Media
release - 1 April 2009 - Celebrating Youth
Week Environment Minister Peter Garrett
today called on young environmental champions
from right around the country to nominate
for the Banksia Foundation's Environment
Minister's Young Environmentalist of the
Year Award for 2009.
“This award recognises
the stake our young people have in the health
of our environment, and the fantastic work
so many of them are doing to invest in it
for their own and future generations,” Mr
Garrett said.
“Youth Week's theme
for 2009, Make a Move, is a powerful message
that can easily be applied to the environment.
As we tackle climate change and a host of
environmental challenges facing our country
and world, now is the time for everyone
to Make a Move towards sharing innovative
ideas, living more sustainably and conserving
our natural resources.”
Last year's inaugural
Minister's Award winner, Larissa Brown,
was recognised for her work in establishing
the Centre for Sustainability Leadership
at the age of 24. The centre's flagship
program, Future Sustainability Leaders,
brings young environmentalists together
with leading thinkers and influencers to
create the next generation of environmentally
responsible leaders.
Mr Garrett said with
young Australians increasingly demonstrating
their commitment to creating a cleaner,
greener future the release today of Living
Sustainably, the Australian Government's
new National Action Plan for Education for
Sustainability, was very timely.
“This plan sets out
how we can equip Australians with the knowledge
and skills to achieve our environmental,
economic and social aspirations and to ensure
they are pursued in harmony with each other.”
Mr Garrett said Living
Sustainably complements the Government's
existing suite of programs related to sustainability,
including measures to build community knowledge
and skills and engagement within Caring
for Our Country. It also supports and deepens
the impact of initiatives such as Water
for our Future, Solar Cities, Sustainable
Households, Green Precincts and the National
Solar Schools Program.
The Plan has been developed
thorough community consultation on the needs
of education for sustainability in Australia.
“I would like to thank
the many organisations and individuals who
contributed submissions and comments towards
the plan's development,” said Mr Garrett.
For details of the Banksia
Environmental Foundation awards, visit www.banksiafdn.com
. And for further information about Youth
Week activities near you visit www.youthweek.com
.
Living Sustainably is
available at www.environment.gov.au/education/nap
+ More
Sales soar on solar
hot water
Media release - 3 April
2009 - Sales of solar hot water systems
have soared since the Australian Government
boosted its solar hot water rebate to $1,600
in February this year as part of the Nation
Building – Economic Stimulus Plan.
Touring a Sydney hot
water retail outlet today, Environment Minister
Peter Garrett said more than 6,000 Australians
have already applied for the $1,600 rebate
under the $3.9 billion Energy Efficient
Homes Package.
“Today we’re seeing
the Australian Government’s Economic Stimulus
Plan in action,” Mr Garrett said.
“The numbers show this
rebate is doing its job – creating work
for local tradies, driving demand for energy
efficient technology and helping people
save on their energy bills.
“Employment gets a boost
every time someone goes solar with their
hot water system, and our $1,600 rebate
makes that a great choice.
“Solar hot water can
save you hundreds of dollars a year on your
power bills and help you cut down your impact
on climate change – it makes all kinds of
sense.”
The solar hot water
rebate helps people replace their old electric
storage hot water system with a solar or
heat pump system. They can send their receipts
in for a $1,600 rebate, on top of the money
they get for renewable energy certificates
and existing state rebates.
Electric hot water heaters
are one of the biggest energy users in a
family home and around half of the homes
in the country have them. Replacing an electric
hot water heater with a solar unit can save
a family up to 40 per cent on their power
bill – up to $700 a year.
Mr Garrett said the
Government aims to deliver more than 300,000
solar hot water rebates over the next three
years.
“This rebate is great
news for households, businesses and the
environment – it will help us weather the
economic downturn and make our way to a
low carbon future,” Mr Garrett said.
For more information
and copies of the solar hot water rebate
guidelines, visit www.environment.gov.au/energyefficiency
or call the free hotline on 1800 808 571.
+ More
$20 Million for Climate
Change in the Pacific
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Stephen
Smith, and Minister for Climate Change and
Water, Senator Penny Wong, today announced
$20 million to help Australia’s neighbours
in the Pacific and East Timor better understand
how climate change will impact on them.
“The $20 million Pacific
Climate Change Science Program will help
Pacific Island countries carry out research
on the likely effects of climate change
in the region,” Senator Wong said.
The program will involve
working with Pacific Island nations to help
them track climate trends, investigate regional
climate drivers, provide regional climate
projections, and improve understanding of
ocean processes, ocean acidification and
sea level rise.
“Climate change has
the potential to affect some of the poorest
and most vulnerable nations with challenges
including sea level rise, more intense storms
and floods, water shortages, and the resulting
impacts on water and food security.
“The vulnerability of
countries in our neighbourhood highlights
the need for a comprehensive and effective
global agreement on climate change.
“Among the Rudd Government’s
climate change priorities is helping forge
such an agreement, along with reducing Australia’s
carbon pollution and adapting to the climate
change that is already happening.”
Mr Smith said that climate
change had the potential to impact on the
region’s ability to meet the Millennium
Development Goals by exacerbating existing
development challenges.
“The program will provide
improved information about climate risks
to help the region better target future
development assistance and help protect
the development gains they have made in
recent years,” Mr Smith said.
The Pacific Climate
Change Science Program will be managed by
the Department of Climate Change in collaboration
with AusAID. It will be delivered by the
Bureau of Meteorology and the CSIRO through
their research partnership in the Centre
for Australian Weather and Climate Research.
This collaboration will
help foster a cooperative research network
for countries in the region, for other international
science agencies and for Australian universities,
to build climate science capacity in the
region.
The program is part
of the Australian Government’s $150 million
commitment through the International Climate
Change Adaptation Initiative to meet high
priority climate adaptation needs in vulnerable
countries in our region.
