Climate Change is an issue that affects all Tasmanians.

Scientific consensus is that the changes in the climate we are starting to experience are almost certainly largely caused by human activity.

While the anticipated repercussions of climate change are indeed daunting it does present us with an opportunity to re-evaluate how we are using energy in our lives – as individuals, as a government and as communities.

There are many simple things we can all do to change the way we live and reduce our impact on the climate. The State Government believes that Tasmania has the scope to do more than just adapt to the changes ahead. With our large renewable energy base, Tasmania can seize new opportunities and be a leader in the new carbon-constrained world. There is the potential for Tasmania become a place where people can live or visit, and know they are contributing to the solutions, not the problems.

The Premier has launched an awareness campaign that encourages everyone to take action and ‘Earn Your Stars’. A series of  video clips which will be broadcast on Tasmanian television and made available via YouTube, are the first step in spreading the message that every member of the Tasmanian community can make a contribution to reducing the State’s carbon footprint. 
A new website www.climatechange.tas.gov.au has been launched that helps Tasmanians learn more about climate change, calculate their own greenhouse gas emissions, find out what action they can take now, and contribute ideas to this complex, fast-moving debate.

On the website you will also find the Tasmanian Framework for Action on Climate Change.

The Framework outlines new State Government initiatives aimed at reducing emissions, adapting to change, seizing opportunities and contributing to global solutions. The most significant of these is a major 'wedges' analysis of the Tasmanian economy that will identify measures that can be taken across different sectors of our economy to reduce emissions in pursuit of our legislated target of 60 per cent below 1990 levels by 2050. This analysis will inform the setting of interim and sector-based emissions reduction targets which will be in place by the end of 2009. There are also more new initiatives and ideas for future action in the Framework.

The Commonwealth’s carbon pollution reduction scheme will be the main mechanism used in Australia to reduce emissions, and states and territories have agreed not to implement programs which might inadvertently compromise the scheme’s effectiveness. Once there is better understanding of what the scheme will mean for Tasmania, the State Government will be able to build on initiatives announced in the Framework with more action. More information on the Commonwealth’s carbon pollution reduction scheme can be found at: http://www.climatechange.gov.au/greenpaper/index.html.

Tasmania accounts for just 1.4% of the nation’s emissions and Australia only 1.2% of global emissions. That means that any changes made as a state are likely to have limited impact, it is however, important for Tasmania to show leadership and acknowledge that we have an obligation to look after our environment for future generations.