The Green Loans Program is a new Australian Government initiative to help Australians tackle climate change. The program starts on 1 July 2009 and will assist Australian families to install solar, water saving, and energy efficient products. The Green Loans Program will provide:
Anyone interested in a Home Sustainability Assessment can register now.
As part of the Water for the Future framework, the National Urban Water and Desalination Plan will provide investment of $1 billion for desalination, water recycling and stormwater harvesting projects to assist major towns and cities in securing their long term water supply. The Government has now decided to enhance the scope of the National Urban Water and Desalination Plan by providing greater incentives for urban stormwater harvesting projects in order to reduce the demand on potable water supplies.
CSIRO has joined a global network of private and public sector organisations which aims to promote the sustainable, fair and efficient use of the world’s fresh water. The Water Footprint Network seeks to advance the concept of ‘water footprinting’ as a means of understanding and addressing the negative impacts on freshwater systems of the production and consumption of goods and services. As a Network partner, CSIRO has conducted a range of water footprint case studies on various products – including food products manufactured by Mars Australia – and has been active in developing water footprint calculation methods. (Source: EnviroInfo – 7 May 2009).
Australian Government Parliamentary Secretary for Water, Dr Mike Kelly, has announced details of a $77.4 million funding package to help restore the health of the Hawkesbury-Nepean River in western Sydney. The package has been welcomed by the NSW Government.
Business Sustainability Breakfast Forum registrations are open for the next event on 17 July, focusing on ‘what constitutes a sustainable population for South East Queensland’. Key note speaker features the former Environment Minister, Andrew McNamara and a dynamic panel which includes: Urban Development Institute of Australia Chief Executive Officer Brian Stewart; Redland City Council Mayor Melva Hobson; Sustainable Population Australia Simon Baltais; and the Member for Noosa and Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability Glen Elmes. Everyone is invited to join Brisbane’s business leaders, agency staff, local community groups and political representatives to discuss what a sustainable population for South East Queensland could look like and whose responsibility it is to make it a reality. Queensland Conservation is hosting the forum generously supported by SEQ Catchments. So don’t delay! Register today, as registrations are essential. For further information contact the event manager on 07 5538 5109 or email Samantha Morris.
The National Lantana Management Group is seeking public comment on the draft Plan to Protect Environmental Assets from Lantana. This plan aims to establish a national framework to guide and coordinate Australia’s response to lantana invasion in native ecosystems by identifying the research, management and other actions needed to ensure the long-term survival of native species and ecological communities affected by the invasion of lantana. The National Lantana Management Group is seeking public comment on the draft document to ensure it addresses its stated aims and is supported by the broader community. Both positive and negative feedback is welcomed. The plan can be downloaded and submissions made via the Weeds of National Significance website. Submissions close Friday 12th June. If you have any questions please contact the National Lantana Coordinator Kym Johnson kym.johnson@dpi.qld.gov.au or lantana.plan@environment.nsw.gov.au. Additional information can be found at www.environment.nsw.gov.au/lantanaplan.
Registrations are invited for the 2009 NSW Landcare Forum, with early-bird registrations open until 3 July 2009. The Forum, held every two years at different locations in NSW, is the premier event for landcarers in NSW bringing together around 400 natural resource managers, Landcare volunteers and landholders from across the state. This year’s event is being hosted by the Northern Rivers Catchment Management Authority (CMA).
Australia’s first-ever snapshot of ‘green collar’ job advertising suggests that employment in the environment sector is out-performing the rest of the economy, despite a dramatic drop in the first quarter of this year. The figures, released by Australia’s environmental job advertising website NRMjobs.com.au, show a 28.7 per cent slump in green collar job advertising over the past 12 months, compared to the Australia-wide figure for all sectors of around 45%.