Qld outlines climate change strategy

June 3, 2007 - 2:09PM, The Age

Queensland will cut its carbon emissions by over 30 per cent by 2020 under a $414 million climate change strategy unveiled by Premier Peter Beattie.

Mr Beattie told a gathering of energy experts, environmentalists and business representatives in Brisbane the plan was to have 18 per cent of the state's power generated by natural gas and 10 per cent of energy coming from renewable sources by 2020.

The wide-ranging Climate Smart 2050 report is designed to reduce emissions by 34 per cent by 2020 and by 60 per cent by 2050, based on 2000 levels of emissions.

The focus of the strategy is the creation of a $300 million Queensland Climate Change Fund, which will be used to develop new green technologies such as hydrogen fuel cells.

The fund will be set up by the sale of the Queensland government's wind farm assets around Australia and the remaining gas assets of Enertrade, which include the Moranbah to Townsville gas pipeline.

"This is about a balanced approach," Mr Beattie told reporters.

"This is a total package. It is a package that will protect jobs, protect the Queensland economy but also save the environment."

Mr Beattie said the interest from the climate change fund, expected to be about $20 million annually, will see ongoing investment in the future of climate change initiatives.

The premier said one of the biggest challenges facing the state was balancing lower emissions with the growing demand for energy due to population growth, while also supporting the local coal industry.

The next power station to be built in Queensland will use clean coal technology, Mr Beattie said.

"The reason for that is very simple, we are going to clean up our own industry base, and we are going sell this technology to the world," Mr Beattie told the gathering.

"I know that not everybody here is going to agree with it."

Also included in the report is a $55 million energy savings program, which will be set up to help businesses which use large amounts of energy implement energy saving measures.

A $50 million renewable energy fund will also promote research and development and assist in meeting the government's renewable energy goal of 10 per cent by 2020.

For Queensland residents, Mr Beattie intends to phase out all electric hot water systems from 2010, by mandating that all faulty or broken hot water systems are replaced by energy-efficient gas powered systems after 2010.

New planning standards will also be implemented by 2010, requiring commercial buildings to meet four star efficiency ratings.

As part of that plan, all government buildings will be carbon neutral by 2020.

Mr Beattie said some of the strategy outlined today, particularly the targets set for renewable energy, may need to be changed to fit any future national emissions targets.

"We'll need to have a look at what he (Prime Minister John Howard) does," Mr Beattie said.

"To be perfectly honest we're not sure there'll need to be any change at all."

Mr Beattie called on the prime minister to adopt the Queensland targets and put them in place nationally.

The climate change strategy will be open for comment from the community, business and industry for one month before it is presented to parliament.

AAP

$20 million boost for SE Qld waterways

June 1, 2007 - 8:14PM AAP

The Queensland government plans to invest $20 million over the next four years to improve water quality in the state's south-east.

Premier Peter Beattie said the funding, to be allocated in next week's state budget, would focus on practical projects to reduce rural and urban pollution, restore degraded waterways, and improve waterway health into the future.

"This will help redress the decline in water quality, reverse the rising trend of pollution reaching our waterways, and combat the predicted increase in pollution that accompanies urban expansion," Mr Beattie said.

"We need to act now to help ensure that the south-east Queensland economy and lifestyle is not affected by declining water quality."

Deputy Premier Anna Bligh said the $20 million would fund new initiatives such as practical waterway restoration projects in high-risk catchments like the Lockyer River.

"Other high-risk catchments that contribute the majority of sediment and nutrient loads to Moreton Bay, such as the Bremer and Logan Rivers, will also be the focus for investment in soil erosion control, restoration of degraded waterways and sustainable land use practices," Ms Bligh said.

AAP