farming industries.
Of the 137 Open Grants
projects funded across Australia, 72 projects
worth $14.4 million specifically address
sustainable farm practices and Landcare.
“Australia’s farmers
know the value of our precious natural resources
and are expert at using those resources
wisely,” Mr Burke said.
“This funding will help
to ensure they continue their good work,
including through partnerships with other
community groups.
“For example, one of
the Victorian projects will assist farmers
in the Upper Wimmera region to learn more
about perennial pastures.
“Many farmers are now
switching to deep-rooted perennial pastures,
which can improve the environment through
increased water use efficiency; decreased
run-off and soil erosion; less salinity;
improved soil health and a reduction in
weeds.”
Further information and a full listing of
successful grants is available at www.nrm.gov.au
