Victorian Climate Climate Change Summit 4 April 2008

On 4 April 2008, the Victorian Government conducted a Climate Change Summit. Held at Parliament House and attended by 100 delegates – a broad range of Victorian organisations, businesses and community interest groups – CFA was represented by Chief Officer Russell Rees.

The Summit focused on a range of issues that will ultimately lead to the production of a Green paper on Climate Change in the next six months. This will be followed by a White Paper and then a Climate Change Bill.

Climate change, Government policy, and the adaptation and mitigation strategies required by Government will have profound impact on CFA’s business into the future. CFA will need to become increasingly involved in formal and informal processes at all levels in relation to climate change strategies and programs.

Discussion groups were led by Government ministers on the following subjects.

1. Reducing emissions in the energy and transport sectors.
2. Positioning Victoria to capitalise on the transition to low carbon economy.
3. Assisting households to manage rising food prices, energy transport and water.
4. Increasing the resilience of Victoria’s regions and communities to climate change.
5. The economic case for change.
6. Positioning Victoria for a leadership role in a national response to climate change – Victoria’s Climate Change Bill.

The Government made a very strong commitment to this issue and to the engagement and consultative process surrounding the Green and White Papers and the Climate Change Bill.

A range of alliances and partnerships have developed across Victoria on the issue of Climate Change. Many of these alliances are at the local government level, industry level or at a landscape level. It is clear that in some locations across Victoria, CFA brigades are already active in these partnerships and alliances.

Copies of the Victorian Climate Change Summit paper entitled “A Climate for Opportunity”, together with the communiqué and the recently released Green Paper are all available from the website www.climatechange.vic.gov.au or via DSE's homepage: www.dse.vic.gov.au.