The NSW Government released a new NSW Climate Change Policy Framework and announced a $500 million ‘Environmental future funding package’.

The Climate Change Policy Framework sets out two aspirational objectives:

• achieving net zero emissions by 2050
• NSW being more resilient to a changing climate

Two draft climate change and energy savings documents have been released for public consultation:

• Climate Change Fund Draft Strategic Plan
• A Draft Plan to Save NSW Energy and Money

Several of the recommendations outlined in Low Carbon, High Performance have been picked up in the Draft Plan to Save Energy and Money, including:

• Advocating for the Australian Building Codes Board to introduce robust, cost-effective standards for new commercial buildings(LCHP Recommendation 2.1)
• Supporting the GEMS program by advocating to the COAG Energy Council that the work be better resourced. (LCHP Recommendation 2.4)
• Improving energy efficiency for tenanted homes, potentially through performance standards, such as meeting minimum energy efficiency ratings before properties can be leased  (LCHP Recommendation 2.5)
• A mechanism for new State significant developments and major infrastructure to achieve higher sustainability and energy efficiency standards and/or implement cost effective energy-saving opportunities; and Minimum energy performance standards for hotels used by government for accommodation and events in metropolitan areas. (LCHP Recommendation 3.1)
• A program to support local councils to apply GREP and target facilities and assets which consume large amounts of energy. (LCHP Recommendation 3.2)
• Continue the Home Energy Action Program for vulnerable households (LCHP Recommendation 3.12)
• Advocating for the Commonwealth Government to require commercial buildings other than medium to large office buildings (such as retail buildings and data centres) to disclose their energy performance under the CBD program.  (LCHP Recommendation 5.3)
• Introducing a program to enable home owners and investors to assess energy efficiency performance ratings and display a rating at the point of sale. (LCHP Recommendation 5.4)

The Climate Change Fund Draft Strategic Plan also picks up on several of the State-level recommendations outlined ASBEC’s Built Environment Adaptation Framework, including improving information on local climate change impacts; improve building standards and planning requirements to take into account the impacts of climate change; and unlocking funds for local communities to respond to climate change.

The NSW Climate Change Policy Framework can be downloaded here.

The Climate Change Fund Draft Strategic Plan can be read here.

A Draft Plan to Save NSW Energy and Money can be read here.

Feedback is invited and can be given here.