| Date | Initiative | About |
|---|
| Key policies and programs |
|---|
| 1997 | GreenPower | A scheme for voluntary purchase of electricity generated from accredited renewable resources, such as the sun, wind, landfills and biogas |
| 1998 | Carbon Rights Legislation Amendment Act 1998 No. 124 (pdf, 49 KB) | NSW was among the first jurisdictions internationally to legislate carbon rights for the purposes of emissions trading. |
| 1998 | National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) | The world's first performance rating tool to assess energy efficiency in buildings |
| 2003 | Native Vegetation Act 2003 | Prohibits broad-scale land clearing to protect plants and animals from salinity, soil erosion, changes to the water table, and loss of habitat. Land clearing has historically contributed significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. |
| 2003 | NSW Greenhouse Gas Reduction Scheme (GGAS) | The NSW Government continues to operate the world's second-largest emissions trading scheme, with over 122 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions saved or offset since GGAS started in 2003. |
| 2004 | BASIX | The Building Sustainability Index which ensures that all new residential development in NSW is water and energy efficient. |
| 2005 | NSW Greenhouse Plan | A strategic approach to combating climate change in NSW from 2005 to 2008 and beyond, the plan sets out actions to reduce NSW Government emissions and work with other stakeholders to reduce emissions from their activities. |
| 2005 | Energy Savings Action Plans | The NSW Government requires high energy users and local councils in NSW to prepare Energy Savings Action Plans. Plans involve determining current energy use, undertaking a management review, undertaking a detailed technical review, and assessing and identifying savings measures. |
| 2007 | Climate Change Fund | Financial support to help businesses, households, schools, communities and government save water, energy and greenhouse gas emissions. The fund has grown from $340 million to $700 million. |
| 2008 | NSW Government Sustainability Policy | This policy sets targets and strategies for the NSW Government to lead by example in sustainable water use, reducing greenhouse gas emissions from energy, waste and fleet management, and sustainable purchasing. |
| 2008 | Energy Efficiency Strategy | $150 million for a range of measures to assist families and businesses save money and help the environment by reducing the growth in energy use and the state's greenhouse gas emissions |
| 2009 | Renewable Energy Precincts | Six Renewable Energy Precincts were established in areas where significant future renewable energy development is expected - especially wind farms - to give local communities a voice and a stake in renewable energy development. |
| 2009 | NSW Energy Savings Scheme | The most comprehensive energy efficiency scheme in Australia, giving NSW businesses the same kind of secure investment conditions for energy efficiency that the Australian Government's Renewable Energy Target provides for investors in renewable energy. The scheme reduces future rises in household electricity bills by an average of up to $50 each year and cuts greenhouse gas pollution. |
| 2009 | NSW Sea Level Rise Policy Statement and NSW Coastal Planning Guideline: Adapting to sea level rise | The policy statement sets out the NSW Government's approach to sea level rise, the risks to property owners from coastal processes and assistance that the Government provides to councils to reduce the risks of coastal hazards. The planning guideline demonstrates how sea level rise is being incorporated into land-use planning and development. |
| 2009 | Reforms to coastal erosion management in NSW | Coastal communities and local councils are facing difficult issues associated with coastal erosion along the NSW coastline. The NSW Government has designed this coastal erosion reform package to focus on appropriate actions and provide a broader toolkit for both councils and communities when they are adapting to these challenging circumstances. |
| 2010 | NSW Solar Bonus Scheme | Financial support for small-scale renewable energy generators |
| 2010 | NSW BikePlan | The NSW BikePlan outlines a 10-year plan for rolling out cycling infrastructure in NSW. This $158-million plan is providing funding for bicycle infrastructure projects across NSW. |
| 2010 | Environmental Upgrade Agreements | Allows councils to enter into environmental upgrade agreements with the owners of certain buildings and finance providers as a way of funding works to improve the energy, water or environmental efficiency of those buildings |
| 2010 | Strategic Direction G of the Metropolitan Plan: Tackling Climate Change and Protecting Sydney's Natural Environment including a Sydney Adaptation Strategy | Metropolitan Plan for Sydney 2036 includes specific actions to tackle climate change under Strategic Direction G. One of these actions is to develop a climate change adaptation strategy for Sydney in collaboration with councils. The strategy will provide a clearer picture of the particular exposure and vulnerabilities within Sydney to the impacts of climate change. |
| Taskforces and working groups |
|---|
| 2009 | Electric Vehicles Taskforce | Established to explore opportunities and barriers to the uptake of electric vehicles in NSW |
| 2009 | Solar Flagships Taskforce | Established to secure a large-scale solar power project for NSW through the Australian Government's Solar Flagships Program |
| 2010 | NSW Infrastructure Panel | The Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) led the NSW Infrastructure Adaptation Panel with support from the Australian Green Infrastructure Council. The panel aims to build relationships with infrastructure stakeholders on climate change adaptation; help develop understanding of the long- and short-term vulnerability and resilience of infrastructure; and develop effective approaches to reduce the vulnerability to climate change of NSW infrastructure assets now and into the future. |
| 2009 | Climate Change Science Research Network | Recognising the growing need for new and expanded climate change information, the network was established to provide independent technical advice to help target our climate change research and determine future priorities. Members include leading academic researchers from a range of disciplines from NSW universities as well as the Bureau of Meteorology and representatives from OEH. By collaborating with the NSW research community, OEH is helping ensure that climate change research is timely and relevant to decision-makers. |
| Key framework and priority setting documents |
|---|
| 2010 | NSW Climate Impact Profile | The NSW Climate Impact Profile is the first integrated assessment of the biophysical changes projected for the state as a result of climate change. It outlines some of the risks NSW faces to help decision-makers develop their planning and response strategies. |
| 2010 | South East Integrated Regional Vulnerability Assessment | OEH is working on a cross-government project to assess the vulnerability of communities in south-east NSW to climate change. This project will study the potential climate change impacts on human health, human settlements, water, agriculture, tourism, major infrastructure, natural landscapes and emergency services. |
| 2010 | Impacts of Climate Change on Natural Hazards Profiles | The profiles provide information on NSW's exposure to eight natural hazards (fire, wind, lightning, hail, flash flooding, riverine flooding, heatwaves, and coastal erosion and inundation); and projections of future changes to these natural hazards due to climate change. |
| 2010 | Priorities for Biodiversity Adaptation to Climate Change | Addressing the impacts of climate change on biodiversity will require a long-term effort and new ways of thinking. To help species and ecosystems cope with climate change, OEH has developed these priorities for action. |
| 2008 | Climate Change Research Priorities for Primary Industries: Discussion paper | Forecasts of changing weather patterns present primary industries with particular challenges in how to predict, adapt to and mitigate against the impacts of climate change. This paper outlines the causes and effects of climate change, the impacts on primary industries, actions currently being taken by the Office of Resources and Energy and identifies future research priorities. |
| 2010 | Business Opportunities in a Low Carbon Economy | In 2010 the NSW Innovation Council commissioned Ernst & Young to report on opportunities for NSW arising from the transition to a low carbon economy. The study investigated growth opportunities across eight industry areas: grid solutions, green buildings, waste conversion, low emissions vehicles, solar, wind, geothermal energy and business services. |
