Australia-European Union Cooperation on Climate Change
In 2003, collaboration on climate change was announced as a priority under a broader agenda for cooperation between the European Union and Australia. (For full details of the agenda for cooperation see Australia and the European Union: an agenda for cooperation - www.dfat.gov.au/geo/european_union/index.html).
Cooperation with the European Union is focused on:
- technology development and deployment
- climate science, impacts and adaptation
- harmonisation of emissions monitoring, reporting, verification and certification procedures
- evolution of mitigation commitments.
Australia and the European Union are looking to advance practical work under these themes and in May 2004 agreed to joint activities and projects on:
- ways to engage all countries in the fight against climate change
- end-use energy efficiency in the built environment
- mobile airconditioners.
MOU on Energy Efficiency
In July 2005, representatives from the European Community and the Australian Government entered into a 3 year MOU, aimed at expanding collaboration on energy efficiency. The initial focus under this agreement was on reducing standby power consumption of consumer electronics, benchmarking of minimum energy performance standards for residential airconditioners, examining standby power losses in non-residential buildings, and developing efficiency standards and labels for residential appliances.
