Climate Change Green Paper
Fact sheet - Primary industries
Fact sheet - Primary industries (Printable version, PDF - 87 KB)
What is the Victorian Climate Change Green Paper?
- The Climate Change Green Paper is the next step in the development of a comprehensive new climate change strategy for Victoria out to 2020.
- We are seeking your feedback on:
- a) how we can adapt to the impacts of climate change that we can no longer avoid; and
b) how to capitalise on the opportunities our transition to a low carbon economy will bring.
- The Green Paper sets out five priorities for Victorian Government action. For primary industries the most relevant are:
- Help vulnerable regions, businesses and communities adjust to a carbon price, particularly the Latrobe Valley.
- Support private action to adapt to a changing climate, and undertake adaptation actions on behalf of the Victorian community to protect the environment, key public assets and manage major public risks.
- Help vulnerable regions, businesses and communities adjust to a carbon price, particularly the Latrobe Valley.
- The science is telling us that climate change is happening now and has the potential to disrupt our economy, damage our environment and diminish our quality of life. Victoria must take strong action to avoid further irreversible climate change, develop a low carbon economy and prepare for the effects of climate change we cannot avoid.
- Victoria’s agriculture, fisheries and forestry sectors illustrate the need to meet the challenge of adjustment to a carbon price and adaptation to climate change simultaneously.
- These sectors contribute significantly to the State’s wealth and wellbeing and are especially critical to the ongoing vitality of Victoria’s rural and regional economies. They also rely directly on natural systems – water, land and biodiversity – that will be fundamentally altered by climate change.
- These sectors will be affected by changing global trading markets and shifts in consumer preferences towards products with lower carbon footprints and – while agriculture is not expected to be included in the Carbon Pollution reduction Scheme (CPRS) until at least 2015 – as a carbon price flows through the economy businesses in this sector will need to adjust to meet the cost increases for energy and other commodities.
- These sectors contribute significantly to the State’s wealth and wellbeing and are especially critical to the ongoing vitality of Victoria’s rural and regional economies. They also rely directly on natural systems – water, land and biodiversity – that will be fundamentally altered by climate change.
- The impacts of the changing climate will be felt differently across Victoria’s regions. As a result, there can be no ‘one size fits all’ approach to making sure that our regions are resilient to climate change.
- One critical aspect of ensuring that our regional communities adapt successfully to the impacts of climate change is to develop a robust understanding of likely regional changes in the climate. In the short-term, the major adaptation challenge for our regions will be coping with an increasingly variable water supply. The Government is tackling this challenge by developing regional sustainable water strategies for long term water security across Victoria, through the Our Water Our Future action plan.
- Climate change will also add to the other challenges facing regional Victoria, such as unprecedented population growth and an increasingly competitive economic environment. Integrating climate change considerations into regional planning is a key challenge for many regional communities over the coming decades.
- One critical aspect of ensuring that our regional communities adapt successfully to the impacts of climate change is to develop a robust understanding of likely regional changes in the climate. In the short-term, the major adaptation challenge for our regions will be coping with an increasingly variable water supply. The Government is tackling this challenge by developing regional sustainable water strategies for long term water security across Victoria, through the Our Water Our Future action plan.
- For the latest information on what the projected effects of climate change will be for your region see Climate Change in Victoria: 2008 available at www.climatechange.vic.gov.au.
- The Victorian Government considers that the best way to assist these sectors to adapt to the reality of climate change will be to facilitate research into new technologies, systems and practices, provide businesses with the information they need to manage their own risks and support businesses to adopt best practices in managing the effects of climate change.
- The Future Farming Strategy sets out the Government’s policy to improve the productivity, competitiveness and sustainability of farm businesses.
- Climate change-related initiatives in the Strategy include:
- The Planning for Climate Change program, which gives farm businesses access to information and research about climate change, carbon markets, and reducing emissions;
- The New Technologies and Strategies program, which will provide farmers with new technologies and strategies to adapt farming systems and practices in the context of a changing climate;
- A four year program to manage climate change in Victorian fisheries and aquaculture; and
- A three year study on the resilience of agricultural businesses to various climate change scenarios.
- Further information on the Future Farming Strategy can be found at www.dpi.vic.gov.au/futurefarming.
- The Future Farming Strategy sets out the Government’s policy to improve the productivity, competitiveness and sustainability of farm businesses.
- The science is telling us that climate change, is happening now and has the potential to disrupt our economy, damage our environment and diminish our quality of life.
- Victoria must take strong action to avoid further irreversible climate change, develop a low carbon economy and prepare for the climate change effects we cannot avoid.
- The impacts of climate change will vary across Victoria. For the latest information on what the projected effects of climate change will be for your region see Climate Change in Victoria: 2008 available at www.climatechange.vic.gov.au.
- The likely introduction of the CPRS and the setting of a national target for greenhouse gas emissions reductions by the Commonwealth Government represent one of the biggest changes to the Australian economy in the last 20 years.
- The Victorian Government supports the introduction of emissions trading as the most efficient way to reduce Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions.
- While the overall impact to the Victorian economy of the CPRS is expected to be small, there will be some regions that experience adverse effects due to their current dependence on emissions intensive industries (such as coal-fired electricity generation).
- The Climate Change Action Fund (CCAF) has been established by the Commonwealth to assist in smoothing the transition to a low pollution future by providing assistance to regions, households and businesses. More information on the assistance the Commonwealth will provide is available at www.climatechange.gov.au/whitepaper/factsheets/index.html.
- The key role for Victorian climate change policy is to help people, regions, industries and communities across the State manage the transition to a low carbon economy, capture new opportunities and help the community adapt to the impacts of a changing climate.
The Victorian Government will undertake a comprehensive process of consultation over the coming months, engaging with industry, business, individuals and community groups, to help shape its new climate change framework.
How do I make a submission?
Submissions can be sent via mail or online at www.climatechange.vic.gov.au
POST addresst:
Premier of Victoria
Climate Change Submission
GPO Box 4912 Melbourne 3001
Closing date for submissions: 30 September 2009.
Further information
Victoria’s climate change website, www.climatechange.vic.gov.au, provides more details about the Climate Change Green Paper and Victorian climate change policy.
