ENVIRONMENT: Your Planet Needs You Campaign, World Environment Day 5 June

Your Planet Needs You is a Landcare Australia and Coastcare joint campaign as a call to action, to get Australians motivated and engaged and doing something to help the planet on World Environment Day. So here is what Landcare Australia and Coastcare gathered about Australians:

• WE CARE: Almost all (99%) Australians recognise that it is important that we take action to improve our environment from what it is today (59% extremely important, 28% very important, 12% quite important).
• WE WANT TO HELP: 84% of Australians plan on doing something substantial to help the environment in the next week, 17% say they will volunteer.
• WE DON’T KNOW HOW? Less than 1% of Australians actually volunteer to help the environment.

The aim of the Your Planet Needs You campaign is to make it easy for people to sign up to a volunteer register, tick some boxes to say what skills they can offer (it could be anything really from hosting a BBQ to driving and even walking), and spread the message.

Please promote the Your Planet Needs You campaign through your networks.

World Environment Day 2009, commemorated each year on 5 June, is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action. The theme for WED 2009 is 'Your Planet Needs You-UNite to Combat Climate Change'. It reflects the urgency for nations to agree on a new deal at the crucial climate convention meeting in Copenhagen some 180 days later in the year, and the links with overcoming poverty and improved management of forests.

SUSTAINABILITY: Sanctuary magazine sustainable house profiles

Visit Sanctuary magazine's sustainable house profiles page and click on the locations on the map to read articles about leading sustainable homes around Australia as featured in the highly regarded Sanctuary magazine.

BUSHFIRE: Andrew Campbell on the Victorian bushfires - A perspective on fuel reduction burning

A friend in America asked Andrew Campbell to comment on media suggesting that the 7 February 2009 bushfires could have been avoided through more fuel reduction burning, and alleging that the 'green agenda' is at least in part responsible for the tragic loss of life and property - read Andrew's response. Andrew is Managing Director of Triple Helix Consulting and formerly Executive Director of Land & Water Australia.

BUSHFIRE, CLIMATE: NCC Bushfire Conference - 'Biodiversity Under Fire', Sydney, 22-23 June 2009

The Nature Conservation Council of NSW (NCC) Biodiversity Under Fire Conference will focus on ecologically sustainable bushfire management in the context of the threats to Australia’s biodiversity. There will be an emphasis on achieving best possible biodiversity outcomes. The conference will occur at a time when climate change is at the forefront of political debate and extreme weather conditions resulting in severe fire danger are occurring with unprecedented frequency and seasonality. The conference will provide an important forum for information sharing, discussion and debate.

CLIMATE: New report, 'Green Cities - How urban sustainability efforts can and must drive America's climate change policies'

The new Green Cities report showcases and supports the innovative ways in which America's cities are creating an equitable green economy. The report is based on conversations with the brightest thinkers in the field, and the findings from a survey of 40 of the country’s largest cities. Green Cities takes a step back to see what cities have accomplished, while also identifying areas in which their efforts have fallen short.

The Green Cities report is an initiative of Living Cities, a unique philanthropic collaborative of 21 of the world's largest foundations and financial institutions. Over the past 18 years, Living Cities has invested more than $600 million in American cities, leveraged into $16 billion and making a demonstrable difference in neighbourhoods throughout the nation. Living Cities is also serving as a resource to inform the usage of federal dollars available through stimulus funds and the workforce dollars associated with investments in the energy efficiency sector.

CLIMATE: Latest edition of 'CO2 News' (13 May 2009)

The 13 May 2009 edition of CO2 News includes:

• Prototype hybrid electric car to feed power back to energy grid
• Green office retrofits could boost construction industry jobs: report
• Sydney aims to set up energy generator network to supply city's power
• The WasteQ 2009 Conference and Exhibition
• 2009 Carbon Market Expo
• Local Government Sustainable Development Conference

CLIMATE, ENERGY: ATA report launch 2 June 2009: 'The Victorian Urban Wind Resource Assessment'

Join the Alternative Technology Association (ATA) on 2 June 2009 as they launch their latest report The Victorian Urban Wind Resource Assessment undertaken by ATA for Sustainability Victoria. This report looks at typical wind regimes at 10 sites within 25 kilometres of Melbourne’s CBD and comments on the suitability of urban locations for installation of micro wind turbines.

CLIMATE, ENERGY: COAG agrees to measures to improve energy efficiency of residential and commercial buildings across Australia

At it's 30 April 2009 meeting, the Council Of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed to the new expanded National Renewable Energy Target (RET) and five key measures to improve the energy efficiency of residential and commercial buildings across Australia and . COAG also reaffirmed its commitment to introducing a comprehensive National Strategy for Energy Efficiency, and agreed to reform the current rating and assessment processes for building energy efficiency standards. (Source: EnviroInfo - 7 May 2009).

CLIMATE, ENERGY, WATER: New Green Loans scheme commences on 1 July 2009

The Green Loans Program is a new Australian Government initiative to help Australians tackle climate change. The program starts on 1 July 2009 and will assist Australian families to install solar, water saving, and energy efficient products. The Green Loans Program will provide:

• detailed, quality Home Sustainability Assessments; and
• access to interest free Green Loans of up to $10,000 each to make the changes recommended in the assessment.

Anyone interested in a Home Sustainability Assessment can register now.

WATER, FUNDING: Incentives for stormwater harvesting and reuse projects

As part of the Water for the Future framework, the National Urban Water and Desalination Plan will provide investment of $1 billion for desalination, water recycling and stormwater harvesting projects to assist major towns and cities in securing their long term water supply. The Government has now decided to enhance the scope of the National Urban Water and Desalination Plan by providing greater incentives for urban stormwater harvesting projects in order to reduce the demand on potable water supplies.

WATER: CSIRO joins Water Footprint Network

CSIRO has joined a global network of private and public sector organisations which aims to promote the sustainable, fair and efficient use of the world’s fresh water. The Water Footprint Network seeks to advance the concept of ‘water footprinting’ as a means of understanding and addressing the negative impacts on freshwater systems of the production and consumption of goods and services. As a Network partner, CSIRO has conducted a range of water footprint case studies on various products – including food products manufactured by Mars Australia – and has been active in developing water footprint calculation methods. (Source: EnviroInfo - 7 May 2009).

WATER (NSW): $77m recovery package announced for Hawkesbury-Nepean River

Australian Government Parliamentary Secretary for Water, Dr Mike Kelly, has announced details of a $77.4 million funding package to help restore the health of the Hawkesbury-Nepean River in western Sydney. The package has been welcomed by the NSW Government.

POPULATION (QLD): Breakfast forum to address sustainable population in South East Queensland

Business Sustainability Breakfast Forum registrations are open for the next event on 17 July, focusing on ‘what constitutes a sustainable population for South East Queensland’. Key note speaker features the former Environment Minister, Andrew McNamara and a dynamic panel which includes: Urban Development Institute of Australia Chief Executive Officer Brian Stewart; Redland City Council Mayor Melva Hobson; Sustainable Population Australia Simon Baltais; and the Member for Noosa and Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability Glen Elmes. Everyone is invited to join Brisbane’s business leaders, agency staff, local community groups and political representatives to discuss what a sustainable population for South East Queensland could look like and whose responsibility it is to make it a reality. Queensland Conservation is hosting the forum generously supported by SEQ Catchments. So don’t delay! Register today, as registrations are essential. For further information contact the event manager on 07 5538 5109 or email Samantha Morris.

WEEDS: Draft National Plan to Protect Environmental Assets from Lantana

The National Lantana Management Group is seeking public comment on the draft Plan to Protect Environmental Assets from Lantana. This plan aims to establish a national framework to guide and coordinate Australia’s response to lantana invasion in native ecosystems by identifying the research, management and other actions needed to ensure the long-term survival of native species and ecological communities affected by the invasion of lantana. The National Lantana Management Group is seeking public comment on the draft document to ensure it addresses its stated aims and is supported by the broader community. Both positive and negative feedback is welcomed. The plan can be downloaded and submissions made via the Weeds of National Significance website. Submissions close Friday 12th June. If you have any questions please contact the National Lantana Coordinator Kym Johnson kym.johnson@dpi.qld.gov.au or lantana.plan@environment.nsw.gov.au. Additional information can be found at www.environment.nsw.gov.au/lantanaplan.

LANDCARE (NSW): NSW Landcare Forum, Port Macquarie, 9 -11 September 2009

Registrations are invited for the 2009 NSW Landcare Forum, with early-bird registrations open until 3 July 2009. The Forum, held every two years at different locations in NSW, is the premier event for landcarers in NSW bringing together around 400 natural resource managers, Landcare volunteers and landholders from across the state. This year's event is being hosted by the Northern Rivers Catchment Management Authority (CMA).

GREEN JOBS: New environmental employment figures, 'Green jobs' falling, but holding their own

Australia's first-ever snapshot of 'green collar' job advertising suggests that employment in the environment sector is out-performing the rest of the economy, despite a dramatic drop in the first quarter of this year. The figures, released by Australia's environmental job advertising website NRMjobs.com.au, show a 28.7 per cent slump in green collar job advertising over the past 12 months, compared to the Australia-wide figure for all sectors of around 45%.

GREEN JOBS: New report, 'Victoria – the Green Jobs State: Seizing the Opportunities'

Victoria – the Green Jobs State: Seizing the Opportunities was prepared by Environment Victoria to coincide with the Green Jobs Summit organised jointly by Environment Victoria and the Brotherhood of St Laurence. The aim of the report is to profile a cross-section of Victorian industries, summarise their current status and explore opportunities for their growth. The report profiles five industries: solar water heating, rail manufacturing, energy and water efficiency, recycling and wind power. (Source: EnviroInfo - 7 May 2009).