The NSW Government’s Coastal Management Program’s primary objective is to provide support to local councils to manage the risks from coastal hazards such as coastal erosion. A secondary objective of the program is to restore degraded coastal habitats. The primary objective of the Government’s Estuary Management Program is to provide support to councils to improve the health of NSW estuaries and understand the potential risks from climate change. Applications for grants under the NSW 2012-13 Coastal and Estuary Management Programs are now open. Applications close at 5pm 28 February 2012.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon made sustainable energy one of his five priorities that will guide his second 5-year term. Specifically, he will direct the United Nations to extend energy’s reach in order to combat endemic poverty. Universal access to energy, improved efficiency and enhanced deployment of renewable sources are ambitious goals, and the Secretary-General is leading a Sustainable Energy for All initiative to make them achievable.
This initiative will call for private sector and national commitments and attract global attention to the importance of energy for development and poverty alleviation. In recognition of the importance of energy access for sustainable economic development and supporting achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, the United Nations General Assembly has designated 2012 as the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All.
World Wetlands Day is celebrated internationally each year on 2 February, and involves government agencies, non-government organisations and community groups undertaking activities to raise public awareness of wetland values and benefits and promote the conservation and wise use of wetlands.
The international theme for World Wetlands Day 2012 is Wetlands and Tourism. Responsible tourism supports wetlands and people. In 2009–10 tourism directly employed over half a million Australians and contributed $34 billion or 2.6 per cent to Australia’s gross domestic product. Many tourism destinations are at wetlands, including iconic sites such as Kakadu National Park. Wetlands also provide local tourism and recreational opportunities, including boating, fishing and bird watching.
The River Basin Management Society, in association with the Catchments Australia Foundation, will be hosting the 6th Australian Stream Management Conference (6ASM) in Canberra over 3 days from the 6th to 8th February 2012.
Over the past 10 years most of Australia has experienced either severe drought or devastating floods. Much of Australia has experienced both. Is this a sign of the future? 6ASM will explore the theme of ‘managing for extremes’. Does successful management of stream systems lie in managing for the extremes? What are these extremes, and how do we predict and plan for them? What are the implications for ecological communities and monitoring and evaluation programs? How do we engage with communities and elected leaders to discuss these issues?
The Sustainable Living Festival raises awareness and provides tools for change by showcasing leading solutions to the ecological and social challenges we face. Australia’s largest and oldest, the festival attracts a large number of visitors and is staged through the engagement of hundreds of organisations and individuals.
The Australian State of the Environment 2011 Report presents a comprehensive review of the state and trends of the environment; the pressures on it and the drivers of those pressures; management initiatives in place to address environmental concerns and the impacts of those initiatives; its resilience and the unmitigated risks that threaten it; and provide an overall outlook for the Australian environment.
For the first time in national environmental reporting, SoE 2011 goes beyond a descriptive summary of evidence to include graded ‘report-card’ style assessments of environment condition and trends, pressures and management effectiveness. Also new to national State of the environment reporting in 2011 are discussions of the drivers of environmental change, resilience, risks, and future projections or ‘outlooks’.
The Bureau of Meteorology has published its first Australian Water Resources Assessment (2010). This report will assist all Australians, particularly policy-makers and planners, to understand the current state of the nation’s water resources and to assess the impact of past and present water management practices. The report has been produced as part of the Australian Government’s Improving Water Information Program.
The National Volunteering Strategy sets out the vision for volunteering, including supporting those who are currently volunteers and encouraging more Australians to participate in their communities through volunteering. The Strategy will set the direction for volunteering in Australia for the next ten years and will support organisations to adapt to changes in the ways that Australians want to volunteer.