About sustainability and climate change
The Australian Government has a range of sustainable energy and climate change policies.
These policies aim to ensure that Australia's emission reductions will be the most environmentally effective, achieved at least economic cost, whilst maintaining adequate, reliable and affordable energy supplies and the international competitiveness of Australian industries.
On 10 July 2011, the Australian Government announced details of its Clean Energy Future package, including a carbon price mechanism to commence on 1 July 2012.
The Clean Energy Future Plan includes measures to ensure that Australia's energy and resources sectors can be instrumental in developing solutions for a sustainable carbon-constrained economy and help shape the future energy systems for Australia.
How is RET involved?
The Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism (RET) plays an important role in contributing to the development and implementation of Australia's sustainable energy and climate change policies.
The department has a role in a number of domestic and international measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The department also contributes to key elements of the government's strategies on sustainability and water issues, including water reform, waste, and biodiversity conservation. Business sustainability issues (including water availability and use, and corporate social responsibility) are also of importance to the energy, resources and tourism sectors, which are major employers and contributors to economic development, particularly in regional Australia.
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