Meeting the international clean energy and climate change challenges

2009 is a crucial year in the international effort to address climate change, culminating in the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, at the end of the year. The purpose: to forge a new climate treaty to replace the Kyoto Protocol.

With energy-related carbon dioxide emissions accounting for most of the global greenhouse gas emissions, the energy sector will be at the heart of discussions in Copenhagen. According to the reference scenario presented in the World Energy Outlook 2008 by the International Energy Agency (IEA), the energy sector will have to play the central role in curbing emissions – through major improvements in efficiency and increased use of renewables and other low-carbon technologies.

STANDARDS IN DEVELOPMENT

Acoustics – Road traffic noise – New and altered roads

Committee: P6806
Project Manager: Stuart Ng
Estimated Publication Date: December 2009
Comments: The P6806 committee has met to discuss the public comments received on the draft Standard. A further meeting was held in October and final editing is about to commence then balloting will occur. Publication is now expected in December 2009.

Acoustics – Wind farm noise

Committee: P6808
Project Manager: Bruce Taylor
Estimated Publication Date: January 2010
Comments: Public comments on the revised draft Standard on wind farm noise closed on 30 April 2009. Standards New Zealand received over 600 comments, each of which has been considered by the review committee. Voting by the committee on the final version of the Standard is underway. Publication of the revised Standard has been delayed until January 2010 while final changes are made by the committee.