Victoria leads the way with its Climate Change Bill: Update August 2010
The Victorian Government has recently issued two important documents regarding climate change, namely:
- The Victorian Climate Change White Paper – the Action Plan (White Paper)
- The Climate Change Bill 2010 (Bill)
The White Paper contains Victoria's action plan to combat climate change within the next four years. It is supported by the Bill and will be supplemented with an Implementation Plan, which will be issued later in 2010.
Together, these documents position Victoria as the most progressive of Australia's states and territories in tackling climate change. Among other things, we can expect:
- significant reductions in Victoria's greenhouse gas emissions
- limits on development and operation of brown coal-fired power stations
- initiatives to support investment in and uptake of renewable energy, particularly solar energy
- additional measures to promote energy efficient homes and businesses
- investment in research and development of 'clean technologies'
- establishment of new carbon sequestration rights and a market for their sale and purchase
- introduction of a Victorian agricultural offset scheme and a voluntary vehicle registration offset program
- measures to support local design and manufacture of low emission vehicles
- adoption of a state-wide Climate Change Adaptation Plan, which will identify priorities and risks of climate change across the state
To read the full Update, please download PDF