---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Elena McMaster <elena.mcmaster@...>
Date: Mon, May 4, 2009 at 12:04 PM
Subject: Zero Carbon Australia 2020 project
To: hello@...


Hi Phil,

Great to talk to you today. We're very keen for some sort of involvement from ASPO in ZCA2020 because we think our campaigns compliment each other and some collaboration has the potential to benefit us both. We're also keen to tap into the expertise of your members in liquid fuels for the zero carbon plan. I've included some information on ZCA2020 - taken from our terms of references - below.

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The Zero Carbon Australia 2020 Plan (ZCA2020) is an initiative of Beyond Zero Emissions and the Climate Emergency Network with the generous support of Climate Positive. It's basically a technical feasibility study with the aim to develop a step-by-step blueprint for transitioning Australia to a decarbonised economy by 2020.

ZCA2020 will be developed in the context of widespread scientific opinion that global greenhouse gas equivalent concentrations in the atmosphere must be stabilised to between 300 and 325 ppm to achieve a safe global climate.

Specifically ZCA2020 will investigate and outline:

- A staged execution plan for Australia to transition to a zero carbon economy by 2020

- The costs and benefits of Australia pursuing a zero carbon target

- The necessary policy options and resources to achieve a zero carbon economy that will produce the best possible outcome for Australia

- The sectoral and regional implications of Australia progressing to a zero carbon economy (such as transitioning employees and export revenues)

- The economic and strategic opportunities in Australia taking a lead role within the global context of carbon constraint

ZCA2020 had its genesis in "Coal Switch" - See coalswitch.

ZCA2020 draws on the enormous wealth of knowledge, experience, expertise and interest in the community to develop a blueprint for transitioning Australia to a zero carbon economy. Individuals with relevent skills can work within a structured process to contribute to ZCA2020.

ZCA2020 will consist of individual reports into the following sectors of the Australia economy:

- Stationary Energy

- Transport

- Land Use (Agriculture, forestry & carbon drawdown)

- Housing and Commercial Buildings

- Industrial Processes

- Export Revenue

The output for each sector working group will be a report outlining the sector's transition to a zero emission future. When completed ZCA2020 will be a series of stand alone reports, but will also be available in a single volume.

With a reliance on volunteer contributions and minimal resources to achieve a highly complex and technical report, we have allowed some flexibility in the projected time line of ZCA2020.

The delivery of sector reports has been divided into two stages:

Stage One will deliver finished reports on the stationary energy, transport and buildings sectors by August 15th 2009. It will also progress work in other sectors depending on resources, recruitment of contributors and the progress of these working groups.

Stage Two will deliver the remaining sector reports by November 15th 2009.

Guiding Principles

There are a series of ideals and principles which will guide the development of the ZCA2020 Plan:

- Solutions will not defer costs and burdens to future generations.

- Solutions will use only proven, reliable technology which is fully-costed and commercially available.

- The security and reliability of Australia's energy supply is maintained or enhanced by the transition.

- Food and water security are maintained or enhanced by the transition.

- Australia's food exports will be maintained or enhanced by the transition.

- The transition as it applies to the agricultural sector will maintain or enhance the overall nutritional value of food production, including for Australia's food exports.

- Public health indices will be maintained or enhanced by the transition.

- Social equity is maintained or enhanced by the transition.

- Other environmental indices (such as biodiversity) are maintained or enhanced by the transition.

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Your members will, perhaps, be most interested in our work in the transport sector. The transport plan calls for a complete electrification of transport (freight and passenger), increased public transport infrastructure and modal shift from private vehicles to public transport, walking and cycling. Obviously this signifies a technological and a behavioural shift. We think its significant, though, that the plan only relies on proven, commercially available technology that is already in widespread use in other parts on the world, if not in Australia. We welcome any input from ASPO members as I'm sure you've already done your own work on transport in Australia to reduce or cancel our dependenc on oil.

If any ASPO members are interested in finding out more about the project or contributing to it, they can email or call me on the contacts listed below.

Cheers,

Elena McMaster

project coordinator, ZCA2020

elena.mcmaster@...

04095 03163