The Australian Government is now calling for investment proposals for projects that will achieve the targets outlined in the newly released Caring for our Country business plan 2009-10.
Details of how you can submit a proposal will be available on the Caring for our Country website soon.
As part of the $12.9 billion Water for the Future plan, the Australian Government is delivering the $250 million National Rainwater and Greywater Initiative to help people use water wisely in their everyday lives. The Government is providing:
Organisations and individuals are asked to give their views on the draft Regulation Impact Statement: Minimum water efficiency standards for clothes washers and dishwashers and water efficiency labelling of combined washer/dryers.
The national Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) Scheme currently mandates registration and water efficiency labelling of clothes washing machines, dishwashers, toilets, urinals, taps and showers, with flow controllers optional. However, with the exception of toilets, there is no minimum standard for these products, which means that inefficient, high water-using products may still be sold to the public.
The draft report assesses the regulatory impacts, including the costs and benefits of setting minimum water efficiency standards for clothes washers and dishwashers to improve the water efficiency of these products. It also assesses the case for introducing a WELS label and minimum standard for the dryer component of combination washer dryers that use water in dryer-mode and stand-alone dryers that use water. On the basis of this assessment the draft report recommends that Australian Governments agree to proceed with these proposals.
The public consultation period closes on 23 January 2009.
The Australian Government’s 10-year $12.9 billion Water for the Future strategy to secure the long-term water supply for all Australians includes funding of $1 billion for the National Urban Water and Desalination Plan. This plan supports a new funding program and a number of specific projects. Among these projects is the establishment of a Centre of Excellence in Desalination based in Perth and a Centre of Excellence in Water Recycling based in Brisbane, each funded at $20 million over five years. Proposals are invited for the Administering Organisation for either or both Centres of Excellence. The closing date for submitting proposals is 6 February 2009.
Are you seeing climate change? What’s changed in your area? How is it effecting you, your family or your community? What are you doing to be part of the solution? WWF Climate Witness is a global conversation about the impacts of climate change and the actions we can take today. Browse the climate stories global map or tell your story.
The 26 November 2008 issue of CO2 News includes:
Australia’s eight capital city botanic gardens have released a National Strategy and Action Plan to adapt to climate change. Actions include prioritising and coordinating seed bank collection, priorities for living collections and a coordinated national education campaign for the 13.4 million visitors a year.
Read the media release or download the National Strategy and Action Plan.
Many of the world’s animals and plants are threatened because of human activity such as hunting, poaching and the uncontrolled trade in wildlife and wildlife parts. Some of the species, including the tiger and rhinoceros, are now in great danger of extinction. One factor driving the trade is the demand for animal and plant derivatives for use as health supplements in complementary medicines (also known as ‘traditional’ or ‘alternative’ medicines). These medicines include vitamin, mineral, plant or herbal, naturopathic and/or homeopathic preparations and nutritional supplements.
The reality is, if threatened species continue to be used in complementary medicines, these species may become extinct. Ending the illegal trade in protected wildlife and wildlife parts will help prevent their further decline. The good news is that the properties of these wildlife products can often be replicated by medically acceptable alternatives.
The booklet Pills, plants and animals, A guide to complementary medicines trade and conservation informs users, practitioners and importers of complementary medicines about Australia’s wildlife trade laws and alternatives to using complementary medicines containing threatened species.
Greenpeace has launched the 2009 True Food Guide, which provides information on shopping for GE-free food. You can download the Guide as a PDF or order a pocket-sized copy.
The National Market-Based Instruments (MBI) Forum was held in Brisbane in late September. Now available are many of the PowerPoint presentations, as well as video interviews exploring the MBI experiences of a wide range of people.
By using policy tools called market-based instruments (MBIs), governments, regional NRM groups and others natural resource managers are applying the economic principles of supply and demand to the management of the natural resources such as water, biodiversity, habitat, water quality and forests. MBIs rely on market signals to positively influence behaviour.
A ‘market’ is any place where sellers of a good or service can meet buyers of that good or service. Markets are historically associated with the buying and selling of tangible products or intangible items such as stocks and shares. However, harnessing the competitive pressure of commercial markets is increasingly being used as a policy tool to reduce the costs of securing environmental outcomes and to create greater flexibility for delivering natural resource management (NRM) outcomes.