Progress with our Climate Change Action Plan

1

• We have been including information about the impacts of climate change and greenhouse gas emissions in the State of the Environment Report since 2021. The reports are published every 3 years and the 2024 report is underway. Read the report.
• We continue to work with the NSW DCCEEW Net Zero modelling team to inform projections of future greenhouse gas emissions for New South Wales.
• We are working with the NSW Net Zero Commission, which has a statutory function to report on the State’s whole of economy progress towards its emission reduction targets.

2

Engage and collaborate with climate change experts across the NSW Government, and with other jurisdictions, as the EPA develops and implements its climate change actions

• Provided ongoing input and advice on the Commonwealth Safeguard Mechanism reforms and the Net zero sector plans for industry, resources and the built environment.
  • These reforms aim to reduce emissions at Australia’s largest industrial facilities. We are working with other states and territories on how our climate change actions can align with and complement the Commonwealth reforms, while seeking to align with each other where appropriate.
  • The sectoral emissions reduction plans support the Net Zero Plan and enable the Plan to capture the full breadth of the economy.
• Established a Climate Change Policy and Action Plan Project Partnership Steering Group with the NSW Office of Energy and Climate Change (now NSW DCCEEW), to steer the start-up of the project during 2023.
• Helped establish and continue to engage with the Heads of EPA Australia and New Zealand (HEPA) forum on climate change regulatory approaches.
  • We Chair the HEPA Climate Change Community of Practice, which is a forum to improve national collaboration and harmonisation of key actions and alignment with the Commonwealth’s Safeguard Mechanism.

• Provided presentations and updates on the EPA’s regulatory approach to climate change to the Australasian Environmental Law Enforcement and Regulators neTwork (AELERT).

• Continued to work with other cross government steering committees and working groups.

• These committees and groups help us track progress, align priorities, reduce duplication and collaborate in other ways.

3

•  Prepared the EPA’s first Change Horizon Scan (2023).
  • This helps us keep abreast of emerging issues, trends, risks and opportunities surrounding the issue of climate change and the transition to a decarbonised economy.
• Our ongoing Horizon Scans continue to inform our regulatory response to climate change.

4

• Collaborated with the Australian National University to deliver a climate essentials course for EPA staff with a focus on the Climate Change Action Plan.
• Updating our internal guidance documents for officers that explains the factors they must consider when making climate-change-related decisions.

5a

• Surveyed our licensees – holders of environment protection licences – to help us understand:
  • what they are currently doing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the impacts of climate change on their operations
  • how we can support them in doing this.
• The survey results are informing the development and implementation of other actions in the action plan. Read the results.
• Established Climate Change Industry Advisory Groups for the mining and agriculture sectors, to ensure industry and other stakeholders are well-consulted in the delivery of our action plan.
• The mining and agriculture groups first met in December 2023 and will meet at least twice a year. Read our media release.
• Established a Community and Environment Advisory Group to provide a channel for the EPA to receive advice from community and environment group representatives and experts which can be applied across the EPA’s climate change work.

5b

• Developing the draft CCMAP requirements, including monitoring, compliance and reporting obligations for licensees.

5c

• Released guidelines to support the EPA's new role in ensuring firming infrastructure operators in NSW meet their greenhouse gas emissions intensity obligations.
  • We have been working collaboratively with the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), the Australian Energy Marker Operator (AEMO) and the Consumer Trustee to prepare for our role and to ensure that we can undertake it effectively and transparently.
• Released our draft climate change assessment requirements and guidance to support proponents to adequately consider climate change through the environmental impact assessment process.
  • Our initial focus is on greenhouse gas mitigation, and once these components are more progressed, we’ll be expanding our focus to better address climate change adaptation.
  • We have also released a fact sheet to inform proponents for the activities we regulate.
• Developing a Protection of the Environment Policy for Sustainable Construction, to help to reduce embodied emissions in public infrastructure and to promote the use of recycled materials in infrastructure projects in NSW.

5d

• We are exploring options around the types of requirements needed to support and encourage our licence holders to decarbonise.

6

• Embedded the perspectives of Aboriginal peoples into our 2024 State of the Environment Report.
• Appointed Aboriginal representatives into Agriculture and Mining industry advisory groups and our Community and Environmental advisory group (Action 5a).
• Continue to seek perspectives of Aboriginal Peoples on the EPA’s climate change response, through our Aboriginal Peoples Knowledge Group.

7

• Engaged the EPA’s Environment Youth Advisory Council on our climate change policy and action plan. Members gave feedback on ways our action plan can best engage the community and licensees, such as using social media messaging and monitoring industry.
• The EPA also attended the NSW Youth Summit, where perspectives of youth in relation to climate change and climate action was shared.

8

• Continue to produce annual climate change impacts, risk and adaptation statements as part of the EPA Annual Reports, guided by the NSW Treasury framework.
• Continue to implement the climate risk mitigations identified in the EPA’s climate risk statements and EPA Annual Report.
  • We will regularly look for changes in the broader regulatory landscape which may require us to consider whether our own regulatory response should change accordingly.

9

• Continue to update on our progress implementing our action plan in our EPA Annual Reports.
  • We have also developed this webpage to provide more regular updates to the community.

10

• Awarded $6.2 million to 10 projects in round 1 and $10.4 million to five projects in round 2 of the Go FOGO grants. Round 3 opened in Sept 2024.
• Awarded $1.6 million to 9 projects under Round 1 of the Business Food Waste Partnership Grants. Round 2 opened in Sept 2024.
• Awarded $6 million to 14 projects to businesses in Round 5 of the Bin Trim Networks Program.                 
• Awarded $2.9 million to 20 projects in round 1 of the Food Rescue Grants.                 
• Continue to support the NSW food rescue and relief sector to build their capacity to safely manage increasing amounts of edible food rescued through the Food Rescue Rebates.                 
• Partnered with NSW Government agencies to fast-track new and updated material specifications to build demand for geopolymer cement applications and coal combustion products in Portland cement.
• Continue to deliver the Coal Ash pathways research partnership.

11

• Continue to support DPHI and be led by their requests for advice and feedback on proposals to progress this approach.

12

• Established the EPA’s 2023 Sustainability Partnerships.                 
• Partnered with the Australian College for Emergency Medicine to:
  • Assess the impact of climate-related events on NSW emergency departments; and
  • Develop a report on environmental sustainability practices in emergency departments
• Published a factsheet about the effects of vehicle idling on the environment and your health, and ways to reduce idling.
• Implementing a Circular Economy accelerator for local councils.
  • 58 council participants completed training in Circular Economy fundamentals and metrics. These participants were invited to participate in online workshops on behaviour change and project design
  • We will continue to review Circular Economy project plans submitted as part of the CE Accelerator, offering consultancy advice, and helping identify funding options

13

• Completed a review of our licensees’ LDAR programs and developed an implementation plan for continuous improvements via licence variations and pollution reduction programs.

14

• Published an Air Quality Toolkit for Local Government.
  • This includes guidance on climate change impacts to air quality.

15

• Developing our approach, informed by the NSW Government Resource Efficiency Policy through continued participation in the Climate Change Outcome Network led by DCCEEW.

16

• Working with the Net Zero Emissions Modelling (NZEM) team in DCCEEW to understand our licensees’ contribution to NSW emissions inventory and projections in more detail.

17

• Developed a fact sheet for proponents and licensees.
• Developing a greenhouse gas mitigation guide for the NSW coal mining sector, with other priority industry sectors to follow.

18

• Supporting advances in greenhouse gas measurement, including fugitive methane.
  • Review one example of greenhouse gas measurements in Western Sydney here.
  • We are considering opportunities to expand greenhouse gas surveys and desktop analysis of satellite data across NSW.

19

• Continue seeking feedback about innovation ideas and address relevant issues.
  • Use the results of our licensee survey (5a) to inform new opportunities
  • Requirements for CCMAPs (Action 5b) will iteratively inform us about licensee initiatives

20

• Delivering flood clean-up programs to remove eligible flood debris from impacted areas.
  • We are monitoring water quality and supporting councils, communities and the environment to recover from flood disasters.
• Engaged community in monitoring and collecting water quality information for local waterways as part of our flood recovery programs
  • Read more about programs in the East Coast (completed in June 2024) and the Darling-Baaka River (ending in June 2025).
• Updated the NSW Disaster Waste sub plan to reflect lessons learned from recent biosecurity, flood, and bushfire responses, including the influence of climate change on disaster waste management.
• Developed an Interim Mass fish kill sub plan, which details the control and coordination arrangements for the preparation for, response to and recovery from mass fish kill emergencies within NSW. Developing a Menindee specific mass fish death sub-plan.
• Developed the Wildlife in Emergencies sub plan, which details the control and coordination arrangements for the preparation for, response to and recovery from emergencies affecting wildlife within NSW.
• Completed the five-yearly review of the Environmental Services Functional Area Supporting Plan (EnviroPlan).

21

• Endorsed the detailed report on the Coastal IFOA program findings as a member of the NSW Forest Monitoring and Improvement Program (FMIP) steering committee.
• Working with the NSW Forest Monitoring and Improvement Program (FMIP) steering committee to:
  • Participate in broadscale forest monitoring and targeted research undertaken by the FMIP.
  • Ensure climate risks are identified and consequences are appropriately managed in the Integrated Forestry Operations Approvals (IFOA) as agreed by Government.

22

• Developing a high-level summary statement that informs our stakeholders about the collective actions that the EPA is taking to minimise the impacts of climate change and build resilience.

23

• Determined which sector-based initiatives should be prioritised, to help our environment protection licensees build climate resilience.
• Commissioned research into the impacts of climate change on waste transportation, storage, processing, disposal and legacy sites.
  • The EPA will continue to support preparedness and recovery in the waste sector with ongoing development of local and regional disaster waste management plans; guided by the Disaster Waste Sub Plan (under the NSW EMPLAN)
• Gathered information on potential environmental resilience initiatives to enhance preparedness for natural disaster events and in alignment with EPA’s emergency management responsibilities:
  • Initiatives are being scoped with consideration for our regulatory partners, local communities and councils, Aboriginal land managers and other public land managers.
  • We will consult with our stakeholders as we develop these programs.

24

• Analysing climate risks from survey information and published literature (see Action 5A) and prioritising sectors that may need guidance on adaptation.
• Developing climate risk assessment framework.

25

• Continuing to explore opportunities for citizen science within NSW.