Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao have reaffirmed their commitment to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol and have expressed the great importance they attach to the issue of climate change. “Both sides reiterated, in accordance with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective […]
A recommendation by the Western Australian Office of Energy (OOE) to increase residential electricity prices by 47 per cent in 2009-10 and 15 per cent the following year has been rejected by the State Government. Instead, the WA Government has decided that electricity charges for noncontestable customers (those that consume less than 50 MWh per […]
The US Department of Energy will invest up to US$5.2 million in basic research projects with 12 universities from across the country. In an effort to secure its place as a world leader in scientific research and innovation, universities selected will pair with a DOE national laboratory to maximise expertise. These research projects, ranging from […]
Failure to curb the world’s increasing emissions of greenhouse gases will lead to more severe climatic changes that will affect developing countries the most, according to a new World Bank-International Monetary Fund report. The report, Global Monitoring Report: MDGs and the Environment—Agenda for Inclusive and Sustainable Development, is an assessment of the world’s attempt at […]
Australian energy technology developer GTL Energy Limited has been selected by a major North American energy consortium to provide its coal beneficiation technology to the proposed US$1.4 billion South Heart coal to synthetic gas project in North Dakota. Under a Memorandum of Understanding, project partners Great Northern Power Development (GNPD) and Allied Syngas Corporation, said […]
Officials designing the rules of a carbon market among western US states and Canadian provinces have proposed allowing credits from other government-run emissions reduction programs to be traded in the regional market. Representatives from state environment agencies setting up the Western Climate Initiative, a carbon trading program among seven US states and two Canadian provinces, […]
The Japanese and Indonesian governments have agreed to map out an assistance package by July 2008 to help Indonesia meet challenges presented by climate change, under Japan’s $10 billion climate aid initiative. The agreement was reached after Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura and Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani met in Tokyo during the two-day meeting […]
The UN Bangkok Climate Change Talks ended with agreement on a work program that structures negotiations on a long-term international climate change agreement, set to be concluded in Copenhagen by the end of 2009. “The train to Copenhagen has left the station,” UNFCCC Executive Secretary Yvo de Boer said. “Not only do we have the […]
Australia has joined the International Carbon Action Partnership (ICAP), an association of governments working together on emissions trading. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd signed the new climate change partnership with the UK which is aimed at building a global low carbon economy and bolstering effective adaptation measures to combat increasing greenhouse gas emissions. Australia’s membership in […]
Federal Climate Change Minister Penny Wong will join Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on the China leg of his overseas trip. Senator Wong has travelled to Beijing for a series of meetings to discuss how Australia and China can work together on climate change. “Australia needs to play a constructive and active role in finding common […]