“While the National Clean Coal Fund is set to receive $366 million over the next four years, support for local government transformation is to be abruptly slashed at the end of next month.
“No account has been made for the long term benefits of a program that allows councils to model low carbon footprint behaviour to their community.
“Based on the flimsiest of evidence, the program has been deemed to not be cost effective.
“The Rudd government has failed to acknowledged that the Cities for Climate Protection program enables councils to provide leadership to their community.
“With the federal government’s carbon trading scheme going nowhere and the Rees government fixated on burning more coal, councils had become the best chance of leading the community to lower carbon footprints.
“Municipalities around NSW will be left without the support to complete their milestones.
“Ending the program now is wasteful and damaging to the future of climate change mitigation.
“The Rees government should not sit on its hands while Cities for Climate Protection folds.
“For less than $1.5 million a year, they could ensure that communities around NSW continue to benefit from local government action on climate change,” Dr Kaye said.
For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455
See http://www.smh.com.au/environment/funding-for-climate-change-initiative-axed-20090526-bm7u.html for the full story.
