Environmental Reference Information Sources
Energy Efficiency Opportunities
The Australian Government's Energy Efficiency Opportunities program encourages large energy-using businesses to improve their energy efficiency. It does this by requiring businesses to identify, evaluate and report publicly on cost effective energy savings opportunities. Participation in Energy Efficiency Opportunities is mandatory for corporations that use more than 0.5 petajoules (PJ) of energy per year. This is approximately equivalent to the energy used by 10,000 households. There are currently 211 corporations registered for the Energy Efficiency Opportunities program.
Further information on the Energy Efficiency Opportunities (EEO) program is available on the EEO web site: http://www.energyefficiencyopportunities.gov.au/index.cfm
The Department of Climate Change
The Department of Climate Change was established on 3 December 2007 as part of the Prime Minister and Cabinet Portfolio. Some of the major work that the Department of Climate Change has undertaken include the development on model legislation know as the National Greenhouse Energy Reporting (NGER) Act which will require corporations to report publically their greenhouse gas emissions if:
- The corporation controls a facility that emits 25 kilotonnes or more of greenhouse gasses (CO2 equivalent) or produce or consume 100 terajoules or more of energy or
- Their corporate group emits 125 kilotonnes or more of greenhouse gasses (CO2 equivalent) or produce or consume 500 terajoules or more of energy
The Department of Climate change also includes some of Commonwealth Governments major national initiatives on climate change which include:
- A commitment to reduce Australia's greenhouse gas emissions by 60 per cent on 2000 levels by 2050
(A major study on reducing emissions, the Garnaut Review, will report in mid-2008).
- Implementing a comprehensive emissions trading scheme by 2010 to deliver these targets
- Setting a 20 per cent target for renewable energy by 2020 to dramatically expand the use of renewable energy
- Investing in research and development on low emissions technologies
- Helping households and businesses to use energy more wisely
- Managing our land to reduce emissions
Further information on NGER and what the Australian Government is adopting to tackle climate change can be found on the Department of Climate Change web site: http://www.greenhouse.gov.au/index.html
The Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
The Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (formerly the Department of the Environment and Water Resources) develops and implements national policy, programs and legislation to protect and conserve Australia's environment and heritage and to promote Australian arts and culture
Matters dealt with by the Department
- Environment protection and conservation of biodiversity
- Air quality
- National fuel quality standards
- Land contamination
- Meteorology
- Administration of the Australian Antarctic Territory, and the Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands
- Natural, built and movable cultural heritage
- Environmental research
- Water policy and resources
- Cultural affairs, including support for the arts
- Ionospheric prediction
- Renewable energy programs
- Energy efficiency
- Greenhouse gas abatement programs
- Community and household climate action
Further information on these programs can be found on the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts web page: http://www.environment.gov.au/index.html
The National Packaging Convenant
The Covenant is a voluntary initiative, by Government and Industry, to reduce the environmental effects of packaging on the Environment. It is designed to minimise the environmental impacts arising from the disposal of used packaging, conserve resources through better design and production processes and facilitate the re-use and recycling of used packaging materials.
The Covenant establishes a framework for the effective life cycle management of consumer packaging and paper products that will be delivered through a collaborative approach. It aims to achieve, with the help of all participants, a recycling target of 65% for packaging and no further increases in packaging waste disposed to landfill by the end of 2010.
Companies, Government Agencies and Industry Associations sign the Covenant and commit to certain responsibilities which contribute to achieving the Covenant Performance Goals and KPI's. Anyone involved in the packaging supply chain is invited to sign the Covenant.
All signatories to the Covenant recognise that a co-operative approach between industry and all spheres of government is essential to achieving national consistency in the lifecycle management of packaging and paper and the implementation of sustainable kerbside collection systems.
It is important for Companies to remember that if they make a choice not to sign the Covenant they may be subject to regulation under the NEPM.
Further information on the NPC can be found on their web site: http://www.packagingcovenant.org.au/page.php?name=home
CSIRO
CSIRO, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, is Australia's national science agency and one of the largest and most diverse research agencies in the world. The CSIRO has established six national Research Flagships CSIRO and is involved in more than 740 research activities, working with leading scientific organisations in over 80 countries with partners and customers ranging from foreign governments, small companies to large multi-nationals and international foundations. Further information on the CSIRO activities can be found on their web site: http://www.csiro.au/csiro/channel/_ca_dch2t.html