Media
release - 12 May 2009 - The Australian Government
will invest $16.1 million over four years
to develop a National Carbon Accounting
Toolbox.
The National Carbon
Accounting Toolbox will assist decision
making around agriculture entering the Carbon
Pollution Reduction Scheme in the coming
years.
"The Toolbox will
be a cost-effective, nationally-consistent
emissions estimation tool for forestry and
agriculture," Minister for Climate
Change and Water, Senator Penny Wong said.
"This consistency
is fundamental for forestry to participate
in and generate robust credits under the
Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme.
"It will ensure
that units issued under the Scheme are consistent
with Australia's international reporting
approach for reforestation."
The Government will
make the National Carbon Accounting Toolbox
operational for forestry before its voluntary
coverage within the Carbon Pollution Reduction
Scheme from July 2010.
The existing prototype
for emissions estimations for forestry will
be further developed in 2009-10 to meet
the requirements for estimating and reporting
emissions and sinks.
Preliminary development
of agriculture emissions estimation capability
and approaches will also be undertaken to
provide for trial reporting in 2011.
This will also establish
for the first time in Australia an agriculture
emissions estimation capability that will
allow land users to better understand the
potential impact on them of any future participation
in the Scheme.
"Agriculture is
the second largest source of emissions in
Australia, and the Toolbox will provide
an essential device for estimating the emissions
from this vital part of the Australian economy."
This will be invaluable
in assisting the Government in consultation
with agriculture industries to make a decision
in 2013 on coverage of agriculture under
the Scheme.
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Shaping an International
Solution to Climate Change
Media release - 12 May
2009 - The Rudd Government's Shaping an
International Solution to Climate Change
program will continue to strengthen Australia's
efforts to shape and influence international
efforts to tackle climate change with a
$12.0 million investment over four years.
"This investment
will enable Australia to continue its active
role in building a strong international
response to climate change," Minister
for Climate Change, Senator Penny Wong said.
"We are now closely
engaged in the next phase of international
negotiations to secure an effective and
fair post-2012 global agreement."
Australia is playing
its part to add momentum to these negotiations.
The Government announced on 4 May 2009 that
Australia will commit to reduce emissions
by 25 per cent below 2000 levels by 2020
as our contribution to a global outcome
which leads to stabilisation of greenhouse
gases in the atmosphere at 450 parts per
million. This announcement has been welcomed
by key partners as making a positive contribution
to the global effort.
Australia's economy
and environment are likely to be disproportionately
affected by climate change. Australia generates
only 1.5 per cent of global greenhouse gas
emissions, so its actions alone cannot avert
the worst consequences of climate change:
the only solution to climate change is a
global one.
"The stakes are
high for Australia. Our future prosperity
and the future of our unique environment
depend on securing an international agreement,"
said Senator Wong.
The Government has put
forward a proposal to the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change on
how emissions reductions from the forest
sector in developing countries could be
included in a future international climate
change agreement.
"Deforestation
accounts for around 18 per cent of global
greenhouse gas emissions. Instead of an
economic imperative to remove forests in
developing countries, we need an incentive
to preserve them," Senator Wong said.
Carbon Capture and Storage
(CCS) will also play an important role in
the global fight against climate change.
The Government's Global Carbon Capture and
Storage Institute (GCCSI) will drive the
dissemination of CCS technology and know-how
around the world. Sharing the knowledge
generated by the Institute's activities
will be critical to enable broad deployment
of carbon capture and storage by 2020.
Key activities include
establishing the early project work of the
Institute and developing a commitment to
the longer term program to support fully
integrated large scale carbon capture and
storage projects globally by 2010.
The Government is also
investing $2.0 billion this Budget in industrial-scale
carbon capture and storage projects, through
the Carbon Capture and Storage Flagships
Program.
The Flagships Program
is expected to include a carbon dioxide
storage hub, and will ensure that Australia
continues to be a world leader in the development
of this technology.
