Document Index
1999-2000 Ministerial Statements
Investing in our Natural and Cultural Heritage
Chapter 8

• Following the Prime Minister's November 1997 Statement Safeguarding the Future: Australia's Response to Climate Change the Australian Greenhouse Office has been established as the world's first dedicated greenhouse office to drive the Government's progressive agenda. There is considerable international interest in its establishment and effectiveness. As the lead Commonwealth agency on greenhouse, the Australian Greenhouse Office is responsible for promoting a whole-of-government position on greenhouse issues to the broader domestic and international community.
• The National Greenhouse Strategy was released in November 1998 and provides the strategic direction for Australia's domestic greenhouse response. The National Greenhouse Strategy incorporates measures included in the Prime Minister's Safeguarding the Future: Australia's Response to Climate Change package and a menu of new options for action across all sectors to advance Australia's greenhouse response, including measures to enhance understanding and lay foundations for adaptation to climate change.
• The Government is providing an additional $14 million over four years for Greenhouse Science. The measure will provide for continued investigation of climate systems, improving climate change models, detecting regional climate change and support for international climate change science.
• The Government is providing an additional $3.8 million over three years under the Living Cities initiative to establish a viable network of publicly accessible Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) refuelling stations with an accompanying compressed natural gas market in urban areas, as a means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution from light commercial vehicles.
• The Government supports Australia's role as a world leader in the development and implementation of effective measures to protect the stratospheric ozone layer. Strategies are being developed, and improvements made to the operation of the Ozone Protection Act to more efficiently control ozone-depleting substances.
• The Government has been active in the development and implementation of national air quality standards and strategies targeting urban air pollution.