WETLANDS: World Wetlands Day 2 February 2009

World Wetlands Day is celebrated internationally each year on 2 February. It marks the anniversary of the signing of the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Convention) in Ramsar, Iran, on 2 February 1971. The international theme for World Wetlands Day 2009 is "Upstream-Downstream: Wetlands connect us all". This is in recognition of how interconnected we all are within river basins and the impact that activities upstream have on the lower parts of a river catchment. For information on World Wetlands Day events around Australia visit the Water for the Future website.

WETLANDS & WATERWAYS: Come along to the official opening of a new fishway at Sydney Olympic Park, 2 February 2009

Sydney Olympic Park Authority, the Sydney Metropolitan Catchment Management Authority and the NSW Department of Primary Industries (Fisheries) invite you to attend the opening of the Boundary Creek Fishway. This fishway was constructed to improve fish passage though a concrete culvert in Boundary Creek. For further information please see the event invitation and the project overview. All welcome, however please RSVP to Sara Galland by the 27 January on 02 9714 7870 or sara.galland@sopa.nsw.gov.au.

WATERWAYS: Call for Papers, THECA Bushcare Forum: Caring for our Waterways: 'Clear' or 'Muddied'?

This year, THECA will be holding its ninth Bushcare Forum: Caring for our Waterways: 'Clear' or 'Muddied'? The Forum will explore the current and future management of SEQ waterways and how best to manage these for the long-term future and sustainability of South East Queensland biodiversity. The subtitle ‘Clear’ or ‘Muddied’? refers to both the health of the waterways and their management. Proposals for presentations are now being sought - for further information please contact Rachel Griffiths, Forum Convenor on 07 3374 2656 or rachelgriffiths8@bigpond.com. The Forum will be held on 9 May 2009, at the Queensland Centre for Advanced Technologies, Pullenvale, Qld 4069.

COASTS: Queensland Coastal Conference, Gold Coast 12-15 May 2009, early bird registrations available until 28 January 2009

After the resounding success of the inaugural Queensland Coastal Conference in 2007, the 2009 'Waves of Change' Queensland Coastal Conference is an opportunity to broaden your understanding of how management and planning of the Queensland coast is evolving.

The conference is not just about learning of new developments in natural resource management, but will be a balanced discussion of practical, on-ground coastal management and the policies and programs that inform coastal zone management in Queensland. The program will feature a number of outstanding speakers, several concurrent sessions, workshops and poster presentations. It will attract over 250 delegates from Queensland and beyond and provides a wonderful opportunity to meet and extend contacts.

Delegates will include Commonwealth, State and Local Governments, Natural Resource Management regional bodies, leading research and education organisations, coastal and marine industries, coastal and marine consultants, managers, planners and engineers, NGOs, user groups, indigenous groups and many other community organisations.

COASTS: New Bitou bush management manual

Australian Government Minister for the Environment Peter Garrett has launched the new Bitou bush management manual at La Perouse, on Sydney’s south-eastern coastline.

Mr Garrett said the aggressive coastal weed bitou bush was one of 20 Weeds of National Significance (WoNS) and could out-compete or even totally eliminate native flora. In addition, the weed, which has invaded 80 per cent of the New South Wales coastline, could threaten the habitat of native fauna such as the eastern bristlebird, little tern and beach stone curlew.

La Perouse is home to the endangered ecological community Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub. This community of native species once occupied about 5300 ha between North Head and Botany Bay in the Sydney Basin Bioregion. Due to various threats including the invasion of exotic species like bitou bush and lantana, only 146 ha of the Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub remains on small pockets of land.

ENVIRONMENT: Latest issue of EnviroInfo, 15 January 2009

The 15 January 2009 issue of EnviroInfo includes:

General News

1. New steps for Green Car Plan announced
2. New study shows a drop in NSW emissions
3. Sea water transfer from Coorong to Lake Alexandrina to be assessed under EPBC Act
4. New greywater testing protocol developed
5. More than 50 councils join NSW water saving program

Conferences & Events

1. Sustainable Supply Chain forum
2. NSW Sustainable Development Conference
3. Sixth Australian Conference on Life Cycle Assessment: “Sustainability Tools for a New Climate”
4. Melbourne Planning Summit
5. Local Government Sustainable Development Conference - Call for Papers

CLIMATE: Latest issue of CO2 News, 21 January 2009

The 21 January issue of CO2 News includes:

News

1. New study shows a drop in NSW emissions
2. Funding available for Victorian councils to implement 'green' office program
3. All Tasmanian councils to undertake greenhouse gas emissions audits
4. Many councils may have to participate in emissions trading due to landfills
5. Energy efficiency initiatives save councils millions

Conferences & Events

1. Sixth Australian Conference on Life Cycle Assessment: “Sustainability Tools for a New Climate”
2. Ozwater09
3. Melbourne Planning Summit

CLIMATE, FOOD SUSTAINABILITY: ScienceAlert feature article, 'Food policy imperatives in a warming, drying world'

Andrew Campbell
20 January 2009

We have recently been reminded of how easily the immediate swamps the important. Collapsing world credit markets and myopia on Wall St are of course important, but in the long view they are but an artefact of a financial system out of whack with the fundamentals of production, distribution and consumption.

Ross Garnaut rightly points out that climate change and the imperative to tackle it will be around long after the current financial crisis has washed through our superannuation statements and the credibility of bank executives and financial markets. As both Garnaut and Nicholas Stern have observed, climate change represents the world’s biggest market failure.

Now is exactly the time to be rewiring, re-stumping and re-plumbing the economy in order to meet the environmental challenges ahead. A key emerging issue in the climate change debate that exemplifies this challenge is food...

Read the full article here.

FOOD SUSTAINABILITY: New book, 'The No-Nonsense Guide to World Food' (Wayne Roberts)

Food security is a topic that is increasingly in the public consciousness. Covering fast food, health food, institutional food, and more, 'The No-Nonsense Guide to World Food' shows how “real food” has become increasingly scarce, dominated as it is in the West by agri-business and supermarkets. In the no-nonsense tone for which these guides are known, Wayne Roberts covers nutrition, health, economics and more. He also gives examples of effective food-ways being developed by individuals, communities, and governments.

An essential guide to this important issue, 'The No-Nonsense Guide to World Food' will appeal to students, food professionals and activists, public health staff and concerned citizens - anyone who aims to understand the world food system and how it can be improved.

SUSTAINABILITY, ENVIRONMENT: New 'Vital Planet' website, interviews with prominent leaders and unsung heroes

Vital Planet contains interviews with highly credible people whose work is contributing to a sustainable future - in the areas of Environment & Science, Wellbeing & Fullfillment, and Sustainable Business. With serious issues such as climate change and the 'spin' from special interests, the not for profit Vital Planet organisation believes that it is vital that these important voices can be heard by a greater number of people.

SUSTAINABILITY: 'Onya Soapbox' Poster Presentations can now be viewed online

The USSA (Urban Sustainability Support Alliance) co-ordinated a unique poster presentation session for NSW sustainability practitioners at the Department of Environment and Climate Change/NSW Environmental Trust Integrating Sustainability in Local Government Symposium.

Ten local government presenters got on the USSA soapbox and shared their approach to a sustainability project or issue. Posters topics ranged from an Eco-fashion Show to converting a Pool to a Pond to Retro-fitting diesel engines.

The case study YouTube clips recorded on the day and copies of the posters can be accessed through the USSA website.

POPULATION: New Book, 'Overloading Australia' (Mark O'Connor and William Lines)

Greenhouse gases going up. Oil and gas depleting. House prices exploding. Overloading Australia explains why - and how to stop it. The press of numbers on this continent affects us all - those living, as well as those yet to be born. To talk of saving the environment or of climate change is meaningless if we won't address population - a subject some think too hot for public debate. In a score of punchy chapters, authors Mark O'Connor and William Lines challenge the myths, expose the facts, and dent the denial industry. They blow the whistle on population-foolish policies that lead to clogged roads, water shortages, scarce food, and no place for refugees. They provide new ways to think about these issues and arguments covering a limit to Australia's future population-size. This is a book that will revolutionise the green and political debates, on population and immigration, currently, one of the hottest political issues.

RENEWABLES: 'Green light for Central Victoria Solar City'

The Hon Peter Garrett AM MP
Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts
Media release 10 December 2008

A further achievement in Australia’s comprehensive response to combat climate change was realised today with the sealing of Australia’s fifth Solar City agreement, Environment Minister Peter Garrett, said.

Supported by $14.9 million from the Australian Government, the Central Victoria Solar City is a $41 million project jointly driven by Bendigo Bank, Origin Energy, PowerCor, a number of local municipalities and the Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance and its commercial arm, ZCO2e.

"The agreement is the latest milestone in the Australian Government's $94 million Solar Cities initiative which is integrating solar technologies, energy efficiency and large-scale community engagement to tackle climate change," Mr Garrett said.

"The Central Victoria Solar City covers one fifth of Victoria and involves 14 municipalities, industry, businesses and local communities working together to rethink the way energy is produced and used...

Read the full media release here.

FUNDING: Become a Living Donor - Vodafone 'World of Difference' Program

It takes a Living Donor to make a difference in this world. Someone willing to give everything they’ve got - their heart, brain, determination and all the rest – to change the world for the better. The Vodafone Australia Foundation is for looking for Living Donors to take part in the 2009 World of Difference Program. While you donate all of yourself to the charity or non-profit organisation of your choice for a year, we’ll pay you a salary of up to $50,000 and cover $25,000 in related expenses. Past World of Difference Graduates have included people who have donated to environmental non-profit organisations. Applications close Friday 6 February 2009.

SUSTAINABILITY, BIODIVERSITY: Living Planet Report 2008

Every two years, Global Footprint Network along with WWF and the Zoological Society of London issues the Living Planet Report, which uses complementary measures to explore the changing state of global biodiversity and of human consumption. The report documents the extent of human pressure on the planet, how that compares across nations, and how it is impacting the natural world. The Living Planet Report 2008, released October 29, 2008, shows that at the current rate humanity is using natural resources and producing waste, by the early 2030s we will require the resources of two planets to meet our needs.

BIODIVERSITY: Urban Biodiversity: A Social Psychological Investigation into Landscape Preference within the Suburban Backyard

The successful establishment of biodiversity corridors in urban areas requires the behavioural involvement of local residents in terms of their gardening practices, that is, gardening for habitat protection. This study by the Murdoch University School of Psychology investigates exactly how local residents perceive different kinds of gardens and whether such preferences might have an impact on their willingness to incorporate habitat-providing elements (e.g., native plants) into their own gardens. The study also aimed to investigate some of the attitudinal factors that might influence residents’ preferences for different kinds of gardens.

BUILT ENVIRONMENT: Green Cities 09 Conference/Expo, Brisbane 1-4 March 2009

A joint initiative of the Green Building Council of Australia and the Property Council of Australia, Green Cities 09 has the theme "Valuable, Affordable, Sustainable". This is your opportunity to join other green building innovators and decision makers to explore new ideas in sustainable building and learn about the latest industry developments, techniques and strategies.

GREENSPACE: Urban Greenscapes Symposium 2009, Canberra 17 February 2009

Climate change continues to be a huge global and national issue and all green-life stakeholders including nursery, landscapers, all levels of government, architects, urban planners, builders and NGO's are well positioned to take advantage of the shift in sentiment by positioning green-life and plants as part of the solution.

While everyone equates trees with healthy environmental messages as evidenced by the growing number of corporate brands that advertise tree planting as a way of offsetting the environmental footprint from use of their products, the nursery industry and all other green-life stakeholders are still struggling to get a place at the political table to have an impact on environmental policy development and planning.

The nursery & garden industry is hosting the Symposium to unveil the benefits of plants and green-life in the urban landscape and bring together all stakeholder groups to drive unity of message and create a stronger platform on which to engage government.

With international speakers such as Dr Greg McPherson project leader for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Centre for Urban Forest Research, and other well known experts, environmental scientists, academics and researchers, the Symposium will highlight the benefits of green-life by discussing how increased urban planting can provide solutions to some of the environmental and health issues we are facing today.

HEALTH, SUSTAINABILITY, NRM, CLIMATE: Healthy Cities Conference 2009, Gold Coast 25-27 March 2009

The Healthy Cities Conference will be a platform for Government and Industry sector professionals to consider health, sustainability, natural resource management, climate change and the implications for public policy. Participants will also examine issues that effect Federal, State and Local Government agencies. The future will present some exciting challenges , what do we need to meet these challenges and how will it effect the way we live and work?

The Conference will feature keynote presentations along with four concurrent streams, each designed to address the Conference themes:

• Managing population and economic growth - what is sustainable?
• Climate Change Adaptation
• Managing Communicable Disease Outbreaks - Health Security
• Population Health Management - immunisation, bio security, food safety and epidemic control
• Managing Natural Resources
• City Design - designing changes to urban life to encourage Physical Activity, Healthy Cities
• Disaster Management - public welfare - recovery and rebuild
• Managing Legislation and Policy

FIRE MANAGEMENT: AFAC/Bushfire CRC Conference 22-24 September 2009, call for papers by 1 February 2009,

‘Meeting Expectations’ is the theme for the 2009 AFAC (Australasian Fire & Emergency Service Authorities Council)/Bushfire CRC Conference. It will examine the expectations of government, community, industry and itself. How do the emergency services interpret and meet the expectations of all these groups? How do they measure, understand and respond to the often contradictory demands and expectations from various sectors? What are we really striving to achieve? There will also be increased emphasis on issues facing urban firefighting and SES activities. The conference will cater to urban and rural fire, state emergency services, land managers, local, state and federal government, private industry and community groups. The call for papers is now open and closes on 1 February 2009.

CLIMATE: NSW Community Climate Summit, Sydney 19-21 February 2009

The first of its kind in NSW, the Community Climate Summit will provide an opportunity for everyday Australians to discuss our response to the critical issue of climate change and to make recommendations to the NSW Government. The NSW Minister for Climate Change and the Environment, Hon Carmel Tebbutt MP, will open the summit and will receive the community’s recommendations after the event.

Climate change will impact on all Australians, now and in the future. It is therefore vital that we hear from a diverse and representative mix of everyday citizens, who have a critical perspective, in considering our response to the challenge of climate change.

The Nature Conservation Council of NSW is undertaking a broad recruitment drive inviting community members who are non aligned with the environment movement to register for the summit, and they need your help to spread the word - click here and scroll down to find out how you can help.

PLANNING: Melbourne Planning Summit, 29-29 April 2009

The Melbourne Planning Summit will provide an opportunity for discussion and review of latest developments in urban planning in Melbourne, as well as facilitating the exchange of ideas on how to achieve sustainable planning objectives. The conference will cover issues including Melbourne's urban growth planning update, the new Victorian transport strategy, lessons learnt from the Melbourne 2030 Audit, urban expansion, the role of planning in achieving better environmental outcomes, factoring climate change into planning and infrastructure decisions, and water management and water sensitive urban design. It will feature sessions on innovative urban partnerships and planning best practice case studies.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT NRM: Survey, Capacity of NSW Local Government to engage and participate in Natural Resource Management

This survey report, prepared by the Local Government and Shires Associations of NSW, identifies the varying capacity councils across NSW have to engage and participate in NRM and it highlights areas where councils might need support to strengthen their delivery of NRM.

INFORMATICS: New book, Handbook of Research on Urban Informatics: The Practice and Promise of the Real-Time City

Alive with movement and excitement, cities transmit a rapid flow of exchange facilitated by a meshwork of infrastructure connections. In this environment, the Internet has advanced to become the prime communication medium, creating a vibrant and increasingly researched field of study in urban informatics.

The Handbook of Research on Urban Informatics: The Practice and Promise of the Real-Time City brings together an international selection of 66 esteemed scholars presenting their research and development on urban technology, digital cities, locative media, and mobile and wireless applications. A truly global resource, this one- of-a-kind reference collection contains significant and timely research covering a diverse range of current issues in the urban informatics field, making it an essential addition to technology and social science collections in academic libraries that will benefit scholars and practitioners in an array of fields ranging from computer science to urban studies.