Office of Climate Change
In 2007, the Queensland Government created the Office of Climate Change to lead the development of climate change policy and programs underpinned by the best available science and research.
In addition to administering the $431 million Queensland Climate Change Fund and supporting the Premier’s Council on Climate Change, the Office plays a lead role in working collaboratively across government to drive and coordinate climate change action, and includes the scientific expertise of the Queensland Climate Change Centre of Excellence (QCCCE).
Key functions of the office include coordination, implementation and review of Queensland’s climate change strategies and whole-of-government policy recommendations for achieving further cuts to the state's emissions profile, and ensuring climate change impacts are considered in planning.
The Office’s key priorities include:
- Implementing ClimateQ: toward a greener Queensland, Queensland’s revised climate change strategy.
- Implementing ClimateSmart Adaptation 2007–12 (PDF, 666K)*, an action plan for preparing Queensland communities and industries for the impacts of climate change.
- Providing information, programs and support to assist businesses and households to cut carbon, save money and become environmentally sustainable.
- Pursuing the initiatives and activities outlined in Carbon Farming in Rural Queensland to encourage and assist landholder participation in the Australian Government’s Carbon Farming Initiative and other carbon market opportunities.
- Partnering with the Local Government Association of Queensland on the Inland Flooding Study to improve Queensland's resilience to extreme flood events due to climate change.
- Implementing measures to achieve Queensland’s Q2 target of reducing Queensland households' carbon footprint by one-third.
- Implementing Driving Change: Queensland’s Electric Vehicle Policy to help prepare Queensland for the introduction of electric vehicles (EVs).
- Analysing Queensland’s greenhouse gas emissions projections and developing policy recommendations for achieving further cuts to our emissions profile.
- Providing policy support to the Premier's Council on Climate Change. The advisory council ensures Queensland’s efforts in addressing climate change are informed by the best available local and national knowledge and experience.
- Coordinating and reviewing Climate Change Impact Statements in all relevant Cabinet and budget proposals to ensure consideration has been given to the impact of decisions on Queensland’s greenhouse gas emissions profile.
Fostering international relationships to ensure Queensland remains engaged in global climate change negotiations and science to assist in the development of appropriate adaptation measures to respond to climate change.
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Last updated 4 January 2012