A Cleaner, healthier, safer environment

We are committed to ensuring the environment we leave for our children is cleaner, healthier and safer.

 

To meet the environmental challenges we are:

  • implementing a 5 year NSW Climate Change Action Plan

  • introducing a solar bonus scheme to connect households and businesses to clean energy

  • committed to deploying clean energy technologies through the Integrated Energy Strategy

 

Tackling climate change

Climate Change is one of the great environmental and economic challenges facing all of us. Australians have been international pioneers in greenhouse gas trading and a driving force in the establishment of a national emissions trading scheme.

 

We are developing and implementing a detailed NSW Climate Change Action Plan which sets out our climate change priorities and programs over the next five years.

 

We are making households, schools and businesses more sustainable through the $700 million Climate Change Fund which includes:

  • $175 million in residential rebates for hot water systems, hot water circulators, rainwater tanks, dual flush toilets and water efficient washing machines

  • $30 million for the Public Facilities Program, to support water and energy savings initiatives of government, education and community facilities

  • $20 million for the School Energy Efficiency Program, and

  • $20 million for the Rainwater Tanks in Schools Program

  • expanding sustainable transport options, including more public transport, cleaner vehicles and fuels and a new Bike Plan for NSW to make cycling a safer and easier option

  • making Government agencies carbon neutral by 2020.

 

Developing Clean Energy

We are driving major change in the energy sector, stimulating the deployment of new technologies and lower carbon fuels to ensure our future power supply is cleaner, affordable and reliable.

 

Our new Integrated Energy Strategy will focus on:

 

    Renewable Energy Sources

  • introducing a Solar Bonus Scheme for small scale, grid connected, solar photovoltaic panels to stimulate up to 10,000 new installations each year

  • creating 6 wind energy precincts with streamlined planning assessments and dedicated coordinators in the New England Tablelands, Upper Hunter, Central Tablelands, NSW/ACT Cross Border Region, Cooma-Monaro and the South Coast

    Energy Efficiency

  • implementing the NSW $150 million Energy Efficiency Strategy and driving the National Strategy on Energy Efficiency to cut energy costs, create jobs and reduce greenhouse emissions

 

    Smart power distribution grids

  • supporting large scale pilots of smart grid technology that allow whole suburbs to reduce electricity costs and demand under the Federal Government’s Smart Grid City Program.

    Lower Carbon Transition Fuels

  • Supporting natural gas supply and pipeline projects across NSW

  • Investing $100 million to support development of carbon capture and storage technology to reduce emissions from coal fired power generation.

 

Secure Sustainable Supplies of Water

The people of NSW have already embraced water saving measures. Greater Sydney now uses the same amount of water that we did in the early 1970s, despite having 1.3 million more people.

 

We will continue to protect our water supplies by:

  • increasing recycling, improving water use efficiency and increasing supply by further developing the Metropolitan Water Plan

  • securing rural and regional water supplies through the $1.1 billion Country Towns Water and Sewerage Program

  • working with the Federal and other Murray Darling Basin states to share water between the environment and users in the Murray Darling Basin

  • promoting water savings through improved on farm water use efficiencies and water delivery systems.

 

Protecting the Environment

Over the last decade, despite extreme drought, we have all worked hard to protect the health of our rivers, water quality, land and soil condition, and our diverse flora and fauna:

 

Importantly, we put an end to broad scale land clearing, one of the greatest threats to our natural environment, and are now investing heavily in repairing and restoring the health of our landscapes.

We will continue to work with our Catchment Management Authorities, landholders, industry and all levels of government to restore and enhance our environment and natural resources.

 

Improving air quality

Air quality in NSW has improved considerably in the last decade. We were the first jurisdiction in Australia to ban lead in petrol and lower the volatility of petrol, which has significantly boosted air quality.

 

We recognise that there is still room for improvement, with emissions from vehicles remaining a key source of air pollution in NSW.

Through the Action for Air Plan, we will target problem areas including ozone and particle pollution, by:

  • introducing mandatory vapour recovery technology at petrol station bowsers

  • reducing motor vehicle emissions under the Cleaner Vehicles and Fuels Strategy and exploring new approaches, such as more stringent vehicle standards for petrol vehicles

  • cutting emissions from products such as coatings and adhesives, and equipment such as commercial and domestic leaf blowers, lawn mowers and outboard motors, via tougher national standards

  • better managing industrial emissions with an updated Clean Air Regulation for ozone-forming substances from new and existing industrial sources.

 

Reducing Waste

We have implemented Waste Strategy recycling targets to be achieved by 2014 through:

  • increasing the number and type of recycling plants

  • providing consumers with more information on environmentally sustainable products

  • continuing to offer incentives to help recycling compete with landfill

  • providing performance payments to local councils so they provide best practice collection and recycling systems

  • working with the Federal Government on a National Waste Policy, including product stewardship principles and programs.