Produced by the Committee for Melbourne, the Melbourne Beyond 5 Million reports argue that growth is inevitable and that the challenge, therefore, is to ensure that there is better planning for this growth. Read the rest of this entry »
In 2007 the NSW Urban Sustainability Support Alliance (USSA) worked with a group of councils to establish the Sustainable Business Education network of local government practitioners working on sustainable business programs/initiatives. The Sustainable Business Education network has established a sustainable business case study repository that it hopes will also include case studies beyond the network. Businesses often like to see sustainability success stories demonstrated by their peers rather than taking council’s word for it. It is hoped that this bank of case studies will become a useful resource to sustainable business educators across NSW. To explore the repository and find out about joining the network visit Sustainable Business Education Case Studies.
The Chinese government will invest more than 100 billion yuan ($15 billion USD) to subsidize its eco-friendly car industry over the next decade. Read the article or watch the video on the CCTV website. Sixteen Chinese central stated-owned electric vehicle companies have teamed up to form an industrial association in Beijing. The move is in response to the government’s latest policies to boost the country’s electric vehicle industry in the next three years. Read the article or watch the video on the CCTV website.
Water: if you live by the harbour, river or oceanfront, you are considered a lucky Australian. Not only will your home be more valuable but proximity to the water will afford you lifestyle advantages denied to your land-locked neighbours. But beyond the water bodies that occur naturally in our cities, water when used as a design feature in the urban environment – from the humblest fountain to man-made lakes – can have a tranquil and calming effect on our lives. One of our dry nation’s most valuable commodities, water never fails to engage the senses. But in developing our towns and cities, have our planners and architects used the power of water to lift the human spirit as effectively as other societies throughout history? Listen to The wonder of water in urban design from the ABC Radio National “By Design” program.
Produced by the eWater CRC, Source Catchments is a water quality and quantity modelling framework that supports decision making and a whole-of-catchment modelling approach. It is designed to help natural resource managers and consultants develop targets, prioritise improvement programs and measure the effectiveness of a broad range of catchment management activities. The software provides a framework for modelling the amounts of water and contaminants flowing though a catchment and into major rivers, wetlands, lakes, or estuaries. Source Catchments integrates an array of models, data, and knowledge that can be used to simulate how climate and catchment variables (like rainfall, evaporation, land use, vegetation) affect runoff, sediment and contaminants. To find out more visit eWater Source Catchments.
Australia’s major urban water utilities through the Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA) have released a report which assesses the volume of water required to meet population projections in Australia’s major cities over the next 50 years. To download the report visit WSAA – Occassional Paper 25.
The recently announced Productivity Commission Public Inquiry into Australia’s Urban Water Sector has focused attention on the economics of the industry. The Agricultural and Resource Economics Society (AARES) Reforming Urban Water symposium (30 September – 1 October 2010, Sydney) will present viewpoints and analyses on some of the most pressing issues in urban water around Australia in the context of population growth and climate change, with a particular emphasis on Sydney’s water supply and water management options. Particular emphasis will be on issues such as the ”pricing debate”, on rural-urban water trade, and on competition in supply and network access issues, but attention will also be paid to evaluation of alternative supply technologies including recycling and desalination. To find out more visit AARES Symposia.
The next national groundwater conference ‘Groundwater 2010 – the Challenge of Sustainable Management’ will offer a unique opportunity for groundwater scientists, water managers and planners from across the country to meet, present, and discuss critical groundwater management issues, particularly the unique challenges posed by extreme drought and future climate change. To facilitate interaction, the conference has been structured with science, management and policy streams supported by workshops and forums designed to activate discussion on specific groundwater challenges. The event is being organised jointly by the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH) and the Geological Society of Australia (GSA). To find out more visit Groundwater 2010.
The South East Qld ‘Water by Design’ Program Construction and Establishment for Swales, Bioretention Systems and Wetlands provides guidance on common construction and establishment issues associated with the delivery of vegetated Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) elements. The NSW WSUD Interim Reference Guideline – Construction and Establishment for Swales, Bioretention Systems and Wetlands was produced to enable the application of the South East Qld guidelines in NSW. To find out more visit the web page for the South East Qld guideline or download the NSW interim reference guideline.
The Zero Carbon Australia Stationary Energy Plan shows how Australia can reach 100% renewable energy within a decade, using technology that is commercially available right now. To download the plan visit Zero Carbon Australia.