Will he advise the House what initiatives are being put in place by the Environmental Protection Agency to reduce and minimise carbon emissions?

ANSWER

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is demonstrating leadership across government with respect to reducing carbon emissions.

The Queensland Government views the risks of climate change very seriously. The Government as a whole, and not just the EPA, is working towards meeting the commitments made in December 2007 towards greater energy efficiency and less greenhouse gas production.

This includes each agency achieving reductions of 20 percent for energy use by 2015, the Government vehicle fleet achieving a 50 percent reduction in emissions by 2017 and having carbon neutral Government-owned office buildings by 2020.

Carbon neutral air travel is being achieved through the recently approved Queensland Government Air Travel Policy that requires all Departments to offset their air travel carbon emissions.

In addition to these government wide actions, the Office of Climate Change within the EPA is leading the development and implementation of a range of climate change initiatives, in partnership with relevant agencies and stakeholders.

This includes a detailed review and update of the Government's ClimateSmart 2050 strategy to provide a comprehensive platform of mitigation and adaptation measures across all sectors and the community.

A critical step for the EPA is to demonstrate its leadership in organisational sustainability. To build credibility and influence with decision-makers in government, industry and the community, the EPA must reduce its own environmental footprint.

The EPA is implementing a range of strategies to make its own operations carbon neutral. The EPA has previously estimated its annual greenhouse gas emissions to be approximately 10,600 tonnes (based on energy use, fuel consumption and air travel), and it is currently working on a detailed carbon inventory that will allow it to clearly demonstrate the impact of its own operations.

To achieve its goals, the EPA is developing a greenhouse gas abatement and mitigation plan, and evaluating the preferred longterm options of avoidance, reduction and offsetting, to identify the best economic, social and environmental outcomes.

Currently the EPA is avoiding the creation of carbon emissions through the purchase of GreenPowerTM at some sites, implementing energy efficiency measures through employee awareness campaigns and replacing old equipment with energy efficient appliances, and offsetting some of its vehicle emissions through the QFleet contract with GreenFleet to plant trees.

In future, proportionally less external offsets are expected to be required as greenhouse gas avoidance and reduction strategies are increasingly used to achieve carbon neutrality.

To ensure probity is maintained, the EPA will seek independent assurance of the Agency's carbon inventory, greenhouse gas abatement and mitigation plan and related activities to become carbon neutral.

Through these actions, the EPA is clearly leading the way in demonstrating a proactive response to climate change.