Climate change

Premier’s Climate Change Action Statement

On 6 May 2007, the Premier Hon. Alan Carpenter MLA released a major statement Climate Change: Making Decisions for the Future.

The statement outlines a range of new policies and programs that the Government will be implementing to tackle climate change.

The Government has also committed to establish a new Office of Climate Change to support the roles and responsibilities of the Minister for Climate Change. The Office of Climate Change will be based in the Department of Environment and Conservation.

Click here to download Climate Change: Making Decisions for the Future (1.74 MB)

Key features of the Premier's Climate Change Action Statement

a target to reduce emissions by at least 60 per cent below 2000 levels by 2050
a $36.5 million Low Emission Energy Development Fund
a target to increase renewable energy generation on the South West Interconnected System to 15 per cent by 2020 and 20 per cent by 2025
a clean energy target of 50 per cent by 2010 and 60 per cent by 2020
State Government purchase of 20 per cent renewable energy by 2010
a mandatory energy efficiency program that will require large and medium energy users to invest in cost effective energy efficiency measures
tripling the successful solar schools program so more than 350 schools will be using renewable energy by 2010
a new $1.5 million Household Sustainability Audit and Education program that will provide practical information to households about how they can reduce greenhouse gas emissions
investing $8.625 million to help businesses and communities adapt to the impacts of climate change
the development of new climate change legislation
a commitment to establishment of a national emissions trading scheme.
The Government also committed to establish a new Office of Climate Change to support the roles and responsibilities of the Minister for Climate Change. The Office of Climate Change is based in the Department of Environment and Conservation.