Tackling Climate Change
The Government is committed to tackling climate change. The Government's climate change strategy is built on three pillars: reducing Australia's greenhouse gas emissions; adapting to the impacts of climate change that we cannot avoid; and helping to shape a global solution to climate change.
Funding of $2.3 billion will be provided to implement a range of climate change measures. These include the Government's election commitments to introduce a domestic emissions trading scheme in 2010 ($68.8 million over five years), expand the renewable energy target ($15.5 million over five years) and establish the Department of Climate Change ($21.8 million over four years).
The Government will support households and communities to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions through Green Loans, Solar Hot Water Rebates, the National Solar Schools Plan, the expanded Solar Cities program and rebates to install insulation in rental properties. The energy efficiency measures will help families identify the most energy efficient and cost effective electrical appliances for their homes and the One Stop Green Shop will help increase awareness of the benefits of energy efficiency.
The development and use of new clean energy technologies will be assisted through the Government's Energy Innovation Fund ($150.0 million over four years), National Clean Coal Fund ($500.0 million over eight years), Renewable Energy Fund ($500.0 million over six years from 2009‑10) and Green Car Innovation Fund ($500.0 million over five years from 2011‑12). These funds will provide industry with support to accelerate the development and deployment of low emission technologies.
Further support to business will be provided through the Clean Business Australia initiative ($240.0 million over four years from 2008‑09), which will assist businesses reduce their own greenhouse gas emissions and bring to market new products that save energy and water. The Clean Energy Enterprise Connect Centre ($20.0 million over four years) will provide business improvement services to small and medium sized clean energy enterprises.
The Government will provide funding to gather data on the impacts of climate change on Australia and its environment. The Government will invest $150.0 million over three years in the Adaptation to Climate Change Initiative to strengthen adaptation efforts of countries in Australia's region that are at risk from the impacts of climate change. The Australia's Farming Future Initiative ($130.0 million over four years) will improve the ability of primary producers to respond to climate change and manage their emissions and $8.0 million will be provided to assess the capacity of forests to sequester carbon and to develop the Climate Change and Forestry Adaptation Action Plan.
This funding will be in addition to the $1.4 billion over four years to maintain existing climate change programs administered by the Department of Climate Change, the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts and the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism.