5 June 2011
Environmental degradation and climate change present fundamental challenges to international development efforts because the world's poorest communities are often the most vulnerable to their impacts.
Worldwide, over two and a half billion people depend directly on their local natural resources and ecosystems for food, shelter and income. The rural poor are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of environmental degradation.
The impacts of climate change have the potential to undermine development progress, reverse economic growth, damage critical infrastructure, and exacerbate food and water shortages; all of which can negatively impact on progress towards the Millennium Development Goals.
In line with international efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, including ensuring environmental sustainability, Australia is committed to achieving a global solution on climate change and is working to address environment and climate change considerations through overseas development assistance.
Some examples of key activities include:
Mekong Delta project
In Vietnam, considered among the countries most at risk to the devastating impacts of climate change, Australia is working in partnership with Germany and local governments to protect coastal ecosystems and address climate change through the Climate Change and Coastal Ecosystems Program.
Australia and Germany announced a five-year extension of the program in Hanoi on Friday 3 June 2011, to continue offering practical solutions to environmental hazards and to assist local governments to develop climate change adaptation plans.
Australia's contribution of $23 million is helping to educate communities about sustainable farming practices and implement a range of environmental rehabilitation and conservation activities, particularly in the low-lying Mekong Delta region, which is under mounting threat from population pressure, sea level rise and natural disasters.
Australian funding will be used to develop new farming practices to respond to saline intrusion and fencing and planting techniques to improve the survival and growth of mangroves in vulnerable coastal. These and other activities will inform national policy on coastal ecosystem management.
Global Environment Facility
On a broader scale, Australia supports international environmental sustainability efforts as a contributor to multilateral funds such as the Global Environment Facility. The facility is an independent financial organisation that provides grants to developing countries for projects related to global environmental issues including biodiversity, climate change and land degradation.
Since its establishment in 1991, the Global Environment Facility has supported more than 2700 projects in more than 165 countries. Results include more than 634 million hectares of protected areas being established, sustainable land management innovations in over 100 million hectares of production landscapes and projects expected to achieve an estimated 1.7 billion tonne reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Australia will provide $22.6 million to the Global Environment Facility in 2011-12.
Climate change assistance
Australia has committed $599 million to the international community's effort to mobilise $30 billion in 'fast-start' climate change finance between 2010 and 2013. Australia's contribution is helping developing countries plan for and respond to the impacts of climate change; pursue cleaner development pathways and reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation.
Australia's fast-start contribution is balanced between adaptation and mitigation and is fully budgeted for the fast-start period. Our funding is supporting a range of on-the-ground activities, in partnership with developing countries, communities and multilateral initiatives. These activities are addressing needs identified by developing countries and are making a valuable contribution to action on climate change.
Australia is helping build resilience to climate change impacts in key vulnerable sectors in the Pacific. In the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, for example, Australia is supporting upgrading of transport infrastructure to reduce the risk of extreme weather events and coastal erosion. In Kiribati, we are helping improve water security, build coastal resilience and strengthen government capacity to plan for and adapt to the impacts of climate change.
Deforestation accounts for approximately 18 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Under our International Forest Carbon Initiative, Australia is working with the Government of Indonesia on activities to reduce deforestation and forest degradation, including the Kalimantan Forests and Climate Partnership. The partnership is focused on reducing deforestation and peatland degradation–one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions in Indonesia.