Region now a leader on environment

Bendigo Advertiser
Wednesday 19/9/2007 Page: 10

Bendigo and the wider central Victorian region is fast emerging as a national leader in the debate and discussion about environmental issues. In July, Treasurer Peter Costello announced $15 million of federal funding for a solar energy project that will have its headquarters in Bendigo. The $35 million renewable energy model will see the creation of two 300 kilowatt solar power parks - one in Bendigo and another in Ballarat - to service 13 municipalities in the region.

Meanwhile, La Trobe University is still awaiting news of its bid to establish the Australian Centre for Climate Change Adaptation in Bendigo. Its proposal, developed with a number of other universities, is one of three in the running for Federal Government funds. The centre will examine the effects of climate change on Australian communities and how society should adapt to new weather patterns.

While a decision on this proposal is expected by the end of the month, the two-day Renewable Energy and Regional Australia conference, which closed in Bendigo yesterday, has helped keep the city's environmental credentials in the national spotlight. Like many cities and regions, Bendigo and central Victoria has been personally touched by climate change in recent years, and its residents are beginning to accept the enormity of the challenges that lie ahead. To their credit, these residents are emerging as leaders in the discussion about how to cope in this new environment.