Climate change
DECC coordinates the NSW Government's response to climate change, which includes strategies to reduce emissions, encourage efficient use of water and promote adaptation research.
According to CSIRO projections, the NSW community needs to prepare for higher temperatures, less rainfall, more frequent and more severe droughts, and more extreme storms. These changes are likely to have significant impacts on agriculture, water supply, settlements and infrastructure, natural resources, biodiversity and human health.
DECC's wide range of climate change programs include:
- research to better understand the effects of climate change on biodiversity and conservation planning
- supporting improved sustainability for government buildings, including improvements in energy and water efficiency
- the Industry Partnership Program, which provides matched funding for business to improve environmental performance
The NSW Greenhouse Plan and the NSW State Plan outline the broader whole-of-government approach to reducing the impacts of climate change in NSW. Key initiatives include:
- progressing a National Emissions Trading Scheme
- providing financial support to households, schools, business and industry for water, energy and emission savings through the Climate Change fund.
- reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production and use of electricity through the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Scheme
- ensuring homes and units are designed to use less potable water and create fewer greenhouse gas emissions by setting energy and water reduction targets through the Building Sustainability Index online planning tool
Find out more on the following topics on DECC's climate change website
- more on DECC's role in responding to climate change
- an introduction to climate change, its causes and its likely effects
- information and publications on how climate change will impact NSW
- NSW government initiatives to address climate change
- international action to combat climate change
- what we can do to adapt to climate change
Page last updated: 21 February 2008