Association of Child Welfare Agencies Conference, 2008 Management and Leadership Institute

introduction Thank you for the invitation Action, not self flagellation – why has the sector come late to climate change Challenge is to empower and give children hope All good stories begin with “Once upon a time” “Good old fashioned, acceptable rain” The experience of climate change -.9 degree, - 30% over the past 50 years

Key themes Work with the facts Take a holistic view – distributed generation v’s large scale renewable generation, green generators, existing buildings v’s new buildings, Prius v’s small, efficient fleet Work together, develop agreed policy positions & generate the scale of change needed to respond to the challenge

How do I approach climate change Central element in sustainability Bruntland definition - "Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."

European Environment Agency European Environment Agency Sustainable Development Program provide future generations with the same environmental potential as presently exists (address intergenerational equity) manage economic growth to be less resource intensive and less polluting (decouple economic growth from environmental deterioration) better integrate sectoral and environmental policies (integrate sectors) maintain and enhance the adaptive capacity of the environmental system (ensure environmental adaptability) avoid irreversible long-term environmental damage to ecosystems and human health (prevent irreversible damage) avoid imposing unfair or high environmental costs on vulnerable populations (ensure distributional equity)

How I approach climate change Mitigation - limit warming to 2 degrees Transformation –Energy generation –Energy use –NABERS –regulation Adaptation

NSW Cost Curve

How I approach climate change Adaptation - Aust. Urban Housing Research Institute Preparing for and responding to natural disasters and environmental emergencies: a guide for state housing authorities Examine experiences and lessons that can be learnt from risk-management and planning as well as actual responses to natural disasters and environmental emergencies in Australia and abroad. Will take into account housing planning and contingency practices that might be put in place should such an event occur; and explore the policies required to enable SHAs and the wider housing industry to respond effectively to such an event.

How I approach climate change Mitigation – the priorities Use credible benchmarks to measure impacts Energy efficiency Renewable energy – green power Less CO2 intensive energy sources Offsets – energy efficiency

What I suggest for your organisations Establish a Working Group What can be done in organisations to make sustainability a central driver & climate change a key sustainability focus What can be done at the policy level What can be done in the services you provide to children

In your organisations Understand the impacts of activities The spaces you rent, the places you own Benchmark performance with NABERS –Energy (greenpower), water, waste, indoor air quality, transport Products you purchase

At the policy level Current policy NSW Department of Housing – replace ‘like with like’ when replacing hot water systems - electric hot water systems Energy Australia’s submission before the Australian Energy Regulator ($8.6 billion on infrastructure in next 4 years, $5 million actual on DM, 100% increase in network cost which is 50% of domestic energy bills over next 4 yr)

In the services you provide for children Working Group review of sustainability best practices in child welfare organisations internationally as a starting point Creative assessment of the opportunities Victorian program of gardens & kitchens in schools supported by Federal funding

Association of Child Welfare Agencies Conference, 2008 Management and Leadership Institute