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Media Releases |
Media Release - Minister's Office Sydney: 2 November, 2009 BARANGAROO TO BE ONE OF THE WORLD’S FIRST CLIMATE POSITIVE CITY PRECINCTS Barangaroo will be a world leading ecological development, with the NSW Government today announcing the project will enter the Clinton Climate Initiative’s Climate Positive Development Program. Planning Minister, Kristina Keneally, will today sign the agreement with Chairman of the Clinton Climate Initiative, Ira Magaziner. “Sydney’s new city waterfront precinct will join just 16 other developments around the world which are working with the Clinton Climate Initiative to be Climate Positive,” Ms Keneally said. “Barangaroo will be one of the first CBD districts in the world to be carbon neutral, water positive and generate zero waste. “Today’s inclusion of Barangaroo in the Climate Positive Development Program demonstrates the NSW Government’s continued commitment to fighting climate change.” Ms Keneally said Barangaroo will have a positive ecological and social footprint, by:
Ms Keneally said the announcement today builds on Premier Nathan Rees’ July 2009 signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Clinton Climate Initiative. “That partnership will address climate change, focusing on ways to accelerate deployment of low emission technologies in government-owned buildings,” Ms Keneally said. “That same partnership will also see the NSW Government and the Clinton Climate Initiative working together to identify opportunities for commercial-scale solar projects. “Together the MOU and today’s announcement are solid demonstrations of the NSW Government’s commitment to tackling climate change head on: in practical, measurable and significant ways.” Chairman of the Clinton Climate Initiative, Ira Magaziner, welcomed the news. “I congratulate Barangaroo on its vision and approach in creating a property development that will minimize its environmental impact,” Mr Magaziner said. “By participating in the Climate Positive Program, Barangaroo will help to set new standards in urban development and hopefully inspire other developments across Sydney and the world to follow.” Launched in May 2009 by the Clinton Climate Initiative, a program of the William J. Clinton Foundation, in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council, “Climate Positive” supports the development of large-scale urban projects striving to reduce the amount of on-site CO2 emissions to below zero. FACT SHEET: The Climate Positive Development Program was created by the Clinton Climate Initiative, in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), to meet the dual challenge of rapid urban growth and climate change by setting a new global benchmark for leadership in large-scale urban development. Launched in May 2009, the program supports the development of large-scale urban projects that will demonstrate that cities can grow in ways that are “climate positive,” striving to reduce the amount of on-site CO2 emissions to below zero. Specific program deliverables include the creation of a ‘Climate Positive’ greenhouse gas metric and measurement standard as well as project technical support, business and financial analysis, and partnership facilitation. ABOUT THE CLINTON CLIMATE INITIATIVE The William J. Clinton Foundation launched the Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI) to create and advance solutions to the core issues driving climate change. Working with governments and businesses around the world to tailor local solutions that are economically and environmentally sustainable, CCI focuses on three strategic program areas: increasing energy efficiency in cities, catalyzing the large-scale supply of clean energy, and working to measure and value the carbon absorbed by forests. In each of these programs, CCI uses a holistic approach to address the major sources of greenhouse gas emissions and the people, policies, and practices that impact them. CCI serves as the action arm of the C40, an association of large cities around the world that have pledged to accelerate their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. To learn more about the work of the Clinton Climate Initiative and the William J. Clinton Foundation, please visit www.clintonfoundation.org. ABOUT BARANGAROO Barangaroo will be a new 22 hectare commercial, residential and leisure precinct on Sydney Harbour, creating a vibrant new western edge for the city. This waterfront development will lead global benchmarks in sustainability and urban design. It will help reinforce Sydney’s position as a premier hub in the region for global companies. It will attract new businesses, new investment, new growth and new jobs, boosting the State economy and further enhancing the city’s financial and knowledge economies. The first step in delivering Barangaroo is the $3 billion Stage 1 partnership with a private sector developer to be announced in early 2010. For further information visit www.barangaroo.com
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