 |
||||
|
|
Marine parks moratorium passed with O'Farrell government support The Nature Conservation Council of NSW has condemned the State government’s support for the Marine Parks Amendment (Moratorium) Bill 2011 in the NSW Parliamentlast week. A moratorium on new marine parks and sanctuary zones will be in place: 1. for the next five years; or 2. until the Ministers for Fisheries and Environment decide to lift the moratorium. The State government claims it is taking the politics out of marine parks, but their support for a moratorium on new marine parks and sanctuaries is purely politically motivated. There is no policy rationale to justify the Government's support for the moratorium. The State government already has the power to decide if and when it will declare a new marine park or alter marine park boundaries or zonings. Please contact the offices of the Premier, Minister for Fisheries and Minister for Environment and demand they explain why the Coalition government has supported this Bill. Download details here. Draft Solar and Renewable Energy Action Plan open for comment Minister for Resources and Energy, Chris Hartcher, announced two important reviews of renewable energy policy at the NSW Government Solar and Renewable Energy Summit in Newcastle on Friday.The NSW government has asked the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) to review a future price for household-generated solar energy. The review will also examine any economic gains being made by retailers under the Solar Bonus Scheme that could be distributed to assist with Scheme funding. The NSW government also announced a Solar and Renewable Energy Action Plan to guide NSW's renewable energy development. It aims at outlining how NSW can meet a renewable energy target of 20% by 2020. The Plan will be informed by the outcomes of the Solar and Renewable Energy Summit, and community consultation. The draft Solar and Renewable Energy Action Plan will be available soon at the NSW Solar and Renewable Energy Summit website. Written submissions can be made until Sunday, 31 July 2011. Read more ... Government scheme benefits flying-foxes, crops and farmers
 NSW Environment Minister, Robyn Parker, has announced implementation of an election commitment to provide orchardists with funding to protect crops from flying-foxes and the associated end of licensed shooting of flying-foxes in NSW by 2014.The new scheme started on Friday, providing orchardists in the Sydney Basin and Central Coast with $5 million of financial assistance towards the installation of full exclusion netting. Importantly, this will also be accompanied by a phase-out over a three year period of the licensed shooting of flying-foxes throughout NSW, with licences only issued after this period in exceptional circumstances. NCC representative on the NSW Flying-fox Consultative Committee, Nancy Pallin, and member group Ku-ring-gai Bat Conservation Society have played a vital role in long-running discussions between the government, farmers and conservationists for this great outcome. Watch NCC chairman Don White commenting on the announcement on ABC TV news. Read more ... Member News: Prime Minister Julia Gillard talks climate change at a special Green Capital event The Long Carbon Journey ...Keynote presentation and Q&A on climate change policy in Australia by Prime Minister Julia Gillard 8.00 am - 10.00 am. Monday, 18 July 2011 Sheraton on the Park, 161 Elizabeth Street, Sydney Ticket prices and online bookings here. Prime Minister Julia Gillard joins Green Capital for a keynote presentation and Q&A on climate change policy in Australia, followed by an expert panel discussing ‘What’s next for a sustainable future?’. Australia has amazing natural resources, smart people and technologies, and genuine homegrown visionaries with far-sighted plans for how the nation can make the transition to a clean energy, low-waste economy. It also has political parties, business lobby groups and NGOs bruised and polarised by the carbon price battle. What will this mix produce for the future? Pipe dreams, short term expediency, or new business success stories and nation-building projects for the 21st century? National Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks Last week, an international panel of experts warned the cumulative pressures on the world’s oceans, including overfishing and climate change, are pushing towards a mass extinction of marine life unprecedented in human history.The preliminary State of Oceans Report found recent scientific literature clearly shows the health of the world’s oceans has declined further and faster than previously predicted. Sharks, rays and sawfish are recognised as highly vulnerable to the combined effects of coastal habitat changes and warming sea temperatures. Read the NCC media release here. Over coming weeks you have a vital opportunity to help guide the long-term conservation of Australia's shark populations. The Federal government has just released the National Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks for public consultation. Submissions on Shark-plan 2 are open until 5 pm on Friday, 15 July 2011. Have your say now or check back at the NCC Marine Campaigns page next weekfor some dot points to guide your submission. Member News: Last chance to register for Travelling Stock Routes Conference 9.30am - 4.30pm. Thursday, 28 July 2001Orange Ex-Services Club, 231 – 243 Anson Street RSVP online by Friday, 22 July The National Parks Association of NSW, in partnership with the Grass Routes Initiative, invites you to join a range of stakeholders and interested parties for the second NSW Travelling Stock Routes (TSRs) conference. The conference aims at developing the foundations of a framework of strategic management principles for the shared and sustainable use of the NSW TSR Network. After brief welcomes and short presentations, delegates will participate in discussion groups addressing the different issues and opportunities related to TSR management. Closing the day will be the launch of The Grass Routes Bush Corridor Initiative. For more information and registration contact Kirstin at the National Parks Association on (02) 9299 0000 or email: kirstin@npansw.org.au Make a contribution to sustainability education and engagement in NSW
 The NSW Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) is working with the Australian Association for Environmental Education NSW to assess the current extent and nature of sustainability engagement and education activities in NSW.OEH is interested in hearing the thoughts and experiences of sustainability managers or officers, and people working in a paid or voluntary position using education or engagement tools around sustainability or environmental issues. Please take the 20-minute survey here. Latest EDO report explores mining issues and planning laws in NSW
 The Environmental Defender's Office (EDO) recently released a Mining Law Reform Paper to encourage discussion about the legal framework for mining in NSW, and to promote positive environmental outcomes.The paper identifies key inadequacies with the current system and makes recommendations for legislative change to make the current processes more sustainable, robust, equitable and transparent. The paper outlines the case for stronger environmental regulation and improved public participation processes. Download a copy of the EDO's Mining Law Reform Paper here. Be part of the Festival of Nature 2011: get your proposal in by Friday 15 July
|
Advertise your green
products or services in the next edition  Click here or call Jane Garcia on (02) 9516 1488 to find out more about our special rates. Inside this edition of Nature News Online
Latest NCC SubmissionsMarine park moratorium Submissions Open Positions Vacant Upcoming Events
Read our latest updates twitter.com/naturensw
|
||
Birds Australia is calling on the community to help locate and monitor breeding pairs of Australia's largest species of owl, the vulnerable-listed Powerful Owl.
